"Buakaw was an anomaly"

[FokaiMuayThai]

In the past few years I've read this being said by many posters, but during that era I often dismissed this idea and was assured that since Buakaw wasn't necessarily top class in the Thai circuits there were better Thais than Buakaw that could've done better under K1 rules at the time (Namsaknoi, Anuwat, Yodsaenklai, Samkor etc).

Now I'm looking back at videos of his run through K1 MAX 10 years ago, and there might be some truth to it:

1. He actually had very sharp boxing and reflexes, he just wasn't a power puncher (i.e. Zambidis) and he didn't focus on the punch KO, but when he was confronted with a punch exchange regardless of range he gave as good as he got. He beat both Andy Souwer and Zambidis within punching range in a few exchanges.

2. His kicks were faster than they were powerful (he wasn't Yodsaenklai) and he was light on his feet and mobile laterally as well as in and out, he would often be able to double or triple kick his opponents and move away. He also set up his lowkicks with punches that were actually threatening, almost Dutch style in nature (unlike a lot of Thai fighters who often paw their gloves at your face a bit, then lowkick)

3. He follows up after his teeps with offense instead of hanging back and waiting to teep again, he did use the Thai "lean back" against high kicks from time to time, but more often he preferred to be "in the action" and moving forward, he was unusually aggressive for a Thai fighter. There were always fakes, feints and the threat of getting punched in the face even as he was working his kicks.

4. His clinches and tie-ups were very active, he knew how to clinch up to reset and get out of trouble sports, when he caught your leg/foot he always followed up with an immediate counter combination that didn't "stall the action".

There are many other points that made him the best made "Thai stylist" for K1 rules. Feel free to add some.

I definitely underappreciated Buakaw at the time, but let's be honest, there was a point where he came off as a real douche, which was around the end of his K-1 MAX days.

What are your thoughts on this idea that Buakaw was "not like other Thai fighters."

What other Thai fighters do you think could've adapted just as well to K-1 rules during that era? During this Era?

EDIT: Yes, I know Keaw and Sitthichai are smashing it, but I was thinking more along the lines of orthodox stance fighters, Southpaw is pretty much cheat mode...lol

 

[Cocakillbana]

So is Kaew an anomaly? He can kick fast and has adequate hands too. You know, the guy whose career was evaporating in Thailand and made the switch to kickboxing and is now a top 3 P4P kickboxer.

Fighting in Muay Thai against fighters with know-how is so much different than kickboxing. In competitive Muay Thai, Buakaw wasn't, and wouldn't be able to do a quarter of the shit he did in K-1. That style of fighter was something new to most, so he took advantage of it and had his way with them.

Look at Kaew's fights in Thailand and now what he's doing in Japan. It's night and day. And not because he made some great discoveries about fighting. He's able to exploit them in a way he couldn't competent Muay Thai fighters. Buakaw was the same. Hell, Kaoklai was the same. Let's not forget he made it to the semis of the HW GP as a freakin' 154 pounder. Sure, some fighters don't do as well, but Buakaw is no amomaly. That Gonnapar (Kongnapa) dude just looked like a million bucks on a few days notice against one of the best fighters in the division. Who knew of him two days ago? People were very enthusiastic over Pajonsuk until he fizzled out. You can go on. Plenty of fighters from the 80's and 90's.

I don't doubt that most legitimately good Muay Thai fighters could have immediate success in kickboxing. I expect Petpamomrung to dominute the Glory division. Just like Buakaw and Kaew, he'll appear to be more impressive against these fighters. Watch.

 

[FokaiMuayThai]

I just wish they'd give more opportunities to Thais, barring airfare/accommodation I would think that they're probably dirt cheap to put on cards (no disrespect). I just don't think they'd ask for a lot of money like some European stars.

Pajonsuk fought smart and broke his opponents down mentally, he just wasn't crowd-pleasing.. at all.

I want to see more make the switch.

 

[oyvindt]

I just wish they'd give more opportunities to Thais, barring airfare/accommodation I would think that they're probably dirt cheap to put on cards (no disrespect). I just don't think they'd ask for a lot of money like some European stars.

Pajonsuk fought smart and broke his opponents down mentally, he just wasn't crowd-pleasing.. at all.

I want to see more make the switch.

the more the better but...there are plenty of top thais around now...if you think about how many chinese fighters are known/fight outside china compared to thais,it's pretty impressive how things have changed in a matter of 6-7 years...kunlun next card alone has 5 top thais.

 

[SuperLuigi]

"Anomaly" gives the impression that it would be very rare, I think I would rather say that Buakaw was exceptional. His adaptation to KB rules was excellent, much smoother than many others. Of course thats not to say that many Thais wouldn't do the same. The sheer volume of MT guarantees that there would be many many excellent transitioners.

 

[oyvindt]

Buakaw doesn't kick hard. They look like my sister hitting me with a pillow. His boxing is very stiff too. Terrible MT fighter.

thanks lady gaga....so edgy

 

[oyvindt]

Thanks 5 yr old skeletor.

agggrrr u got me here.consider me dragged and scalped.

