Female Thai boxer and MMA fighter, Loma Lookboonmee has created history by becoming the first ever Thai to be signed to the UFC.
The achievement is a huge one for Loma who is recognized on the world and Thai national muay thai stage for many titles and achievements.
But the 23 year old MMA up and comer from Buriram has only been competing in MMA for about two years.
I have given some background about Loma in a previous post, my list of the Top 10 Female Nak Muay
In recognition of her talent, hard work and determination, the UFC have signed Loma to fight on October 26th in Singapore.
In this post we will take a brief look at Lomas muay thai career, her MMA record to date and the MMA scene in Thailand as a very new sport as well as TIger Muay Thai & MMA which is where Loma fights out of.
Loma Lookboonmee Muay Thai Achievements
Loma began fighting muay thai at 7 years old. She was well known from a young age for fighting and beating boys in the rural muay thai scene.
Loma’s record in muay thai is very accomplished and while she is still relatively new on the MMA scene with a record of 3-1 her muay thai record speaks for itself with an estimated 300 plus fights
Loma has amassed a number of muay thai awards and titles including the following world and Thai regional belts:
- 2017 – IFMA Amateur Muay Thai World Championships | 48kg Gold
- 2015 – IFMA Royal World Cup | Pinweight 45kg Gold
- 2012 – S1 World Champion
- Asian Games | Gold
- Rangsit Stadium Champion
- Assawindam Stadium Champion
MMA in Thailand
In Thailand today MMA has not received endorsement from the Sports Authority of Thailand and instead has to be run as an activity.
Prior to the ONE Championship “Kingdom of Champions” MMA fight card in 2016, the Sports Authority of Thailand had not allowed any MMA event to be held in the Kingdom of Thailand.
The Sports Authority was known to have regarded MMA as “brutal” and declared MMA illegal. This is despite the major influence muay thai has on MMA.
Especially with the general acceptance that muay thai is a necessary aspect of MMA that all practitioners need to train in.
This was until 2016 when ONE Championship opened the doors for MMA in Thailand with a sell out event at the 12,000-seat Impact Arena in Bangkok.
Following the 2016 ONE Championship event, Thailand’s Sports And Tourism Ministry overruled the MMA ban and the sport now continues to grow in Thailand with more and more opportunities for up and comers such as Loma Lookboonmee.
Tiger Muay Thai & MMA
Tiger Muay Thai & MMA in Phuket is the gym where Loma trains and fights out of.
Tiger Muay Thai & MMA also has well established MMA and UFC fighters such as current UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion, Valentina Schevchenko.
Tiger muay thai has also hosted big names such as George Saint Pierres and a whole host of UFC fighters that have chosen Tiger Muay Thai to train at to prepare for UFC fights. These include:
- Mairbek Taisumov
- Zubayra Tukhugov
- Movsar Evloev
- Damir Ismagulov
- Nordine Taleb
However Loma Lookboonemee will be the first ever Thai national contracted to the UFC and the first ever to take the UFC stage later this year in Singapore.
Lomas main MMA trainer is the head MMA trainer and head wrestling coach at Tiger, George Hickman.
Hickman is an accomplished wrestler (3 time State wrestling Champion and four time USA finalist) with a 9-3 MMA record.
Loma Lookboonmee MMA Achievements
Loma has already created history previously by becoming the first Thai to sign to Invicta, the all female MMA fighting promotion in 2017.
Loma currently has a pro MMA record of 3-1 but her first fight on MMA’s biggest stage will be at UFC Fight Night 162 on the prelim card for the main event which will be Maia vs Askren in Singapore on OCtober 26th.
Of Loma’s 3 pro MMA wins, all have been by unanimous decision and her only loss which was to Suwanan Boonsorn at Full Metal Dojo 16 in November 2018 was by armbar in the first round.
Loma will be fighting in the UFC’s female straw weight division (52kg).
This is a move up in weight for Loma who normally fights at Atom weight (47kg). However the chance to feature on the UFC fight card is all too good to pass up and Loma has decided to take the chance and move up in weight.
Loma’s coach, Hickman has stated:
“I know people talk about her going up in weight, being smaller, and all that, but she learns at a very rapid pace. From the first time she trains you know she understands and learns so quickly,” said Hickman.
Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-trained-fighter-becomes-first-thai-in-ufc-72864.php#YLPcfCJktUv09P9D.99
Loma’s UFC Debut
Loma will make her UFC debut in the straw weight division against Alexandra ‘Stich’ Albu at UFC Fight Night 162 in Singapore on October 26th.
Loma’s opponent, Alexandra Albu will have more experience having already competed 3 times in the UFC. She has a 2-1 UFC record.
Albu also comes from a traditional martial arts background with a Karate black belt and Judo experience.
While Albu has a similar MMA record as Loma at 3-1 her big fight experience on the UFC stage may give her more of an advantage but Loma is no stranger to the fighting scene with a massive number of muay thai fights.
The Fight card features:
UFC Fight Night 162 Main Event:
170 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Ben Askren
UFC Fight Night 162 Main Card, Prelims:
155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Stevie Ray
265 lbs.: Ciryl Gane vs. Don’Tale Mayes
265 lbs.: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Maurice Greene
155 lbs.: Frank Camacho vs. Beneil Dariush
265 lbs.: Jarjis Danho vs. Greg Hardy
185 lbs.: Ian Heinisch vs. Brad Tavares
125 lbs.: Alexandra Albu vs. Loma Lookboonmee
Good Luck Loma!
We can only hope that as muay thai fans and on this history making event that Loma will come out on top. But may the best woman win.
Chok dee (Good luck) Loma!
References:
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/174166-looma-lookboonmee
https://asiamma.com/promotions/ufc-promotions/loma-lookboonmee-signs-with-the-ufc/
