Huge Muay Thai Competition in Bejing - Buakaw, Yod, Saenchai, Kyshenko all to participate

Details are coming out regarding a massive international competition to be held in Beijing later this summer. From August 27 - September 4, Beijing will host the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games. These games will include 13 different combat sports, but the most exciting news yet released surrounds the Muay Thai competition. Featuring a huge number of Muay Thai fighters, both male and female, and across the full range of weight classes, these games have the potential to create a real impact on the international Muay Thai scene.

There's a ton of names involved (full list in the complete entry) but the big names include Buakaw Por. Pramuk, Yodsaenklai Fairtex, and Saenchai Sor Kingstar (arguably the top 3 pound for pound Thai fighters in the world) along with Artur Kyshenko and Marcus Oberg. The 71kg weight class is particularly stacked with Buakaw, Kyshenko, Oberg, and 3 other fighters. Although there are no specific details yet about how the fights will be structured, you have to think there is a strong chance we'll see #3 Buakaw v. #4 Kyshenko here in what would be a blockbuster showdown and a real dream fight between two men who have not yet faced off.

These games are hosted by SportAccord. Formerly known as The General Association of International Sports Federation, SportAccord's stated mission is "to unite, support and promote its Member International Sports Federations and Organisations for the co-ordination and protection of their common aims and interests, communication and co-operation, while at the same time conserving and respecting their autonomy." Which is a sort of convoluted way of saying they host Olympic-style international competitions throughout the world.

The plan is to host these Combat Games every four years, with this being the inaugural event. In addition to Muay Thai, the games will include Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Wushu, Sambo, Sumo, Aikido, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Kendo, and Taekwondo.

This is an incredibly ambitious event, and let's hope they pull it off. And that it gets some form of broadcast distribution so we can see it, because frankly, this could be really cool, and I want to see it.