Muay Thai Special | Teaching You How to Understand Muay Thai Competitions

　　Today, let’s talk about the rules of Muay Thai—specifically, how to appreciate or understand a Muay Thai fight. Please note that what I’m referring to here is the authentic, original Full Thai Rules: pure Muay Thai that combines punches, kicks, knees, elbows, clinching in the inner guard, and takedowns and sweeps.

　　Basic Common Sense for Muay Thai Competitions

　　1. A Muay Thai match consists of five rounds, with each round lasting three minutes and a two-minute break between rounds. A full match lasts no more than half an hour (including breaks), and the physical exertion is comparable to running a marathon.

　　2. In this competition, each round is worth a maximum of 10 points, so five rounds total 50 points—unlike boxing matches, where each round is scored separately.

　　3. Points are awarded for “clean, impactful strikes”: punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and takedowns all count toward scoring. However, points earned from kicks, knees, elbows, takedowns, and dominant positions in grappling carry higher value than points from punches—unless the punch itself causes “obvious damage,” such as a knockdown or an injury to the opponent.

　　4. Once the fight enters the close-range clinch, both fighters will strive to take the initiative. After taking a knee strike, you need to counterattack immediately. In the clinch, the fighter who lands more effective knee strikes scores points. During the clinch, it’s common for one fighter to be taken down in a takedown move, but both fighters end up on the ground together. At this point, whoever ends up on top earns extra points.

　　5. After being struck by your opponent, you must counterattack—otherwise, your opponent will gain an impression point. That’s why in Muay Thai training, practitioners frequently perform rapid, consecutive kicks: 100 left-leg kicks and 100 right-leg kicks, often so fast that your vision starts to blur (in Thai, this is called “buern”). This not only enhances your strength and endurance but, most importantly, sharpens your counterattack speed.

　　Obscure Common Sense

　　1. Luk kanglang: Heavy hit, scores the most points.

　　2. If your opponent punches you, but you show little reaction, that wouldn’t be considered a “heavy blow.” However, if you deliver a powerful kick straight to his liver, causing him to step back or wince in pain, then your kick would likely be judged by the ringside referee as a “heavy blow.”

　　3. One crucial aspect of being a Muay Thai fighter is maintaining a poker face once you step into the ring. Even if you’re knocked senseless by a few powerful punches or get kicked hard in the stomach, leaving you gasping for air from the pain—(as long as you’re still fully conscious)—you must remain calm and composed. Absolutely do not show any sign of distress; otherwise, you’ll immediately lose points. This point is often overlooked by spectators who aren’t familiar with the sport.

　　Although the white-trousered athlete was kicked painfully, he remained calm. (Oriental Sports)