Name:
Germaine de Randamie
Nickname:
The Iron Lady
Height:
1.79m
Fight Weight:
61kg and below
Fighting out of:
Team Germaine, Netherlands
Fight Record:
32-0, 14 by K.O
Titles:
WIKBA Muay Thai Champion
1 time Netherlands Champion
3 times European Champion
3 times World Champion in two different weight classes (63kg and 59kg)
Enough checking out her abs. This girl is an awesome fighter. Her fighting career began at the age of 16 and she never lost a match. I'm going to be posting some videos of her. She has a very aggressive style of fighting, always dominating her matches. Watch out for her powerful high kicks and knees as well. Germaine's gotta be the idol of all female nakmuays.
She's gonna be fighting at this year's SLAMM event, Netherlands versus Holland. Keep your eyes glued here for updates! Here's an interview with Germaine.
Monday, February 4, 2008
The undefeatable Iron Lady - Germain de Randamie
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Slamm IV - Nederlands versus Thailand
Details:
2nd March, Holland
Pierre de Coubertinlaan 7
1362LA Almere
Nederland (Flevoland)
K-1 rules: For more details on K-1 rules, please visit k-1fans.com
Watch out for two female fighters:
Germaine de Randamie vs Maria Verheye
taken from http://slamm.nl
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Prized Pinay Fighter - More about FilAm Christine Toledo
SHE was set to fight in the undercard of the World Muay Thai Championships at the Las Vegas Hilton last January 12. However, an eye injury prevented FilAm Christine Toledo from avenging one of her two losses in her career, this one against Maiko Katsuyama.
Toledo is disappointed at the Nevada Athletic Commission. "They never had a problem with me before," she said. "I fought with contacts all the time but I guess, they are stricter now."
To be able to fight in Nevada and California again, Toledo needs to undergo refractive eye surgery, a procedure for military personnel.
Killer looks
Looking at Toledo, one would think she's a typical regular gal. Wearing blue jeans, a black leather jacket and sporting glasses, she looks like the Pinay version of singer Lisa Loeb. But don't let her looks fools you.
Toledo may look meek on the outside but deep down, she is a Muay Thai Champion ready to kick butt.
"My co-workers get surprised when they find out that I'm a Muay Thai expert," she said in an interview with the Asian Journal inside the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. "They joke with me all the time. They say, 'If I ever get in trouble, you'll be my bodyguard. I'm taking you with me to the parking lot."
"I like that," she admits. "I like seeing people's reaction when they find out [I'm a fighter]."
Toledo works as a marketing manager at an energy company in Las Vegas during the day. She moonlights as a Muay Thai fighter sporting a professional record of 11 wins, 2 losses and 4 KO's at night.
The 30-year-old Pinay enjoys her anonymity. But get her inside the ring, and she's a completely different person. Her opponents call her the "blade."
Muay Thai is a combination of kickboxing and boxing which includes the use of the elbows and knees.
"I'm known for my elbows," she said.
Toledo has fought professionally for the past eight years in the US and around the world. She has fought in Thailand, Great Britain and hopes to one day compete in front of her kababayans in the Philippines. She trains everyday after work for three to four a hours a day.
The World International Kickboxing Association (WIKBA) ranks her anywhere between the No. 1 and No. 3 female in her weight division in the world. She holds the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) US Title and another world title. She has also been featured in a documentary and reality television series about Muay Thai.
Despite all of her accomplishments, Toledo said there is still more to be done.
"The titles are great but I want to be recognized by the larger governing bodies," she said.
It's this goal that drives her.
Inspiration
Toledo said her greatest source of inspiration is her mother. Born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in San Diego, Toledo said that she grew up in a typical Filipino household.
"My brothers and I were Navy, military brats," she said. "My dad was in the Navy and my mom was a nurse."
When her parent divorced, her mother raised them by herself.
"It was tough for her," she said. "It was hard for me to adjust to that."
Growing up, Toledo's mother did not allow her to participate in rigorous sports activity.
"She wanted me to be the girl that she wanted me to be. I did tap dancing, played the piano and hula but I wanted to do gymnastics and karate. I was a real active kid. My mom wanted me to grow up a certain way."
Beginnings
It wasn't until college at San Francisco State University and an old boyfriend that she pursued training in the martial arts.
She began Muay Thai training with instructor Kru Sam from Team USA in the Bay Area. Her trainers said that she had a natural talent so she began to train harder.
"This is something that I've always wanted to do," she said. "Muay Thai became a passion."
In 2002, she scored her first win against Jennifer Kelly by unanimous decision at the Hollywood Park Race and Casino in Los Angeles.
Her mother, who had disapproved of her martial arts venture, attended the event.
"She wasn't happy with the idea but she came to my first fight," said Toledo. "She became more comfortable once she saw how I handled myself in the ring."
"It's a rush," Toledo said. She added there's nothing like being inside the ring.
Toledo racked up eight wins in a row before a knee injury led to her first defeat. She tore her ACL on her left knee when training for a match against Katsuyama. The knee eventually gave out on her during the fight and the referee stopped the match.
Toledo is now getting back into gear since suffering that knee injury in 2005.
After losing a tough match in Thailand, Toledo is on a three consecutive victories streak.
She carries with her, life lessons that her mother taught her.
"Looking back, I get my drive from my mom," she said. "Everything that I've been doing not just fighting is from my mom. I just look back at how hard working she was taking care of me and my brothers growing up."
