My fight

[Damian Mavis]

Thankgod that is over...... I've been training for and stressing over my fight here in Thailand for the past 2 months and it is finally over! Unfortunately I only have 4 days left to really relax stress free until I go back to Canada but I'll make the best of it.

For those that don't know I fought a Muay Thai match last night here in Thailand. It was my very first full contact ring fight, the only protective gear we wore was boxing gloves. I've competed in Tae Kwon Do lots in the past but this was extremely different.... and scary as hell. My opponent was alot younger and fitter than me and cut like a Mofo... not too mention ugly too which just made him look more dangerous. They told me he had 40 fights. I was very nervous but the instant the bell went to start I calmed down. My competition experience helped out alot here I think because when I first started competing I use to get so nervous I would basically freeze up and blank out. After competing a few years I learned to stay focused and calm, which really paid off for me last night.

I won by body knock out in the second round. For all those Karate and Tae Kwon Do people here you will be pleased to know I won by using a turning sidekick (or 180 back kick or whatever someone calls it). It's a spinning kick to the ribs and I got him just at the right moment. I'd already kicked the guy full contact in the head bone on bone and punched him hard too but all he did was blink... I was pretty freaked out that this guy was too tough to take down but I got him with the sidekick.... thankgod. It's pretty scary when you nail someone in the head and they don't even flinch or move... I'll never forget that feeling. I was pretty happy with the whole experience, I would be happy even if I lost but winning definately is fun.

I got the whole fight on tape so when I get back I'll try to figure out how to put it on my website and people can watch it if they are interested.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Angus]

Congratulations!! That's extremely impressive, especially since very few Americans fight and win with much success in Thailand. That's awesome! Can't wait to see the video if you post it!

How long did the fight last? Where did you fight?

Regardless, congratulations again! Very cool.

[Kirk]

Thanks for sharing the story, and congrats on your win!

[chufeng]

Hooah !!!

:asian:
chufeng

[ace]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis
Thankgod that is over...... I've been training for and stressing over my fight here in Thailand for the past 2 months and it is finally over! Unfortunately I only have 4 days left to really relax stress free until I go back to Canada but I'll make the best of it.

For those that don't know I fought a Muay Thai match last night here in Thailand. It was my very first full contact ring fight, the only protective gear we wore was boxing gloves. I've competed in Tae Kwon Do lots in the past but this was extremely different.... and scary as hell. My opponent was alot younger and fitter than me and cut like a Mofo... not too mention ugly too which just made him look more dangerous. They told me he had 40 fights. I was very nervous but the instant the bell went to start I calmed down. My competition experience helped out alot here I think because when I first started competing I use to get so nervous I would basically freeze up and blank out. After competing a few years I learned to stay focused and calm, which really paid off for me last night.

I won by body knock out in the second round. For all those Karate and Tae Kwon Do people here you will be pleased to know I won by using a turning sidekick (or 180 back kick or whatever someone calls it). It's a spinning kick to the ribs and I got him just at the right moment. I'd already kicked the guy full contact in the head bone on bone and punched him hard too but all he did was blink... I was pretty freaked out that this guy was too tough to take down but I got him with the sidekick.... thankgod. It's pretty scary when you nail someone in the head and they don't even flinch or move... I'll never forget that feeling. I was pretty happy with the whole experience, I would be happy even if I lost but winning definately is fun.

I got the whole fight on tape so when I get back I'll try to figure out how to put it on my website and people can watch it if they are interested.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Congradulations on Your Fight.
Sounds Like u had a Blast in more way's than 1
Good luck in the future.

[tarabos]

Originally posted by Angus
That's extremely impressive, especially since very few Americans fight and win with much success in Thailand.

ah...but isn't Damian Canadian? :D

congratulations btw...:D :D

[MartialArtsGuy]

Congratulations on the win.
I bet your looking forward to the next fight :D



:boxing:

[Tony Starks]

congrats damien

[Tony Starks]

oops *damian. my bad hehe

[Zepp]

WOO-PAH!

Congratulations Damian!
It sounds like your win was well-earned. (I bet he never saw that spining sidekick coming either. :D )

I'd love to see the video if you can put it on the web somehow.

So, is that a satisfying ending to your martial arts odyssey in Thailand? Or is it just the beginning?

[Disco]

So Damian. What did you learn from the fight?

[D_Brady]

Yor doing something most people only dream about, you knew what you wanted and you went for it .

You should proud of your self. I know we are.


Dan Brady.

[karatekid1975]

*high five's Damian* Goes to show that TKD doesn't suck against Thai fighters ;) Good win, dude. I'd love to see the vid.

[Cthulhu]

Thanks for sharing and congrats!

Cthulhu

[Elfan]

Thank you for sharring you experience. Why did you decide to compete in a full contact event?

[Angus]

Originally posted by tarabos
ah...but isn't Damian Canadian? :D


Ah, that's right! Well, it's all that much more impressive that an American wannabe can do it! Ooooooo! :D

[SRyuFighter]

Congratulations on your win man! Keep up the good work!

[MartialArtist]

Oorah! Where are the vids? What stadium was it fought in?

[rachel]

congratulations!:)

[Damian Mavis]

Thankyou very much everyone for the nice words. I'm in worse shape now 2 days later than I though. My lower shins took more of a beating than my body let me know until now... it hurts to walk and going down stairs is torture. My foot is all swollen up from respraining it and I go to the doctor here tomorrow to xray my finger to see if it is broken. At least my face and head are ok! Even with these injuries it was still way worth it. I'm very happy with how things went and that I put myself through this.

