The celebration of Queen Sirikit’s birthday is being marked by professional Muay Thai fights all over Thailand. Tiger Muay Thai and MMA Training Camp Phuket, Thailand has three fighters competing in this year’s festivities – both at home and in the capital.

Claire Haigh, Tracy Lockwood, and Matthew “Sobek” Semper will represent TMT this upcoming weekend with Haigh fighting for the 135 lb WMC World Title.

Semper will be fighting in the World Professional Muay Thai Federation’s (WPMF) Queen’s Birthday event in Bangkok on August 10. Both Haigh and Lockwood will fight in front of a local crowd at Bangla Stadium in Phuket for the World Muay Thai Council’s (WMC) Queen’s Cup event on August 12. The WMC Queen’s Cup will be televised throughout the country as well.

In lieu of the usual tournament structure of the past few years, the WMC Queen’s Cup event will have a fight card that includes three title bouts. A team of judges will determine which winning fighter, at the end of the night, will be presented with the Queen’s Cup. Things like technique and punishment on the opponent will be used as metrics for the award. The event usually takes place in Bangkok, but renovations to the site in front of the King’s Palace have forced a move.

“We chose Phuket because it is the center of Southern Thailand and everybody comes here,” said promoter Krasan Kumkeawkarn during a press conference for the event. “There are a lot of tourists here and foreigners who fight.
We want to promote to the local people here and get the country to know what is going on in Phuket is good.”

In addition to Haigh’s title fight, Lockwood is expected to face off against Gerri O’Callaghan of England.

In Bangkok, Semper will fight in the open weight category on August 10th. The event will take place in an open air showcase near the center of the capital city.