There are 4 main styles of muay thai fighter, Muay Femur, Muay Mat, Muay Khao and the explosive and damaging kicker of the Muay Tae style.
In this post we look at the characteristics of the expert kicker’s style and the best exponents of the muay tae style from the old ‘black and white’ TV days which showcased the “Golden Leg” Pud Pat Noy to the most famous muay thai fighter and kickboxer in the world today, Buakaw.
Each muay thai fighter is specialized in the style that most suits their favourite techniques, body shape and general mindset or approach to fighting.
Muay Femur fighters are generally more evasive and utilize distance and angles.
The Muay Khao fighter enjoys tying up their opponent in the clinch and unleashing powerful knee strikes.
Muay Mat is the explosive puncher who likes to go for the KO.
The Muay Tae style is one of the most exciting styles, utilizing a variety of powerful and damaging kicks to pulverize and hurt their opponent with muay thai’s dangerous roundhouse kicks.
Characterisitcs of the Nak Muay Tae
The muay tae fighter (nak muay tae) favors heavy kicks to their opponents body and arms.
Body kicks apart from effective head kicks are some of the highest scoring attacks in muay thai scoring and roundhouse kicks to the body are a specialty of muay thai.
As they favor kicks to the body and arms to damage and wear their opponent down, the muay tae fighter operates mainly in the medium to long range distance in a fight.
This is in contrast to the muay khao and muy mat fighters who prefer the medium to close range and espeically the clinch range for the muay khao fighter.
The medium to close range is most effective for landing heavy kicks to the arms and body and the ability to set up heavy kicks with punches.
The general body type of the muay tae fighter is the shorter and well built or stocky type of body shape.
Being of powerful build and general very athletic, the muay tae fighter is able to concentrate their body weight in their powerful kicks to really hurt their opponents.
They are known to be very aggressive especially with kicking attacks as well as being able to find range for kicks very effectively.
The muay tae fighter is able to find range to land kicks in a variety of ways including using their strength to push their opponents backward out of close distance to get the perfect range to land a powerful body or head kick.
In addition to finding range the muay tae fighter uses their powerful kicks to batter their opponents guard to wear them down with heavy kicks.
Battering their opponents guard and body/arms leaves their opponent wary and eventually an opening will appear for a powerful body kick or fight ending head kick.
Fighting Against the Muay Tae Style
Fighting against this style is a daunting prospect as facing bunches of heavy kicks in the ribs, arms and head is a scary proposition.
One strategy against the muay tae could be to take away their range, the medium to long range where they prefer to operate in order to land their favored kicks.
Utilizing the clinch to be ‘all the way in’ and smothering the muay tae to neutralize their powerful kicks could be a valid strategy to use.
Alternatively a strategy would be to keep a long distance and stay off center i.e “all the way out” and utilize angles to get attacks in and retreat quickly and hopefully avoid as much as possible the muay tae’s powerful kicks.
Another possible strategy would be to try to lure them into a boxing match, especially for a muay mat fighter and operate more in the medium to close range utilizing body punches and swift punch combos with low kicks to keep them off balance.
Whichever strategy you adopt against a muay tae it is guaranteed you will get hit at some stage with their favored kicks so developing a good strong and stable shin block that you can also counter off with strong punches would definitely need to be drilled and worked leading up to the fight.
Exponents of the Muay Tae Style
Being one of the most exciting style to watch for Thai fans with high scoring and damaging kicks thrown in bunches, the muay tae stylists listed below are some of the most popular nak muay in the world today.
1. Buakaw
Probably the most famous Thai fighter in the world today, Buakaw is the stereotypical muay tae fighter. WIth a stocky and powerful build and known for throwing heavy kicks, Buakaw exemplifies this style perfectly.
It is actually on the K-1 and kickboxing stage that Buakaw gained world fame. Demonstrating his strength and power as well as beautiful muay thai technique, Buakaw conquered K-1 and today remains a huge drawcard in the kickboxing and muay thai arena.
2. Yodsanklai Fairtex
WIdely regarded as one of the best muay thai fighters in the world today, Yodsanklai also displays the muay tae style well.
Possessing a heavy set, powerful build and a devastating left roundhouse kick, Yodsanklai has claimed his fair share of world titles and exciting KO’s with his textbook muay tae style.
Known as “The Boxing Computer” due to his technical fighting prowess, Yodsanklai has won numerous titles including Lumpinee Stadium, Lion Fight And Thai fight to name just a few.
3. Singdam
Another powerfully built muay thai fighter, Singdam is well known for his powerful right roundhouse kick. He is a multiple Lumpinee and Thai National Champion.
Already having gained legendary status in muay thai, Singdam has famous victories over the best in the game including Liam Harrison, Petchboonchu, Saenchai, Kongsak, Chamuaktong, Nong-O, Sagetdao, Jomthong, Kaew, Attachai, Nopparat, and Samkor among many other great victories.
4. Pud Pat Noy
Known as “The Golden Leg”, Pud Pat Noy is known as one of the best ever muay tae stylist of all time.
Famous for his powerful left roundhouse kick and high fight IQ, Pud Pat Noy won numerous titles and fighting accolades during the 1970s. As a Southpaw fighter, his left kick was feared and respected by all.
In the early 1970s Pud Pat Noy was a multi-weight Lumpinee Champion showing his versatility and fighting prowess.
5. Kaensak Sor Ploenchit
Fighting in the Golden Age of muay thai in Thailand in the late 80s and 90s, Kaensak fought at a time of greats (including Dieselnoi and Samart) and yet stood out in his own right as one of the best ever.
Known as the technical, counter fighting muay tae stylist, Kaensak has over 250 fights and an unofficial record of 200 wins and was both Rajademnern and Lumpinee flyweight champion and won Fighter of the Year honors twice.