I wouldn't call the place I fought a stadium.... stadiums are usually where pro's go to fight. I'm just amatuer so fought at a smaller ring in Pattaya. There were probably only 200 people watching, the good part was that I was the main event! After my win half of Europe came up to me to shake my hand haha... well it felt like half of Europe. I tried to be as respectful to the Thai's as I could be and was happy that I didn't forget any of the traditions I wanted to remember.

This is a satisfying end to my martial arts experience here, I wish it could go on but I have to return to Canada in 3 days.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[KanoLives]

Many congrats....Hope those legs feel better. :)

[muayThaiPerson]

hmmm. id pass out. wat were his attributes? hieght, wieght, etc. and yours.

[Damian Mavis]

I'm 5 foot 9 and 70 kilos, he was slightly shorter (like an inch) and about 5 kilos lighter. He has lots of fight exprience though so I guess they figured that would even it out. He was cut like a mofo though and I have a little fat around my body (especially the love handles and lower tummy damnit) He was very muscular, i was surprised because alot of the Thai fighters have really muscular legs and abs but skinny arms and chest... but this guy was ripped and bulging.... I was pretty intimidated and so were my trainers. Just before I start one of them turns to me and says "don't mess around, this guy is the real thing". I was like "gee thanks! now I'm going to die" But as soon as the bell rung to start I put my fear aside and did my best.

My finger is only sprained luckily but I think my foot is going to take a month or so to heal, I was supposed to fight in Canada April 5th but I was overly optimistic about what happens to your body when you fight shin on shin..... welp now I know for next time.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Bod]

Congratulations.

I have loved your posts, and I'm glad to know you've won.

Do you think you'll ever return to Thailand, or is that it?

[RCastillo]

Way to win one for the ITF!:asian:

[Damian Mavis]

Haha ya the ITF is probably real proud of me.... I'm sorry to say I don't think any of them give 2 patooties about anything that doesn't have to do with TKD. It's sad but I find most martial arts groups view other arts and their events with distrust and pessimism. The same goes for alot of my colleagues in the ITF.... but I do get it way worse from the Muay Thai guys back home.... they are so obviously closed minded and they don't care. The Muay Thai guys always tell me how TKD wouldn't work in the ring and that it's crap etc etc... I tolerated it up until now because they were more experienced than me (in Muay Thai) but after coming to Thailand and being trained by so many trainers that DON'T see anything worng with throwing in a TKD kick I realise that my poor friends in Muay Thai in Canada really don't have a clue about what they are talking about and are just being ignorant... hey, they are my friends but I call it like I see it.

Bod, if you want to see about my future plans for Thailand I have a thread labelled "ITF to WTF" in the Tae Kwon Do section. Basically I got a job offer to teach TKD here and I am seriously considering taking it.


Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[deacondad]

Congrats Damien! Good luck on any future matches you may have.:asian:

[Johnathan Napalm]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis
Haha ya the ITF is probably real proud of me.... I'm sorry to say I don't think any of them give 2 patooties about anything that doesn't have to do with TKD. It's sad but I find most martial arts groups view other arts and their events with distrust and pessimism. The same goes for alot of my colleagues in the ITF.... but I do get it way worse from the Muay Thai guys back home.... they are so obviously closed minded and they don't care. The Muay Thai guys always tell me how TKD wouldn't work in the ring and that it's crap etc etc... I tolerated it up until now because they were more experienced than me (in Muay Thai) but after coming to Thailand and being trained by so many trainers that DON'T see anything worng with throwing in a TKD kick I realise that my poor friends in Muay Thai in Canada really don't have a clue about what they are talking about and are just being ignorant... hey, they are my friends but I call it like I see it.

Bod, if you want to see about my future plans for Thailand I have a thread labelled "ITF to WTF" in the Tae Kwon Do section. Basically I got a job offer to teach TKD here and I am seriously considering taking it.


Damian Mavis
Honour TKD


So true. Every art thinks it is THE WAY, when in reality, it is just ONE of the many ways.

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis
Haha ya the ITF is probably real proud of me.... I'm sorry to say I don't think any of them give 2 patooties about anything that doesn't have to do with TKD. It's sad but I find most martial arts groups view other arts and their events with distrust and pessimism. The same goes for alot of my colleagues in the ITF.... but I do get it way worse from the Muay Thai guys back home.... they are so obviously closed minded and they don't care. The Muay Thai guys always tell me how TKD wouldn't work in the ring and that it's crap etc etc... I tolerated it up until now because they were more experienced than me (in Muay Thai) but after coming to Thailand and being trained by so many trainers that DON'T see anything worng with throwing in a TKD kick I realise that my poor friends in Muay Thai in Canada really don't have a clue about what they are talking about and are just being ignorant... hey, they are my friends but I call it like I see it.

Bod, if you want to see about my future plans for Thailand I have a thread labelled "ITF to WTF" in the Tae Kwon Do section. Basically I got a job offer to teach TKD here and I am seriously considering taking it.


Damian Mavis
Honour TKD
You will be a great candidate for promoting tolerance. Most people fail to realize that a lot of the kicks are essentially the same, with small minor mechanical differences to get different attributes (such as reach and distance over power, speed, control, etc.).