Muay Ying – Women in Muay Thai

“Ladies Please Don’t Touch the Stage” signs were formerly placed ringside in Muay Thai venues until recently as women have blazed a new trail and made history. Women in Muay Thai (Muay Ying) have suffered a great amount of discrimination and are only just beginning to break through in the ancient sport. Women were not only disallowed from competing, they were not even permitted to enter the sacred Muay Thai ring due to archaic beliefs.

A Brief History of Muay Ying – Women in Muay Thai

Only in the past few years have women been able to make an impact in Thailand’s ancient martial art of Muay Thai as Muay Ying (Fighters). In Bangkok, there are two central stadiums which act as the mecca of Muay Thai. Neither Rajadamnern nor Lumpinee Stadiums allowed women to fight in their 70 years of history.

Traditionally, women were seen as unclean and therefore were not allowed to enter the Muay Thai ring as it was considered a sacred space. Signs would normally be posted ringside which read “Ladies Please Don’t Touch the Stage.” This was aimed at any woman at all whether a ringside doctor or cornerman, women were not allowed in the ring in any capacity. Women fighting, as Muay Ying, was not even considered with the signage.

Even today, as women in Muay Thai are permitted to compete, they are not allowed to step over the top rope due to traditional beliefs. Women in Muay Thai (Muay Ying) must roll under the lowest rope.

Trainer, gym owner, manager, and fighter Supanee Mam Changpradit discussed this in a recent interview. She said:

“A woman cannot touch a monk and so has to enter the ring from under the ropes and not from over. Maybe these habits will change one day, but it will still take time. There are also some aspects of discrimination such as the usual, ‘she is a woman, so she doesn’t know about Muay Thai.’ These kinds of behaviors are still common due to the ignorance and the arrogance of many men present in the community.”

Supanee Mam Changpradit – Muay-Thai-Guy.com

Suwanna Srisongkram is considered ‘the voice of Muay Thai’ being the first female commentator in the sport’s history. She recently discussed this in an interview with Vice. She explained:

“In the past, some people believed menstruation as something dirty and that bled into the Muay Thai industry. Over time, that belief became a custom and tradition.”

Suwanna – Vice

Suwanna would go on to add that there is a legend in which the first fight of the night, a female nurse entered the ring to treat a wound. After that, each match ended in a bloody knockout. Due to this legend, which is not verifiably true, women in Muay Thai were not allowed.

First Muay Ying Women In Muay Thai

In 2019, ONE Championship was the first major organization to offer a world title for women in Muay Thai. Stamp Fairtex, a Muay Ying, and Janet Todd made history as they battled for the Inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship. This fight was not just a feature bout, but it was booked as the main event of the evening.

Stamp Fairtex spoke with Tim Wheaton in an interview and urged women to enjoy the journey in combat sports. Stamp said:

“It’s good for you that you learn martial arts to basically protect yourself if something happens to you and your loved ones. If you wanna do something, do it.”

Stamp Fairtex – Calf Kick Sport with Tim Wheaton

The oldest Muay Thai venue in Thailand, Rajadamnern Stadium, began allowing women’s fights in 2021. The first women through the ropes were the Muay Ying Aida Looksaikongdin facing off against Iran’s Zahra Shokouhi.

While speaking in an interview, Thailand’s Aida said:

“I feel so proud and honored. I’ve been at this stadium so many times to see men fight. But I never imagined that I would be boxing myself here today … I’ve heard that Rajadamnern was so strict no women could go in and fight. That is changing today, and I still can’t believe it.”

Aida Looksaikongdin – Coconuts.co

Lumpinee Stadium would follow with the first women’s fight in 2021 between Saenajan Sor Jor Tongprajin and Buakaw Mor Kor Chor Chaiyaphum, two Muay Ying. The first woman to earn a victory in Lumpinee encouraged women when spoke in an interview with Vice in 2021. The Thai-born Saenajan said:

“Keep fighting and stay dedicated. Stadiums are starting to be more accepting towards female boxers. Women will have many more opportunities in this industry. So, stay motivated.”

Saenajan – Vice

Amber Kitchen is a UK-based Muay Thai fighter with world acclaim. She discussed being a woman in Muay Thai, a Muay Ying, and even making a career of it when she spoke in an interview with Tim Wheaton. Amber Kitchen uplifted women in combat sports as she said:

“Everyone’s pushing and seeing it’s possible. I’m just a young girl from Cornwall who’s always tried to get on huge shows and ONE Championship has come to me. It just goes to show that anyone, if you’re in Muay Thai, keep pushing and the platform is getting bigger for everyone.”

