By Neto Baptiste
Michael Pierce, a retired American professional mixed martial artist specializing in a form of Thai martial art called Muay Thai, recently visited Antigua following back-to-back triumphs in Thailand, winning two high level tournaments. Pierce’s trip to Antigua formed part of his celebrations but for the fighter turned coach, it was more than just a vacation, it was a return to a place he once called home.
Although born in the US, Pierce has strong ties to the twin-island state with his mom Selma Alexander, having migrated from Grenada at age seven, attending the Cobbs Cross Primary and his grandfather Selwyn James having lived in Antigua for almost 50 years.
Observer media caught up with Pierce at Falmouth Harbour where we spoke about his recent achievements in the sport, having won two belts within months of each other in Thailand.
“So it was a last minute fight and I was there [Thailand] just training a little bit and they said they needed somebody to fight and so I filled in. Normally you have to cut weight and cutting weight is hard because you don’t eat, you don’t really drink a lot of water but you just sweat. So I took that fight and I think it was just 80 kilos I fought and I won by elbow knockout in the second round against a Thai fighter who is good and a bigger guy than me,” he said.
Pierce, who has brought several groups to Antigua in the past, said he got into the art after seeing it displayed in a movie. His curiosity drove him to investigate the form of fighting, revealing that he basically sold everything he owned to pay his way to Thailand and train in the full-contact combat sport.
Not to be confused with the traditional form of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Pierce said Muay Thai is a more rugged form of fighting.
“People have died, never in the ring but usually from injuries that you obtain at day after and cuts are very common because of the elbows and knees. Every time you fight, because you’re using your shins they would swell up. I am not saying it’s a safe sport but it’s safer than boxing and MMA only for the practice and the training and it’s good for longevity so you don’t spar hard,” he said.
As for his ambitions, the athletes said he hopes to own a dojo in the near future adding that he would also be willing to run a rehabilitation programmed for troubled youths in conjunction with the authorities here in Antigua.
“In New York, at one point in time, we did a free boxing programme for people in juvenile detention centres … they were locked up for whatever reason and we said that if you’re on good behaviour then you guys would end up getting to have a fight. There was this other programme called ‘Guns down, Gloves up’ so if you had a problem with someone then we can get it sorted where you guys can meet, we’ll shake hands in the beginning and touch gloves in the end,” Pierce said.
Muay Thai sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the “Art of eight limbs”, as it is characterised by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins.
