The FULL 1982 Holy Grail Fight Card All 8 Fights: Natural Stadium Audio (2 hrs, 45 min)

This is just a testament to this Patreon community, coming to together to celebrate and share the legendary Muay Thai of the past. One of my patrons found an old VHS of the 1982 Christmas Eve card that had the legendary, Holy Grail fight between GOATs Dieselnoi Chor Tanasukarn and Samart Payakaroon. Before the discovery of the tape of the fight there was no public preservation of Dieselnoi in the prime of his powers, for an entire fight, and suddenly with its publishing suddenly we could see what he fought like, against one of the best who ever fought. It was a treasure. But...this was only the main event of a stacked card, the card of the year. And, we had the entire card on tape. Not only that, the video captures the natural sound of Rajadamnern Stadium, without the interruptions of broadcast commentators. It's as if we are transported back two decades to what Muay Thai was like just as it was passing into its Golden Age of greatness, when stadia rocked with passionate, knowledgeable fans. It's a time travel video. 

It took us a while to finally get the full fight card assembled. We found secondary listings of who was on the card, but some of these listings contradicted each other, some were out of order or were incorrect. It wasn't until we sat down with Karuhat and watched the card with him that we got enough information to be pretty sure each of these fights are labeled correctly. There was also a boxing fight on the card featuring Kaosai Galaxy, which is not included as only the first round made it to the tape. We're finally able to publish the video which is total time capsule to the legacy we are seeking to preserve in the Muay Thai Library project you are all helping preserve. This is a public post, because historic videos like this should be made public to everyone if possible. 

Thank you to Harri who found this video!

The Fight Card   

Pontep Goatsingnoi (red) vs Nikom Petchpotong (blue) 

Langrung Giatgriangrai (red) vs Boonnam Sor Jarunee (blue) 

Samransak Muangsurin (red) vs Jomwo Jaroengym (blue) 

Chamuakpet Hapalang (red)  vs Panmongkon Hor Mahachai (blue) 

Bangklanoi Sor Tanikul (red) vs Mafuang Weerapol (blue) 

Padejseuk Pitsanurachan (red) vs Jock Giatniwat (blue) 

Samingnoom Sitboontham (red) vs Rerngsak Petchyindee (blue) 

Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn (red) vs Samart Payakaroon (blue)

above, a magazine cover looking forward to this incredible card

If you have not watched the Dieselnoi commentary version of his fight with Samart definitely its something you should watch: 

watch Dieselnoi's commentary on his fight with Samart here 

Of the 16 fighters on this card, we count 8 of them in the All Time Greatest Fighters book, and 4 who won Fighter of the Year

These are the Profiles of the Fighters on the Holy Grail Fight Card from the 123 Greatest Muay Thai Fighters of Thailand Book (you can browse high-quality photos of the book here, on our patron supported forum): 

And, of this 1982 card, we have several of them already documented in the Muay Thai Library project:

#49 Chamuakpet Hapalang - Devastating Knee in Combination  (66 min) watch it here

The most decorated fighter of the Golden Age with 4 Lumpinee Belts and 5 Rajadamnern Belts, and the Fighter of the Year award (1985), Chamuakpet, a gym-mate of Dieselnoi, teaches his beautiful and devastating Southpaw knee to the open side, in combination. His fast, powerful knee was practically unstoppable and in this session you can see why.

#81 Chamuakpet Hapalang 2 - Muay Khao Internal Attacks (65 min) watch it here

One of the all time greats gives his 2nd session of the Library. 9x Lumpinee and Rajadamnern champion, 1985 Fighter of the Year, a man who took belts from both Samart and his brother Kongtoranee, his Muay Thai has been lauded as one of the best that have ever been. In this session he teaches his rising KO out knee, straight up the center, his philosophy of grips, pulls and elbows in the clinch, and just in punching range. Not to be missed.

#88 Samransak Muangsurin - Muay Maat Legend Keys to Powerful Hands (61 min) watch it here

Samransak was nothing if not thunderous as a fighter in the Golden Age. He threw with serious, heavy hands and just brutalized his opponents. He teaches the basics of his Muay Maat style, how he brought boxing into the ring to massive effect. One of the all time legends of the sport.

Dieselnoi:  #48 Dieselnoi Chor. Thanasukarn - Jam Session (80 min) watch it here  AND  #30 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 2 - Muay Khao Craft  (42 min) watch it here  AND  #3 Dieselnoi  Chor Thanasukarn  - The King of Knees (54 min) - watch it here #76 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 4 - How to Fight Tall (69 min) watch it here

#34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! (81 min) watch it here

Atop the tower of Muay Thai legends probably stands Samart. 3x Fighter of the Year, 4x Lumpinee Champion and WBC World Boxing Champion, no fighter more brilliantly showed what femeu fighting could do. In this session he shows the foundations of how to build true balance, the ultimate key to his fighting style.

#92  Padejseuk Pitsanurachan - Old School Greatness (67 min) watch it here

It's special when we get to document one of the legends of the sport before the time of video. Padejseuk was an incredible fighter who beat Dieselnoi, Wichannoi, Potsai and Kaopong, the beasts of his day. Learn his all around philosophy and the tactics he used to beat some of the best who ever fought.