Tiger Muay Thai tryouts are back – and offering US$100,000 ONE Championship contracts this week
- Famed Phuket tryouts are back after a three-year absence – and the reward on offer is bigger than ever
- ONE CEO Chatri will be on hand to congratulate winners this Friday – ‘He is a very nice guy and smart businessman,’ Tiger Muay Thai boss says
The famed Tiger Muay Thai tryouts are back after a three-year absence – and the reward on offer is bigger than ever, with two fighters set to receive US$100,000 ONE Championship contracts.
There will be two winners selected from this year’s tryouts, which got under way this week – one for MMA, and one for Muay Thai, with both also receiving scholarships at the Phuket-based gym.
The winners will get a one-year visa to stay in Thailand and represent Tiger Muay Thai, with paid accommodation and food.
“You will be in paradise for one year, so I think that is the biggest prize,” managing director Viwat Sakulrat told the Post at his gym.
The tryouts have been a long-held tradition in the Thai combat sports scene, but were cancelled several times from 2020 amid the pandemic.
“We are very happy that we could [hold] a tryout this year. And this year it is gonna be bigger than ever. A lot of good things and new things. Very exciting,” Viwat added.
Tiger screened more than 1,500 applicants for the tryouts, selecting just 32 to take part in the week-long event.
“My team and my staff did a very good job. We just wanted to make sure that we only chose the best, because they are gonna represent Tiger Muay Thai,” Viwat said.
“This time, I think we have some of the strongest candidates ever coming out for the tryouts. It is going be difficult for us to pick and choose which ones are going to get the two US$100,000 scholarships. It’s going to be hard for us.”
ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong will be on hand on Friday to congratulate the winners, before flying back to Bangkok for a meet and greet with fans at Lumpinee Stadium ahead of the evening’s stacked card, which features two title fights.
“I talked to Chatri,” Viwat said. “He is a good friend of mine, so I asked him, ‘Do you want to be a part of the tryouts?’ We have been working together for a few years with Chatri. He is a very nice guy and smart businessman.”
Tiger Muay Thai has somewhat taken over ONE Championship, with 5 champions in different weight classes and sports all training there.
Fabricio Andrade rules the bantamweight MMA division, and Tang Kai a division up at featherweight, while Anatoly Malykhin will look to upgrade his interim heavyweight title to an undisputed belt at ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23.
In kick-boxing, featherweight and light heavyweight kings Chingiz Allazov and Roman Kryklia, respectively, do their fight camps at Tiger.
“We are not dominating anything, but our reputation is that people who want to win, they need to come to Tiger Muay Thai, because we have everything to offer them to be successful for their future,” Viwat said.
“I believe these are the best tryouts in the world,” he added. “You see behind me these posters on the wall, you see all the UFC champs. They all came from my tryouts.
“It is a good opportunity for those people who would like to pursue their goal to be a champion of any organisation. I think they come to the right place. You know, Tiger Muay Thai has a good reputation for these kind of things. The whole world knows who we are.”
Asked to give a message to the candidates, Viwat kept it simple.
“Show your best skills, be humble and focus,” he said. “Take good care of your body and soul. You’re gonna have to come here and deal with so many things you never dealt with before. I just want to wish everyone good luck.”
