Lanna MMA Fighter of The Week Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu

She is one of the most documented fighters on the planet and has documented the sport of Muay Thai more than any other person. Since day 1, Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu has recorded every aspect of her relationship with Muay Thai. She travels throughout the country of Thailand, documenting, preserving and sharing the sport with the world. Her love of Muay Thai is undeniable and demonstrated through her tireless work. She lives and breaths it each day of her life. When choosing the first female fighter for the Fighter of The Week blog, Sylvie was the obvious choice.

Sylvie was first exposed to Muay Thai in her early 20’s. Immediately, the sport caught her full attention. She said it was the beautiful movements that captivated her. She began training in the sport, and knew right away that it was something she wanted to keep pursuing. Her passion for the sport was nurtured further in 2008 when she began training with ‘Master K’ Kumron Vaitayanon aka ‘I Sawk Kwan’ (Mr. Axe Elbow) in the basement of his New Jersey home.

After one year of training, Sylvie competed for the first time at an amateur tournament in Virginia. A year after that she moved to Thailand to train and fight, and basically to get a feel for the country. She and her husband returned to the United States, saved cash, returned to Thailand in 2012, and they haven’t looked back.

Fast forward to the present. Sylvie has more fights in Thailand than any foreigner in history (231 and counting). The sport and its culture has completely engulfed her entire life. Her most recent goal is to break the legendary Len Wickwar record of 470 fights. You can support Sylvie and her endeavor by visiting her Patreon account. It is totally worth the investment, as she produces amazing videos and content for her fans.

Here is a phenomenal film where Sylvie articulates the beauty of Muay Thai and women’s role in the sport. No one has done more for female representation in the sport than her.

Besides being a fighter, Sylvie is a teacher. People have learned more about Muay Thai and Thai culture through Sylvie’s videos and blog than any other medium.Because all of her content is basically occuring in real time, Sylvie is one of the most relevant sources of information from Thailand anywhere on the internet. When her time to hang up the gloves has come, she won’t just be remembered for her fight career, but for the life she’s lived, devoting every waking minute of it to share the beauty of Thailand and Muay Thai with the world for generations to come.

Sylvie is all over social media, and very accessible to fans. You can start by following Sylvie on her website, which is updated regularly at 8 Limbs

Check out our previous Lanna MMA Fighter of The Week John Wayne Parr

For more information about Lanna MMA and how to try a free class Click Here!

Written by Ryan McKinnon, Lanna MMA Team Member and host of The Bloody Ballet Podcast, a weekly Muay Thai show that can be found at The Bloody Ballet