by Nathan Aripez
We arrived at Lumpinee Stadium around 3pm, we were going to catch the early fights as we had an interview with Buakaw scheduled for later in the night. While browsing the shops out in front of Lumpinee and looking at some shirts that featured Kevin Ross we ran into Sheymon Da Silva. Sheymon fought in America back in July for Push Kick Promotions. We began to chat with him and he informed us was training at Petchyindee Muay Thai Academy right above Lumpinee. He invited us up and we were able to catch Sam-A, Petjing Wor Sangprapai and Yodpet Wor Sangprapai training as well as Chantal Ughi.
After about an hour at Petchyindee we went down to watch the fights at Lumpinee.
The later show is supposed to feature better fights, but the early show had some good bouts. It is a completely different atmosphere and the fighters are skilled. The fighters that competed were not the best, but that is because the skill level is so high. Compared to the average Muay Thai practitioner they were head and shoulders above them. It was interesting to observe the betting that was going on, I didn't understand one bit of it, but just something completely different from what we see in the states. Scott was of course running around snapping some excellent pictures, as usual.
After the fights at Lumpinee we met with Buakaw at his hotel. Scott had brought a picture of him landing a push kick to the face of Warren Stevelmans from their fight at the MPL event in Long Beach earlier in the month. Since Scott had been the official MPL photographer, Buakaw and his manager remembered Scott and greeted him with open arms. Buakaw did not realize at first that the framed picture Scott had brought was for him, Noradee noticed Buakaw trying to remove the picture from the frame and asked him what he was doing. Buakaw replied that he really liked the picture and he wanted to take it, Noradee then informed him that Scott framed the picture for him and it was his, frame and all. We then sat down to interview Buakaw, after the interview we chatted a bit, Buakaw and his manager are very easy going.
After the Buakaw interview we headed to our hotel to check-in, we arrived around 9pm. We followed up with some events going on back in the United States, then hit the sack immediately.
After a 17 hour flight from Los Angeles, Scott Hirano and I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand at 6AM. We met our driver ,Eak, and our Thai Consulate escort, Noradee, around 6:30am and our first stop was Kiatpetch Gym to cover Sakkedao Petchpayathai. Sakkedao's training was some of the best training I have ever seen first hand. In addition to Sakkedao there were various other young fighters training and they were all equally impressive. Coming from America it is unusual to see a 16 year old with that skill level. After Sakkedao was done training we did an interview with him, but the best part was after the camera was off. Through the translator we talked about his first trip to America which would take place in October when he fights Kevin Ross and how Muay Thai is scored differently in the United States, as well as his four fights with Saenchai, but on a more relaxed and candid level.
After leaving Kiatpetch we then went to Sitsongpeenong where we met up with Kem Sitsongpeenong. Kem and Frankie Giorgi were busy cutting weight for the Thai Fight tournament. Kem was fighting in the 147lb (67kg) bracket and Frankie in the 154lb (70kg) bracket. Kem then took some time from his weight cut to do an interview with us. After the interview with Kem we took off to eat some food and then returned a bit later to watch some training at Sitsongpeenong.
After leaving Kiatpetch we then went to Sitsongpeenong where we met up with Kem Sitsongpeenong. Kem and Frankie Giorgi were busy cutting weight for the Thai Fight tournament. Kem was fighting in the 147lb (67kg) bracket and Frankie in the 154lb (70kg) bracket. Kem then took some time from his weight cut to do an interview with us. After the interview with Kem we took off to eat some food and then returned a bit later to watch some training at Sitsongpeenong.
After about an hour at Petchyindee we went down to watch the fights at Lumpinee.
After the fights at Lumpinee we met with Buakaw at his hotel. Scott had brought a picture of him landing a push kick to the face of Warren Stevelmans from their fight at the MPL event in Long Beach earlier in the month. Since Scott had been the official MPL photographer, Buakaw and his manager remembered Scott and greeted him with open arms. Buakaw did not realize at first that the framed picture Scott had brought was for him, Noradee noticed Buakaw trying to remove the picture from the frame and asked him what he was doing. Buakaw replied that he really liked the picture and he wanted to take it, Noradee then informed him that Scott framed the picture for him and it was his, frame and all. We then sat down to interview Buakaw, after the interview we chatted a bit, Buakaw and his manager are very easy going.
After the Buakaw interview we headed to our hotel to check-in, we arrived around 9pm. We followed up with some events going on back in the United States, then hit the sack immediately.
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