“Full Rules” Muay Thai headed to New York in January

This week marked a victory for fight-fans everywhere after it was revealed the Friday Night Fights Muay Thai promotion would be holding a “full rules” event in New York next month, a move perhaps providing MMA enthusiasts with some hope as well given the allowance of elbows/knees rather than producing a watered-down version of the sport without either.

The January 20 event will mark the first “full rules” Muay Thai show in the State and features a headlining clash between Alex Berrios and Ben Case. “Full rules” is another way of saying the night’s bouts will involve traditional Muay Thai rules rather than those seen in kickboxing.

“While New York may have not been the first to permit full rules in the region, regardless of what style of fighting we are talking about – New York is a historic place for the fight game – so, when the chance to produce the first full rules Muay Thai match presented itself, there was really no choice but to seize the opportunity with both hands and make it happen,” said promotional President Justin Blair in a statement to Muay Thai Authority.

“It’s not to take anything away from guys who have fought in NYC under modified rules – until now it’s all we’ve had,” added Case before eloquently explaining, “But the legality of elbows shouldn’t be looked at as a bonus, it should be the standard. It makes the fight so much more dynamic. Allowing elbows into the arsenal isn’t just side note; it fundamentally changes the choreography of the fight. In other words, it’s not like the fight is the same, just there will be some elbows in there on top of the same kicks and knees and punches; putting elbows in the mix changes the pace of the fight and the ways you can use the other weapons. It’s exponential, not additional.”

For Muay Thai lovers everywhere, especially in the Big Apple, the news couldn’t come at a better time and is undoubtedly an excellent way to kick off 2012…literally.