PHOTO UPDATE: So you wanna be a fuckin' fighter?

Good times last night.  Jumped in a minibus with a load of guys from the gym and headed over to Bangla Stadium in Patong (debauchery central) to support two of our guys who were fighting.  Both are English (although Jake was billed as 'Jack from Australia' by the promoter as there weren't any Aussies on the card and he felt that this might draw some of the significant Aussie population in Phuket).  Apart from the fights, other highlights of the night included:
1) Someone kicking a rat off the balcony above us so we were treated to the sight of a rather large rat flying over our heads, falling about 20 feet, landing on the back of someone's neck in the front row and then running off under the ring
2) A cockroach the size of a computer mouse trying to run up my mate's leg.
3) England getting thrashed by Germany so I can finally stop being obliged to pretend to give a damn.

The first few fights weren't great as they were juniors - although they were Thais, they just didn't have the power to really threaten to finish the fight.
There was another foreigner fighting from Tiger Muay Thai who definitely fought like an MMA fighter.  He was fighting a slightly tubby looking Thai bloke who was definitely game but had nothing for the heavily muscled brawler facing him.  Kicks and elbows didn't do much to prevent the farang from swarming with big punches and low kicks, ending in a pretty brutal right hook that left his opponent on the floor.
Jake had fought quite a few times before and he was facing a really good Thai opponent from a serious camp.  The fight was a brutal war with Jake landing some heavy boxing and knees while his opponent countered with elbows and clinching.  Both guys were heavily marked up going into the third round and Jake was cut in several places.  With blood pouring from his nose and two cuts on his face, Jake knew that he couldn't afford another doctor's check and he swarmed in, taunting his opponent, backing him into the corner and flurrying with punches.  His opponent was almost dropped but some nasty body shots but managed to clinch up before the knockout came.  After the break, Jake again shouted and let fly with the beserker rage but just couldn't find that killer blow.  Sheeted with blood all down his face and chest, the doctor called it in the third round and Jake had lost by TKO.  A real shame but it was a brilliant fight.
Michael from London stepped up in the last fight of the night.  He was noticeably nervous as it was his first fight and there was definitely a tentative start.  However, once he had eaten a big right hand to the face he woke up and started using his reach to pick out at his shorter opponent.  As is fairly normal in Thai fights, the first round was uneventful as both fighters felt each other out.  Then, in the second round, both guys picked up the pace and started landing combinations.  With his big height advantage, Michael was scoring on the outside and had a big advantage in the clinch - he was doing a good job of keeping his opponent out o the pocket.  Then, in the second round, his opponent got too hasty in stepping in.  Michael grabbed the clinch and smashed a knee into the man's face.  He dropped straight down and the ref stopped the fight immediately without a count.  2nd round KO in his first fight, well done!!

Loads of pics after the jump! Click 'Read More' to see them!!