In the ninth event of Contender Asia, a Muay Thai boxing competition, we just saw the most amazing fight. Two favorites, Thai fighters Naruepol and Yodsaenklai, were forced to fight against each other. It was expected that there would be fighting in the last column. But two fighters from Thailand were forced to fight each other in episode nineteen, and Yodsaenklai came out victorious.
Usually competing in Asia, the other Muay Thai fighters choose which fighters they will fight. But the rules changed when the competition came down to the final eight fighters. This time, each fighter had to choose to open a drawer in the Chinese cabinet. If the drawer contained a Buddha statue, that fighter would fight. The two Thai fighters ended up choosing the subliga and, since none of the other fighters had opened the covers containing the Buddhas, the two Thai fighters were the closest fighters to the fight. This was a huge uproar among the Thai fighters because not only are they from the same Muay Thai gym in Thailand, but they are also best friends. Muay Thai fighters never want to fight their friends.
When the fight was announced, it was pretty clear who was going to win. Yodsaenklai, Muay Thai Junior Middleweight Champion (154lb division) winner and winner of the prestigious Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand, was sad to fight his friend but knew no choice. He said that if he was, he would do it. Naruepol, on the other hand, seemed to have recovered from the moment, agitated and anxious and unable to concentrate. So, when the battle came, he used his “weapon” bravely and defeated Yodsaenklai.
When Naruepol left the training facility, one thing he said was so typical Thai. He said that he and Yodsaenklai “will always be friends and find good friends because you can’t buy them. On the other hand, as long as you live, you can always real money.”
Naruepol can still end up in Contender Asia, the final fight on April 12thth if he is given enough people’s vote for the second chance. If you think Naruepol deserves to fight against the winner of the other seven guys, you can check the AXN website and get the number for your country to vote by SMS.
Thailand still has the best Muay Thai fighters in the world. Wouldn’t it be great if two of them were in the Asia Final Contender?
