The past week saw several of our professional Muay Thai fighters battle it out in some big time events in both Thailand and Malaysia.

Jonny Betts, Marcel Gaines, and Eric Bradach represented Tiger Muay Thai at the KL Muay Thai Challenge 2012 “Clash of the Champions” events in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Dec. 1st, while Matthew Semper fought at the WPMF King’s Birthday Celebrations in Bangkok on December 4th.

Betts is a longtime fighter for the camp and had been on a winning streak after coming back from an 18-month layoff due to injury just a few months ago. His take-no-prisoners style wow’ed the KL crowd during his title fight. He was winning the fight and knocked down his opponent – Malaysian Muay Thai champ Ban Mero- in the third round, enough for an eight count, but was then hit with an elbow that opened a cut above his eye. Within moments, a ringside doctor stopped the fight due to the injury.

Gaines entered his title fight in Malaysia with an undefeated 6-0 record up against Malaysian titleholder Mat Ropi – a veteran of over 200 fights. Gaines, a South African, battled for five straight rounds but lost by decision in what can be a described as one of his best fights yet.

Bradach took on Amin Semerah Padi, one of the premier Muay Thai fighters out of Malaysia. The American battled hard but lost in the fourth round after he got cut by an elbow right above his eye, prompting a doctor to stop the fight.

All three fighters will once again enter the ring, with Gaines and Bradach expected to fight in Phuket on December 10. Betts will fight again on December 28 in an eight-man tournament at Bangla Stadium in Phuket.

Over in Bangkok, Matthew “Sobek” Semper took on Max Saengmorakod in an open weight bout at the WPMF King’s Birthday Celebration. The three-round fight saw Semper take on the southpaw in a bout that turned bloody after he was cut in the first round by a hard elbow shot. Semper battled on, however, and engaged Max in the clinch for most of the fight, rifling away knee shots to the body. In the end, Semper’s strategy worked as he came out on top with a decision victory.

Here is a post-fight wrap-up from Semper himself.