Welcome to the fourth episode of Flight to Fight: Thai Boxing in Thailand! Watch Bloody Elbow’s own Eddie Mercado, yours truly, travel around the globe to Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand to train and fight.

In episode 1, I said my goodbyes back in the U.S. before hopping on the plane. In episode 2, I took the longest flight of my life before checking into Tiger Muay Thai. I got to training in episode 3, but really struggled to adapt to the climate of Phuket.

In this installment, I still toss my cookies, but I receive a solid life hack about hydration from UFC lightweight James Vick. Then, I finally get to training how I want to. The audience can see me doing drills, bag work, and some sparring with much more gusto than in the first week.

Viewers are introduced to Tiger’s Muay Thai fight team manager Jonny Bets as well as head wrestling coach Frank Hickman. Then, I accomplish the first of eight personal feats when I run the grueling uphill climb to the gigantic Big Buddha statue.

This video series is presented by OddsShark, and also made possible by Spartyka Nation, Tiger Muay Thai, Diego Bispo Academy and Harvey Grasse Muay Thai, as well as MASF Supplements, as well as others.

Be sure to be on the lookout for episode five. I link up with one of the only Americans to ever win in the original Lumpinee Stadium, Dorian Price, and check out some Max Muay Thai fights in Pattaya, Thailand.

The plan:

• Travel to Phuket, Thailand
• Train at Tiger Muay Thai
• See the sights & hear the sounds of Phuket
• Experience the Thai culture
• Compete in Muay Thai fight
• Spend New Years in Tokyo
• Travel back to the U.S.A.

Personal feats:

• Catch a tiger by its toe
• Catch a fish
• Gamble on a fight
• Get bumped up to first class
• Fly in a friend
• Run Big Buddha
• Compete in Muay Thai fight in Thailand
• Watch Floyd Mayweather compete

Why?

• I spend so much time covering combat sports that I feel like putting myself through a camp, and competing in an actual fight, will give me a better understanding of what living that life is like. Training is one thing, competing is another. What better place to Thai Box than Thailand?
• I want to show people that they don’t have to want to be a UFC champion to compete in combat sports. You can just be a regular dude, like me, and go to a place like Tiger Muay Thai, learn some skills, and live out your dream.
• I want to prove that excuses are lame and if you want something bad enough, then you owe it to yourself to go after it with gusto.
• I don’t want to be old and gray, sitting around wondering what if. I’d rather be old and gray watching the Flight to Fight video series with no regrets, reminiscing on my time in Thailand.
• Bruh, it’s Phuket, Thailand.

Why not? (Excuses):

• None.

How to watch:

• The shows will drop as soon as I can get them out and can be seen on BloodyElbow.com as well as BE’s Facebook account
• Viewers can also catch the action on my YouTube channel: Eddie Mercado. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications!

Making this possible:

• OddsShark
• Spartyka Nation
• Tiger Muay Thai
• Diego Bispo Academy & Harvey Grasse Muay Thai
• MASF Supplements
• My family
• Myself