Muay Thai is undergoing an unprecedented period of growth. In the early 1990’s it was a martial art, relatively unknown outside of Thailand and very few people could have predicted the enormous impact it would have on the global combat sport’s landscape just over three decades later.
Muay Thai has gone from a passion and way of life for Nak Muays, who often had to travel to Thailand if they wanted to fight under the traditional ruleset to a truly international sport. There are now world rankings, multiple rulesets and internationally broadcasted promotions such as ONE Championship, Rajadamnern World Series, and Muay Thai Grand Prix to name a few. Muay Thai was even featured at last year’s Paris Olympics, proving how highly regarded the sport is in the global landscape.
Whether you are a newcomer to the sport or someone who has held a long-time love affair with the art of eight limbs, you undoubtedly want to support the continued growth of Muay Thai on the world stage and the best way to do this in 2025 is to become a super fan of the sport.
Being a good fan is more than simply watching fights and talking about them with your friends. It’s also more than training regularly and only supporting the fighters who are winning titles on the world stage. Doing these things can be a good start, but if you truly want to help the growth of Muay Thai then you should also be doing the following:
1) Be Knowledgable About Its History
Whether you are entranced by the history and culture of Muay Thai or only like to watch the modern, three-round fight formats, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t broaden your Muay Thai knowledge. Many people who don’t like to watch the stadium-styled fights usually come to their opinions because they don’t understand the nuances of five-round scoring with its weighted rounds and conditionally scoring weapons, but an understanding of these things will help you appreciate the tactics and subtle display of techniques that make this ruleset so entertaining to hardcore fans.
Critics of the use of 4oz gloves, often arguing that they stray from Muay Thai’s rich heritage and tradition, might benefit from understanding the history of the sport before the 1900s. Back then, fighters competed without gloves, relying only on their hands being bound with rope.
Learning about every aspect of the Muay Thai, especially the parts of the sport that you often shy away from will only enrich your experience as a fan. Doing this will often result in you finding more to love about the sport, giving you the ability to watch more fights and appreciate the skills of more fighters as your knowledge deepens.
2) Be Respectful
Muay Thai is a sport based on respect. It is rare to see a Nak Muay disrespecting their opponent before a fight. You’ll often see athletes on their knees, bowing to each other as a sign of respect after a grueling clash, highlighting that a fight is about rising to overcome the specific challenges that their opponent presents in the ring, not beating them senseless in an act of rage.
New fans should take note of this because this attitude extends into the crowd of supporters watching the fight. Heckling a fighter or booing when a fight doesn’t go the way you wanted is frowned upon. Sure, there may be an athlete you are supporting, and you can cheer for them as loudly as you want to but whenever you engage with athletes (and officials) at events and online, make sure it comes from a place of respect.
3) Support Your Local Athletes
Muay Thai, especially at the grassroots level, often doesn’t get the same recognition as other combat sports. Many athletes pour countless hours into training and recovery, yet the support they receive doesn’t always reflect the dedication they put in. It’s not uncommon for skilled fighters to step back from the sport or even walk away entirely, as the challenges of competing at an elite level can be overwhelming without the right backing and support from the community.
Therefore, if you are a true fan of Muay Thai you need to support these athletes just as much as the superstars you see fighting for World Titles on pay-per-view fight cards. Supporting local fighters can include buying tickets to their fights or supporter tees they produce to promote themselves. Considering that many professional fighters also train others in the art of Muay Thai, you can also show your support by paying for a PT session with them. All of this plays a crucial role in keeping athletes in the sport, which is vital for the growth of Muay Thai. Tomorrow’s champions are made today, and if local athletes don’t feel supported, they won’t be prepared to step up when the present champions eventually hang up their gloves.
4) Engage On Social Media
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One of the key ways that prospective investors will judge whether or not they will get a positive return on their cash investments is by analyzing social media trends. In this sense, your online voice goes a long way in determining the growth of Muay Thai in the future so if there is a promotion, fight, or specific fighter who has captured your attention, support them by commenting on their posts and let your friends know by sharing these content with them. The more this happens, the more likely it is that new investors are to support the growth of Muay Thai.
This also goes a long way towards supporting up-and-coming athletes. If fans are engaging with them and reminding them of their achievements, they are going to feel like they are on the right path and less likely to step away from fighting. Promotors may also note the size of their online audience and feel more inclined to give them big opportunities, to advance their career.
After all, the best way to be a fan is to do the same thing as the fighters, train! Whether you’re new to the sport or an avid supporter, come try out our free complimentary classes at any of our Evolve MMA outlets and kickstart your Muay Thai journey!
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If you have any other questions regarding Evolve MMA and the programs we offer, you can get in touch with our membership executives at the following locations:
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