Amber Kitchen – Calf Kick Sport with Tim Wheaton

Filipina-American Muay Thai striker Jackie Buntan discussed that she could not have made it in combat sports without the support of her family around her, but now her dreams can be a career and she is uplifting other women in Muay Thai. While in an interview with Beyond Kickboxing, Buntan said:

“Then at around 23 years old, I told them I m going to go professional. They were ecstatic, they were able to see my work and passion from the little girl that’s started at eleven years old, come to this … Till this day, they are my number one supporters, win or lose. The doubt that came from them pushed me into making the decision to go against them, and for that, I created the ability to live out my wildest dreams.”

Jackie Buntan – Beyond Kickboxing

Women in Muay Thai are technically named Muay Ying in Thai. Meanwhile, men would traditionally be named Nak Muay. Women in Muay Thai are permitted to participate in the other Muay Thai traditional involving aspects such as the Wai Kru, Pra Jiad, and Mongkon.

Women in Muay Thai have been able to blaze a trail of greatness in a sport they were not previously welcome. Women in Muay Thai (Muay Ying) put up with decades of discrimination and are now being recognized as a force in this sport.

Top Muay Ying Women In Muay Thai

In today’s combat sports scene, there are dozen of prominent nations who have top-ranked women in Muay Thai (Muay Ying). See below for an updated 2023 list of the top women in Muay Thai.

Aida Looksaikongdin

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 48-15-2
• Sports: Muay Thai – Muay Ying
• Titles and accomplishments: 3x Gold Medalist in Amateur Muay Thai, first woman to win in Rajadamnern Stadium.

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues

• Nation: Brazil
• Record: 30-5
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion

Amber Kitchen

• Nation: UK
• Record: 19-6-1
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC National Champion

Anissa Meksen

• Nation: France & Algeria
• Record: 103-5
• Sports: Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: Glory Women’s Super Bantamweight World Champion, Venum Muay Thai World Champion, WBC World Muay Thai Title, WPMF Muay Thai World Championship.

Anna ‘Supergirl’ Jaroonsak

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 39-5-1
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: PBA Thailand National Title

Barbara Aguiar

• Nation: Brazil
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion

Buakaw Mor Kor Chor Chaiyaphum

• Nation: Thailand
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: First woman to compete in Lumpinee Stadium

Duangdawnoi Looksaikongdin

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 50-20-5
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: Pattaya Boxing world champion, WMO world champion, WPMF world champion.

Iman Barlow

• Nation: UK
• Record: 96-6-3
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: WKA Muay Thai Bantamweight World Championship, Lion Fight World Championship, Enfusion World Champion.

Jackie Buntan

• Nation: USA
• Record: 4-1
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: IKF California Women’s Featherweight Champion, Top Ranked.

Janet Todd

• Nation: USA
• Record: 39-11
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion, ONE Interim Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, IFMA Pan-American Muay Thai Champion.

Kim Townsend

• Nation: Australia
• Record: 27-8-1
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Champion

Lara Fernandez

• Nation: Spain
• Record: 41-14-3
• Sports: Muay Thai and Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Muaythai World Flyweight Champion

Lommanee Wor Santai

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 100-8
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WMC World Muay Thai Champion

Nat “Wondergirl” Jaroonsak

• Nation: Thailand
• Sports: Muay Thai and MMA
• Titles and accomplishments: 2x Thailand National Muay Thai Champion

Niamh Kinehan

• Nation: UK
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Lightweight World Champion

Phayahong Ayothayafightgym

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 68-13-1
• Sports: Kickboxing and Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: K-1 Women’s Atomweight Champion, 2022 Grand Prix World Champion, WPMF World Pinweight Champion.

Po Denman

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 25-1-1
• Sports: Muay Thai, Boxing, Kickboxing

Saenajan Sor Jor Tongprajin

• Nation: Thailand
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Muaythai Mini-Flyweight World champion

Sawsing Sor Sopit

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 44-10
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WMC World Championship

Smilla Sundell

• Nation: Sweden
• Record: 33-5-1
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: Youngest World Champion in ONE History, ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion.

Stamp Fairtex

• Nation: Thailand
• Record: 73-19-5
• Sports: MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing
• Titles and accomplishments: MMA ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix Champion, ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion.

Sylvie von Dugglas-Ittu

• Nation: USA
• Record: 181-80-11
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Muaythai World Minimumweight Champion

TheStar Sitcho

• Nation: Thailand
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: Top Ranked.

Tiffany Van Soest

• Nation: USA
• Record: 25-6-2
• Sports: Kickboxing and Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: GLORY Kickboxing Super Bantamweight World Champion, Lion Fight Women’s Featherweight Champion, WBC Muaythai Women’s International Super Bantamweight Champion.

Zehra Dogan

• Nation: Turkey
• Sports: Muay Thai
• Titles and accomplishments: WBC Flyweight World Champion

There are other women in Muay Thai (Muay Ying) who have left the sport and now compete in the UFC such as Loma Lookboonme, plus UFC world champions Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Valentina Shevchenko.