By Renu Begum

Held at the Fightworks Asia gym, the Muay Thai Championship Series 3 featured some of Singapore’s best fighters.

Walking into a testosterone-charged environment might be slightly daunting to the average girl, but when it includes several two-metre long sandbags hanging threateningly corners, a sea of thrilled faces and restless murmuring throughout the audience, any trepidation dissipates almost immediately to be replaced by excitement.

The Muay Thai Championship Series 3: Cross Border Rumble made June 12 a day filled with anticipation for Singapore’s Muay Thai community.

With the main draw being a three-bout showdown between professional Muay Thai fighters from Singapore and Malaysia, spectators also had local amateur, semi-professional and professional fights with fighter from various gyms to look forward to.

Enthusiasts streamed in steadily throughout the six-hour event, filling the Fightworks Asia gym to the brim. The 10-bout event went ahead to prove that the Muay Thai scene in Singapore is very much alive and well, kicking.  The director of Fightworks Asia, Mr John Lee, reported and “exponential increase in the number of people interested in taking up Muay Thai” since the school started operating.

The last category had spectators firmly in their seats.  A grand show was made when introducing the Singapore Lions and Malaysian Tigers, with fighters decked out in traditional headgear and armbands.

The displeasure between Singapore and Malaysia go back in history, with bilateral relations having soured considerably in recent years over water supply issues. The patriotism-fuelled crowd surged to their feet with calls of support constantly, and at the end of three bouts, it seemed as if Malaysia never stood a chance at all.

Malaysian Tiger Azrul Azhar unfurls his cape amidst a largely Singaporean crowd as he is introduced to the ring.

Neo Jit Wee, 20, who got himself an opponent considerably taller, overcame the height handicap easily for a clear win.  In the second bout, Malaysian fighter Izzat Zulfeka gave me my first witness account to a knock out, proving it to be just like in the movies by swaying precariously before falling rigidly in one swift motion to the ground.

Singaporean Neo Jit Wee and Malaysian Azrul Azhar go head-to-head

Singaporean Amir Khan, 15, did not give his competitor Amir Firdaus a moment’s respite; his repeated combination of hooks, kicks and punches had his persistent opponent on the ground more than five times in three bouts, to whistles from the spectators.

The event started off on the slow burner with a novice fight, the sharp slap of kicks on shin resounding around the room.  The repeated removal and fitting of mouthguards, something seemingly innocuous yet so symbolic of the nature of the fight, added to the already tensed atmosphere.  What first grabbed interest though was the Wai Khru ritualistic dance accompanied by ancient music that fighters perform before every bout, to offer thanks to their trainer, family and God.

The speed picked up significantly when the semi-professional fighters entered the ring.  Most of the rounds were close, but the fights were by no means lacklustre.  Worthy of mention is Ron Ee, 23, who came back in his last round from being the weaker opponent in the first two and winning the bout overall.

: (L-R) Real-life best friends Wong Lei Biao and Christopher Sze give it their best in the ring.

Despite suffering many follow-up elbows from the physically bigger Zulman Bin Masohin, he dismissed his weaker earlier rounds after the bout, grinning as he claimed that “they were just warm-ups” to him.  He said, “Ultimately, you are fighting yourself in the ring and your mental strength is very important”.

Responses from the extreme ends of the spectrum were seen at the beginning of the professional fight.

Spectators started edging nearer the ring and the floor was hushed as the male professional fighters were introduced, and with good reason, as Wong Lei Biao and opponent Christopher Sze have been close friends since they started their Muay Thai journey less than two years ago.  While they eventually drew, Wong conceded that it was “very hard” fighting a friend in the ring.

On the other hand, the female professional fight saw a small portion of the audience leaving for a break.  The remaining audience was unperturbed however, and their confidence paid off in a fight that was more vicious and aggressive than those preceding it.

Lena Ng, who was up against Brenda Shee, both Singaporeans, gave as good as she got, debunking spectator Paul Yong’s belief that the difference in style between the genders was that “guys throw more kicks than girls” with a series of diagonal kicks she kept up throughout the bout.  While it was unnerving seeing the ferocity with which the girls went at each other, the tenacity their lithe bodies held made a definite statement.

(L-R) Branda Shee and Lena Ng show that Muay Thai is not just a man’s sport.

With the crowd’s proud cheers still roaring in my ears, I had to strain my ears to catch the ringmaster saying that Malaysia had in fact fielded a C-team.  Well, Singapore’s Muay Thai landscape is a fast growing one, and besides, as semi-pro fighter Derek Cho put it, “it’s about your perception of yourself and how you make a comeback when you’re behind” that matters.

Photos courtesy of Dinesh Ajith