Over the past couple of years, female Muay Thai has grown significantly in Thailand. Though females are forbidden from entering the stage at Rajadamnern and Lumpinee Stadium, weekly shows such as Muay Hardcore and Super Champ, as well as ONE Championship, have hosted many female bouts.
During the course of 2020, female Muay Thai was even headlining some of the weekly Channel 8 shows. The likes of Sawsing Sor.Sopit, Chommanee Sor.Taehiran and more have all competed in main event bouts. Various media sources such as LUI Muay Thai and Muay Ying have all supported this movement.
ONE Championship have also played their part of promoting female Muay Thai, with some of Thailand’s female athletes such as Stamp Fairtex, Wondergirl Fairtex and her sister Supergirl JaroonsakMuaythai all competing on the biggest martial arts stage in the World.
But which foreign female Muay Thai fighters are top of the list? In no particular order, here is our list of top foreign female Muay Thai fighters to watch out for in 2021:
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues
A regular on the circuit in Bangkok over the past couple of years, Allycia Hellen Rodrigues joined the team at Phuket Fight Club after leaving her home in Fortaleza, Brazil.
In 2020, she achieved her biggest accolade to date in her 40+ fight career by defeating Stamp Fairtex for the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World title.
Smilla Sundell
One of the most promising foreign female Muay Thai fighters in Thailand right now. Smilla Sundell burst on to the scene in the latter part of 2020 when she defeated Pornpan Por.Muengpetch by knockout at Muay Thai Super Champ.
She would go on to defeat one of Thailand’s best female fighters in Sawsing Sor.Sopit in a main event bout just six weeks later. She ended an astonishing year with a draw against Fahseethong Sitzoraeung.
At just 16-years-old and training with the elite at Fairtex Training Centre in Pattaya, the Swedish star looks set for a huge future ahead.
Marie Ruumet
Marie Ruumet is another promising female Muay Thai fighter based in Thailand. She debuted on ONE Championship back in August where she dominated her opponent to take a points victory.
The Estonian fighter, nicknamed the “Snow Leopard”, would then go on to defeat one of Thailand’s pound-for-pound best in Lommanee Wor.Santai at Muay Hardcore in September.
Janet Todd
IFMA Pan-American gold medallist Janet Todd debuted in ONE Championship back in 2019, where she lost a Atomweight Muay Thai World title bout to Stamp Fairtex.
After three straight victories in the ONE circle, Todd would get a second shot at Stamp in February 2020, this time for the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing world title, where she came out victorious.
Though she is the current ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World champion, a switch back to Muay Thai rules is entirely possible for the American super star.
Iman Barlow
UK-based female Muay Thai star Iman Barlow had a stroke of bad luck in 2020. Scheduled to make her ONE Championship debut for the vacant Strawweight Muay Thai World title against Viktoria Lipianska back in March, the event was cancelled just weeks away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Later in the year, Iman was rescheduled to make her ONE debut, her opponent had not been announced publicly. However, even after flying out to Singapore and making the first weigh-in just two days before the event, her debut was again cancelled.
Barlow has one of the most impeccable records of any foreign female Muay Thai fighter, holding a 91% win rate from her 113 career bouts. She also claimed the WBC Muaythai International title in her last bout against Brooke Farrell back in November 2019.
Amy Pirnie
Scottish female Muay Thai fighter Amy Pirnie is another star who didn’t manage to get any fights in 2020. In 2019 however, she achieved more than many other female fighters in the World.
She won the Enfusion World title in early 2019, then defeated Sandra Godvik to win the Lion Fight World title. Later in the year she would go on to successfully defend her Lion Fight World title against Lommanee Wor.Santai, before an ISKA Muay Thai World title defence in Finland.
Pirnie is currently holding one of the longest active win streak of any female Muay Thai fighter, and has recently signed a contract extension with Lion Fight which will see her defend the World title on UFC Fight Pass in the first half of 2021.
Please note this is not an extensive list and there are many more foreign female Muay Thai fighters to watch for in 2021. These include, but not limited to; Brooke Farrell, Erin Kowal, Viktoria Lipianska, Alma Juniku, and Anne Line Hogstad.