 

[AbeRudder]

I always thought it was silly when people would say that Yod would murder Buakaw and what not. I think Yod would be favoured especially given that he thrives in open stance matchups but I never thought there was a significant skill discrepancy between them.

 

[TonyK]

People hardly watch any fights and then make conclusions of what the "Thai style" really is. In reality, you can find so many styles on the Thai circuit that you can't really put all of the fighters under one stylistic roof.

 

[FokaiMuayThai]

People hardly watch any fights and then make conclusions of what the "Thai style" really is. In reality, you can find so many styles on the Thai circuit that you can't really put all of the fighters under one stylistic roof.

True, but I would argue that the pace and goal of the matches are different, not to mention the scoring.

 

[FokaiMuayThai]

the more the better but...there are plenty of top thais around now...if you think about how many chinese fighters are known/fight outside china compared to thais,it's pretty impressive how things have changed in a matter of 6-7 years...kunlun next card alone has 5 top thais.

Never watched much Kunlun aside from whatever people post due to lack of easy access to full events. I like my fights how I like my women.

 

[DastardlyMass]

how was butkaw an anomaly when now you have thai's who werent even famous in the bangkok stadiums and have been retired for years coming into kickboxing and doing good? You have the guy in kunlun who made the 70kg final 8 who we still don't even know what name he fought in thailand under and now some other random retired thai on a few days notice beats a guy who fought for k1 japans 65kg belt this year.

 

[oyvindt]

Never watched much Kunlun aside from whatever people post due to lack of easy access to full events. I like my fights how I like my women.

kunlum fights are very accessible now.give it a try i think it's the kb promotion with more top active thais as of now.

 

[Kanka]

The trainers of thai fighters have much more experience and skill than any of the trainers in other countries. Thai fighters learn everything from a young age and IMO, have better fighting fundamentals than Japanese, Dutch and Moroccan fighters.

With that said, not every thai fighter is gonna beat up top Japanese fighters under kickboxing rules, but the talent pool is big enough for thai's to dominate kickboxing if a significant number of them commited to kickboxing.

 

[Cocakillbana]

People often like to talk about Thais and how they adapt to kickboxing as if it is some great struggle. Like Muay Thai fighters are flocking to kickboxing and showing up as massive failures. But Given the number of Thais who have had a real shot in kickboxing, it's impressive what they've done.

Buakaw was the consensus #1 P4P kickboxer in the world.
Sitthichai is regarded by many as the #1 kickboxer in the world.
Kaew is regarded as a top 3 kickboxer in the world and some say #1.

How many kickboxers have ever been top 100 P4P fighters in Muay Thai? None?

 

[Karaev fan]

How many kickboxers have ever been top 100 P4P fighters in Muay Thai? None?

Victor Nagbe bro, best p4p farang of all time.

But you don't consider Fujiwara or Ishii to have been top 100 p4p for their time?

 

[JSnake]

I don't think I'd go so far as calling Buakaw an anomaly. I remember when he fought another Thai to qualify for K-1 MAX, Fuji Chalmsak, who read his style really well and nullified a lot of his game, taking Buakaw to a close, hard-earned decision. He didn't look as dominant there compared with his emergence in K-1, against non-Thai fighters that same year. So given the same opportunity, I feel other Thais could've found success in the K-1 ring if they were in Buakaw's position, although they may not have been as popular/marketable.

What impressed me the most with Buakaw were his reflexes/evasive movement, which really stood out from other fighters.

 

[Cocakillbana]

Victor Nagbe bro, best p4p farang of all time.

But you don't consider Fujiwara or Ishii to have been top 100 p4p for their time?

Yeah, Fujiwara. Was he a kickboxer to Muay Thai in the same way Muay Thai fighters are to kickboxing? Like a "pure" kickboxer, or was he familiar with Muay Thai?

Hiroki Ishii? Nah. He was pretty much a career Muay Thai guy wasn't he?

 

[jtwarwagon4life]

Yeah, Fujiwara. Was he a kickboxer to Muay Thai in the same way Muay Thai fighters are to kickboxing? Like a "pure" kickboxer, or was he familiar with Muay Thai?

Hiroki Ishii? Nah. He was pretty much a career Muay Thai guy wasn't he?

I don't think kickboxing as we know it even existed in the 70's. Above the waist kickboxing maybe, but that wasn't what Fujiwara practised.

 

[jtwarwagon4life]

People often like to talk about Thais and how they adapt to kickboxing as if it is some great struggle. Like Muay Thai fighters are flocking to kickboxing and showing up as massive failures. But Given the number of Thais who have had a real shot in kickboxing, it's impressive what they've done.

Buakaw was the consensus #1 P4P kickboxer in the world.
Sitthichai is regarded by many as the #1 kickboxer in the world.
Kaew is regarded as a top 3 kickboxer in the world and some say #1.

How many kickboxers have ever been top 100 P4P fighters in Muay Thai? None?

I think that in practice someone like Ramon Dekkers was basically a kickboxer. Although there was "thai boxing" in the Netherlands it pretty much always prohibited elbows and clinching was a non factor.