Muay Thai has been gaining massive popularity in the United States over the past years, and it is even considered a very effective striking move in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Muay Thai has been consistently used by athletes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) by famous fighters such as Jose Aldo, Valentina Shevchenko, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, Donald Cerrone, and Jon “Bones” Jones, among others. Therefore, it is no surprise that Christopher M. Aboy’s T.A.G. Muay Thai was commissioned to train law enforcers in Los Angeles.
“I taught the instructors at LAPD. The Royal Thai Counsel, along with the WBC Muay Thai U.S.A., set me up to be the main instructor. They wanted to promote Thai culture and Muay Thai,” Chris explained.
Promoting Muay Thai’s soft power is one of the several thrusts of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue to promote the rich culture of the country. As such, The Royal Thai Consulate General Mr. Thor Saralamba, along with the WBC Muay Thai U.S.A., was ecstatic to facilitate an intense Muay Thai Training Workshop for the ARCON (Arrest and Control) instructors at the Los Angeles Police Department.
“The Muay Thai Clinch specific to an armed officer was discussed and drilled because it was a segue to takedowns to effect an arrest. Also, working weapon retention and implementing the strikes of Muay Thai is a great combination,” Chris added.
The activity was held at the LAPD Ahmanson Recruit Training Center last November 8, 2022. The Royal Thai Consulate General Mr. Thor Saralamba is so invested in the initiative that he even involved his personal chef in preparing delicious seafood Thai rice dishes after the activity.
Historically, Muay Thai has been around since the 2nd or 3rd B.C. It was designed as a form of close-quarter combat that leverages the strength and agility of the whole body to mimic the weapons of war. The hands, for instance, acted as the daggers, while the legs and knees acted as an ax and spear, the elbows were utilized as a hammer, and the shins and forearms served as armors during strong blows. The strengthening of the shins and forearms happens during training.
Christopher M. Aboy is the owner and founder of T.A.G. Muay Thai while also working as an operational uniformed police officer for the government. His passion for Muay Thai eventually led him to represent the WBC Muay Thai U.S.A. as one of the team’s coaches during the WBC Inaugural Youth Games in Calgary, Canada, in August 2022.
Chris has had the privilege of living in different areas of the world, including England, Germany, and the U.S.A., specifically Indiana and California. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Chris was 23 when he first discovered Muay Thai. This was after he learned several styles of combative arts, such as Lima Lama (Polynesian Martial Art), American kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and wrestling. Muay Thai eventually became his primary style mainly because it easily applies to the work that sometimes puts him in real-life combat situations.
Christopher M. Aboy is also an accredited MMA and Muay Thai referee for multiple sanctioning bodies. To be able to referee or judge a fight simply means that he has an in-depth knowledge of the governing rules and regulations of the sport. Aside from organizing sparring events and helping to popularize Thai culture by training people to know Muay Thai, his school is also instrumental in imparting the importance of discipline, hard work, and diligence to his students, especially the younger ones.