Toledo plans to have a busy fight schedule this year. She knows that she's getting older but she wants to finish her career off strong. She added that once she has corrective eye surgery, she'll have fights lined up in February and May.
She hopes to encourage more Filipino women to join Muay Thai.
"Filipino women don't have to be typical housewives who just sit around and take care of their home," she said. "Women can do [martial arts] too." (AJ)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Female Muay Thai Legend - Christine Toledo
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Toledo has been raised in San Diego, California since the age of three. She began her training in Muay Thai in San Francisco, California in her last year of college. What began as just a hobby for keeping herself fit, Toledo gradually fell in love with the sport. She began to excel in her passion and under the instruction of Kru Sam Phimsoutham and Anthony Badua at Team USA in San Francisco, Toledo began competing in Muay Thai.
Her passion in the sport became the driving force for her success. In 2003, she relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and began training under Master Toddy. This gave her the opportunity to compete against top ranked opponents in her weight category, travelled across the globe and appear in various film productions.
Today, Christine continues training Muay Thai under Master Chan and Anthony Badua in Las Vegas and plans to continue fighting at a professional level.
Toledo is scheduled to fight Maiko Katsuyama (rematch) in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA), Hilton Hotel on 12th January.
Fight Weight:
112 - 118lbs
Fight Record:
11wins - 2losses
June 2002, Los Angeles, California (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jennifer Kelly
Win by UD
October 2002, Casper, Wyoming (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Dear Kanthawong
Win by TKO
February 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Alisanne Casey
Win by Split Decision
June 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jill Izzo
Win by TKO
March 2004, Manchester, England (UK)
Christine Toledo vs. Janine Carlson
Win by UD
May 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Alisanne Casey (Rematch)
Win by TKO
October 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Brenda Lopez
Win by UD
November 2004, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Christine Toledo vs. Aeng Nua
Win by KO
March 2005, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Maiko Katsuyama
Loss
March 2006, Phuket, Thailand
Christine Toledo vs. Saep Wor Por Sukhothai
Loss
June 2006, New York, NY (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Rima Sidhu
Win by UD
August 2006, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jennifer Nguyen
Win by UD
Christine Toledo vs. Rima Sidhu (Rematch)
Win by UD
Monday, August 20, 2007
Female Muay Thai Legend - Naoko Kumagai
Biography
Fight Wt.: 115 lbs
Height: 5'2"
Fight Record
31 wins
4 losses
1 draw (Holly Ferneley)
27 KOs
Often compared to Lucia Rijker because of her powerful knock-out punches, Kumagai is a three-time World Champion in three different weight categories. Some of the World Champions she defeated:
Kim Messer - Five rd Muay Thai fight in Tokyo Dome
Amanda Buchanan - 4th rd K-O
Regina Halmich - 1st rd K-O
Lisa Smith - 1st rd K-O
Lisa Howarth - 1st rd K-O
Kumagai also won a K-O victory over a male US Marine in a modified Muay Thai fight in Okinawa. She was only 19 then.
Kumagai switched to professional boxing after 12 years of Muay Thai. She, however, did not have much success in boxing with only winning one amateur fight against
Russian Elaina Karpacheva.
Here are some videos:
Naoko Kumagai VS Lisa Howarth - First Round K-O
Naoko Kumagai VS Regina Halmich
(Halmich held an impressive record of 20 wins, 2 losses)
Approximately one minute into the fight, Kumagai landed a roundhouse kick into the midsection followed by a punch to the liver. This will followed by a knock-out at approximately one minute and eight seconds when she delivered a high roundhouse kick into Halmich's face.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Myth about Female Muay Thai in Thailand
"Women are not allowed to train Muay Thai, Muay Thai is too difficult for Woman”
An incident in the 1970s, that involved a popular female TV announcer climbing into the ring at the Lumpini stadium, became a temporary set-back to female Muay
In the superstitious point of view, women were not allowed to come into contact with monks in Buddhist countries.
It was then rumored that the incident involving the female TV announcer angered the spirits guarding the ring. Coincidental or not, the next half dozen or so fighters who fought after she she stepped into the ring were injured by cuts and bruises. The Thais’ superstitiouns led to a ban on female Muay Thai fighting.
The ban was, fortunately, only temporary. It was not long before female bouts resumed. However, female bouts were scheduled to the end of every event, as a precaution against any Man or spirit. Despite reinstating female Muay Thai,
most Thai camps still did not allow the participation of female fighters. Even in the rare event that they do, there are separate rings for men and women.
Interestingly enough, due to the absence of Thai female fighters the Western fighters started to dominate the Muay Thai scene. Since it was a matter of pride that the Thai sport should gain priority recognition in the world, regardless of sexes, the Thai government began to focus on female fighters again and made sure that they emerged victorious amongst others.
Throughout the world, Muay Thai is recognized and appreciated for its excellent aerobic conditioning. Women who did aerobic kickboxing regularly became acquainted with the term “Muay Thai” and its characteristics. Its popularity soared, bringing the Thai influence across seas and nurturing excellent champions from namely,
It is undeniable that female Muay Thai fighting has reached its quality levels, to a point where many fights are being televised in cable channels throughout the world.
Amateur Muay Thai have also benefited from an influx of women, as was evident during the large IFMA event in Kazakhstan where there were dozens of excellent female bouts. While training can be difficult, most women who gave Muay Thai a first shot ended up addicted to the sport.
Add to tagza.