How a Muay Thai fight works

1. Muay Thai is fought in a ring with punches, kicks, knees and elbows.
2. Before the first round each athlete performs the Wai Kru, a ritual dance to traditional music.
3. Judges score each round for clean, forceful strikes that land unblocked: 10 to the winner of the round, and 9, 8 or 7 to the other, by the margin.
4. The fight can end early by knockout or by the referee stopping it. Otherwise the athlete picked by most judges wins on points.

How long

Three rounds of 3 minutes, with a minute's rest, for adult (Elite and under-24) athletes. Youth rounds are shorter.