Do Fighters Take Dives in Thailand? The Harsh Truth About Muay Thai Tourism

I recently watched a highlight of a British fighter knocking out his opponent at Kalare Stadium up in Chaing Mai. The knockout stirred much debate online. Some claimed he didn't connect and it was fake, others said they couldn't see anything wrong, and judging by the way his body collapsed, it looked like a clean knockout to me.

The bigger picture here is that dives are now so common in Thailand, that every knockout (especially ones that happen in Chaing Mai) is thoroughly scrutinized online.

Why Do Fighters Take Dives?

The idea of taking a 'dive' in a fight or purposefully losing might sound crazy to most people especially if you are reading this from outside of Thailand. After all, stepping into a ring itself is a display of courage, skill, and heart. However, the reality of Thailand’s modern Muay Thai scene is more complex.

Here are some of the common reasons why fighters sometimes get tempted to take the easy way out:

1. Tuk-Tuk drivers!

Imagine this! Traveling all the way to Thailand, putting yourself through a grueling fight camp, and building up the courage to get into the ring, only to discover that your opponent is not a Muay Thai fighter but a tuk-tuk driver! This can be the reality for many who travel to Thailand - although there is sometimes an easy way to avoid this from happening - request to fight against another foreigner! Some gyms and promoters (but not all) will oblige to your request.

2. Avoiding Injury

For some local fighters, Muay Thai is not a passion it’s a livelihood. Fighters in Thailand often compete every 4-6 weeks and sometimes as often as every week. If they sustain injuries during a fight, it can mean a month or more without an income. For some, taking a fall in a tourist bout allows them to avoid injury while still collecting a paycheck, ensuring they can show up for their next fight physically ready.

3. A Lack of Suitable Opponents

When you’re a foreigner looking for a fight in Thailand, finding a perfectly matched opponent isn’t always easy (especially if you are on the heavier side or if you are a beginner). Promoters face challenges in arranging fights between opponents of similar weight and skill levels, especially in areas popular with tourists but sparse with local Thai fighters.

4. Limited Fighter Pools

Some stadiums only have a small pool of fighters who compete frequently to keep events running week after week. For example, in some of the smaller islands such as Koh Phangan, Koh Lanta, etc you will see the same faces fighting week after week because they don't have many foreign or local fighters competing there. It was the running joke in one gym that I trained at that everyone would fight (and beat) the same opponent for their first bout.

5. Viral Content and Showmanship

Though less common, some promoters have been known to intentionally create mismatches to generate flashy knockouts, hoping to grab some attention online and some free advertising for their stadium. These viral moments might boost the event’s publicity with paying tourists and locals but often come at the cost of authentic and competitive fighting and/or someone getting seriously hurt.

6. Grudges and Gym Politics

Behind the scenes of Muay Thai in Thailand lies a web of complex relationships and rivalries between gyms, stadiums, and promoters. A promoter holding a grudge against a particular gym or manager might set a fighter up to fail in retaliation. This is a frustrating reality for fighters who come to Thailand looking for an honest and fair experience. Luckily this is also not very common.

7. Gambling Influence

While gambling plays a significant role in Thailand’s Muay Thai scene, it typically has a larger influence at the elite Bangkok stadiums than at the smaller venues frequented by tourists. However, it’s not unheard of for lower-level fights to be affected by behind-the-scenes betting arrangements. This is more of a tourist myth than a common occurrence but it has been known to happen before. In general, though local Thais and promoters are very rarely betting on Bob from England to beat Pierre from France.

8. No Win Bonus

Another thing to keep in mind is that your not fighting for a win bonus, not on the tourist scene anyway. Trust me if there was a lucrative win bonus the win rate of foreign fighters would immediately plummet overnight.

9. The Tourist Circuit Is Not The 'REAL' Fight Scene

In every city, there are usually multiple stadiums and multiple promoters. Some have dreams of making it to the top, and others are just operating as any other Thai business does.

They care more about selling tickets than they do about creating a top promotion or stadium. Most of the tourists are fighting on the smaller events.

There are no rankings or legitimate titles. If fighters become good enough, sure, they might end up competing in Bangkok, but right now, these events you're watching are not the real fight scene. Don't expect the fighters to resemble Rodtang or Tawanchai, and do next expect them to be ready to put themselves through hell to earn 5000 THB (115 GBP).

10. The Influencer Aspect

Recently we've seen the rise of the Muay Thai influencer. Guy with hundreds of thousands of followers documenting their journey of how 'they quit their 9-5 job and became a professional fighter in Thailand' - You might have even seen these guys winning belts and titles, but here's what they don't tell you. Those titles, those belts, and even most of the fights they've had are just for show.

It's the dream of every Muay Thai Gym owner for one of these fighters to turn up at their gym and bring hundreds of thousands perhaps millions of eyes to their gym - for free! Are these guys being set up with easy fights to make their journey more appealing and bring more people to Thailand - Of course, they are!

How Fight Link Aims to Solve This Problem

The prevalence of dives in Thailand has cast a shadow over Muay Thai tourism and is becoming more and more obvious with the rise of social media. It not only frustrates foreign fighters but also risks tarnishing the integrity of the sport. This is where Fight Link steps in.

Reliable, Competitive Matchmaking

At Fight Link, our mission is to ensure every fighter entering the ring has a genuine, competitive experience. To achieve this, we’ve built a dedicated platform that prioritizes quality matchmaking.

By connecting stadiums and promoters with a reliable pool of fighters, we aim to eliminate the need for hastily arranged mismatches. Both Thai and foreign fighters on our roster are serious and ready to bring their A-game.

Transparency and Accountability

Uncertainty about your opponent’s intentions can be demoralizing. Fight Link introduces a system of accountability to help remove these doubts. We maintain detailed records of every fight organized through our platform, giving fighters access to critical information about their opponents, including past performance and frequency of matches.

This transparency will ensure fights are fair from the outset.

Reducing Fighter Overuse

By offering a larger, reliable pool of fighters, Fight Link helps reduce the burden on individual athletes to compete excessively. This lowers the risk of overuse and fatigue, creating healthier competition and mitigating the chance of dives.

Supporting Stadiums

We collaborate closely with stadiums and promoters to enhance the quality of matches at every level. Fight Link provides the resources and connections they need to arrange compelling fights that are fair, competitive, and engaging for audiences.

How to Spot a Fair Fight

Before you enter the ring, here are a few ways to ensure you’re walking into a genuine match-up:

• Research the stadium: Larger, well-known stadiums like Lumpinee and Rajadamnern are less likely to feature dives than smaller, tourist-driven venues.
• Ask your gym or coach: Reputable gyms can guide you towards fights with good matchups.
• If in doubt ask to be matched with a foreigner: Foreigners in Thailand will rarely throw dives, so if you want to ensure your opponent is ready for war. Ask to face a foreign opponent.
• Connect with Fight Link: Use a trusted platform like Fight Link to secure competitive fights with accountability.

Final Thoughts

Fighters taking dives in Thailand is a reality that can dishearten Muay Thai tourists and fighters who want an authentic experience. However, this doesn’t mean your dream fight can’t still help you grow as a fighter.

Fight Link will change the game by bringing greater transparency and fairness to Muay Thai matchups. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner stepping into the ring for the first time, we’re here to help you find the challenge you’re looking for.

If you want to read about what it is like to fight in Thailand here you go!