There are several different ways that Muay Thai is scored. In Thai stadium scoring, often seen to be the most authentic style of scoring, a fight is scored in its entirety, as opposed to scoring each round separately. In most western-style scoring systems, fights may be shorter or have fewer rounds, so each round is scored with equal weight and not considered in relation to the other rounds of the fight.
Effect of strikes: Not all kicks are created equal! When fighting, are your strikes landing with weight and force? Do they push your opponent around or cause them to show pain in their body language or face? If two fighters throw the same kick at the same time, can you see which one has done more damage?
Balance: If two fighters throw the same kick at the same time, but one of them loses their balance while kicking, can you see who has better balance? Who comes back to guard and continues to strike and who stumbles?
Technique: If the same two fighters throw a kick, which one is more beautiful? While technique does not always equate to higher skill, it’s a great indicator because it takes a great deal of control to use beautiful technique when you’re under attack.
Ring Control: If two fighters are in a ring, which one is controlling the space? Who is leading and who is following? The person who controls the ring, the space between the fighters, and the pace of the fight is often the person winning the fight.
Composure: If two fighters are in a ring, how do they look? Does one of them look calmer, more focused, or intent on winning? Does one look defeated and hurt? Skilled fighters will look for subtle cues that their opponent has “broken” mentally and exploit it, so having good composure is important.
