Saturday, February 3, 2007

Tony Jaa


Jet Li? Jackie Chan? Old news. Check out Tony Jaa, the newest martial arts superstar. The stunts he pulls off are amazing, technically & aeshetically -- and without any cheesy wirework. He practices Muay Thai (pronounced moy tie), which is being taught and used extensively in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world. Called the "science of eight limbs," Muay Thai is particularly devastating because it involves hands, shins, elbows, and knees.

You can rent two of his movies, both excellent: Ong-Bak The Thai Warrior and The Protector. In the Protector, Jaa battles a capoeira fighter. (Did you folks know that capoeira is a martial arts form as well as a dance form?)

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