Muay Thai or Kickboxing to kick ass?

The competition featured more than 300 fights.

Muay Thai is a style of kickboxing that involves the use of powerful punches and kicks, elbow and knee strikes, and stand-up grappling technique called clinching.

With origins in Thailand, Muay Thai is a growing sport in the USA, and the biggest tournament in North America is the annual Muay Thai Classsic held right here in Des Moines at the Holiday Inn-Des Moines Airport.

Jie Dong, 33, of the Sherman Hill area was one of the fighters who took part in the tournament. He started training in Muay Thai to develop self defense skills. Jie said:

“I was originally not a tough person, but one time I tried to stop a fight, and a bunch of guys jumped me. I got beat up really bad,” he said.

Jie is now one of the most talented Muay Thai fighters at the Roundkick Gym in Urbandale, and he serves as a mentor to a lot of newer fighters.

“It is the culmination of all my training during the year,” Jie said of the tournament. “It is a final celebration of Muay Thai.”

There were a variety of medical personnel in attendance at the Muay Thai Classic to keep the fighters safe, including over a dozen paramedics and doctors, and an ambulance on site.

The primary organizers of the Muay Thai Classic are Pete and Pam Peterson, the owners of Roundkick Gym.