5 of the best Muay Thai kickboxers in MMA
Much like finding success in any aspect of life, there is no definitive path to greatness in the world of MMA. Fighters from various backgrounds and disciplines have succeeded in the sport.
Be it a sturdy freestyle wrestler whose primary objective is taking the fight to the ground or a boxer whose crisp hands serve as their calling card, there is more than one way to win an MMA fight.
One of those paths is through Muay Thai, a martial arts discipline originating from Thailand that breeds some of the most spectacular knockouts in combat sports. Throughout the years, more and more Nak Muays have made the switch to MMA. They've made a name for themselves thanks to their sharp elbows, devastating exchanges in the clinch and booming high and low kicks.
In fact, Muay Thai is widely considered one of the best bases to build an MMA career. Many fighters throughout history have seen immense success down this path.
Today, the sport is full of athletes who come from a background in Muay Thai. With that in mind, here are the top five best Muay Thai fighters in MMA.
#5. MMA veteran Jose Aldo
In his early years, Jose Aldo made a name for himself by treating his opponents’ legs like trees which needed to be chopped down. The Brazilian athlete relentlessly low kicked his opponents, softening them up before going in for his highlight-reel finishes.
The best example was Aldo’s fight with Urijah Faber back in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting MMA organization. The contest serves as an example of just how damaging a proper low kick can be. Faber’s leg resembled an eggplant one day after the bout.
Aldo couples his Muay Thai style with a blackbelt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Although he hardly ever uses his grappling, it serves as a buffer should he be taken down while utilizing his striking.
He has won major world titles with the WEC and UFC. He is currently booked to take on Rob Font in a bout that will likely decide the UFC’s next bantamweight title challenger.