Christine Toledo: A muay thai champ called Blade

LAS VEGAS — They call her Blade. She does not just strike at her opponents, she cuts them open – exposing and shattering their armor into broken, scattered dices of submission and defeat. An intensely cerebral strategist, she carefully sizes up the adversary, then – like a fierce amazon – finishes them off. Blade is not a vigilante heroine seeking justice for the weak or a warrior fighting for territorial supremacy. Blade is Christine Toledo, a shy Filipino American and fearless Muay Thai champion. She is ranked number one in the US and third in the world in the super-flyweight (112-118 lbs) division by the Women’s International Kickboxing Association. (Wikba is the sister organization of the Women’s International Boxing Association or Wiba.) Her fight record: 11 wins, 2 losses. Literally meaning “Thai boxing," Muay Thai is a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries, especially Thailand where it originated. Known as “The Science of Eight Limbs," it slightly differs with the more popular Thai kickboxing because the hands, shins, elbows, and knees – not just the feet – are all used extensively in this ancient fight discipline. A master practitioner thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight “points of contact," as opposed to “two points" (fists) in Western boxing and “four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts. Muay Thai was introduced to the Virginia (Norfolk)-born, San Diego-raised martial artist seven years ago. At that time Christine’s concentration was all school (taking Business Administration at the San Francisco State University). “After school, I made it a point to go to a gym and work out and keep in shape, until it became boring," she told Philippine News. “I wanted to do something different, so when someone at the gym mentioned about Muay Thai, I gave it a try. I advanced pretty quickly. Then my instructor asked me if I wanted to fight. I wasn’t hesitant about saying yes or no – I said, I’ll try it." She began her disciplinary training in San Francisco during her last year of college. Under the instruction of Kru Sam Phimsoutham and Anthony Badua at Team USA in San Francisco, she began fighting competitively in Muay Thai that year. In 2003, Christine relocated in Nevada and trained at Master Toddy’s. Here, she was given the opportunity to fight top ranked opponents, as well as travel to other countries and appear in several film productions. In 2006, Toledo was cast in “Fight Girls," aired at Oxygen Network. The reality TV-format show revolves around seven female fighters from all over the US who were chosen to come to Las Vegas and train in the ancient art of Thai boxing with Muay Thai guru Master Toddy – with the ultimate goal of traveling to Thailand to fight for the world championship. “The story is simple, but touching. We don’t play any roles, we are ourselves and we are really training," she said. “We were fortunate to train at the camps in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai, completely different atmosphere from training in the US. Raw, intense, authentic... Stories were told, sad and happy – experiences good and bad. It was real training and real fighting, real blood. Real stuff!" The TV series, plus a spot in a Muay Thai documentary featuring women in the sport, gave the 30-year-old Filipina celebrity exposure. Her exotic allure and bashful smile made her a media favorite. But it’s not all sweet and sundry. Although a number of women fighters – to name a few, Lucia Rijker, Laila Ali, Bonnie Canino, Regina Halmich, and Christy Martin – climbed up the ring and won accolades and respect all over the world, Muay Thai is not a Broadway gig or a glitter foray at The Strip. “Much more disciplinary commitment and focus is needed and training can become very intense," she said. “By the time (some fighters in Thailand) reach their twenties, they will have over 200 fights. At that point, their bodies have gone through a substantial amount of wear and tear, and it’s likely they are to retire at a young age." Muay Thai fighters in Thailand sometimes start training as early as 4 years old. Christine’s childhood was expectedly nurtured beyond kickboxing, or any endeavors that may seem un-girly. “It’s typical of Filipino parents to want their kids to be what they want them to be," she said. “My Mom always wanted me to be very girly – singing and dancing, from Hawaiian dancing to playing the piano. She also wanted me to go into to arts, but no – I wanted to be in martial arts. Ever since I was a little girl, I was a little aggressive." Toledo recalls how her mother Adelina, a nurse, kept on reminding her that, “I am a girl so I need to do things that girls do, stay away from getting injured because I have a future and I need to go to school and get a good job. Ironically, I turned to be what my Mom never wanted. But that was then – my Mom is my biggest supporter now." It is a different story though with her Dad Oscar, a retired Navy man.“My Dad supports me but he never agreed with the idea in the end. He told me that I should stop, and I should focus on my education." Christine is the middle child of three kids – the two others are boys. Today, Christine plans to continue fighting at a professional level. Her next fight, though unconfirmed, is on April 26 at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood. Then, there’s the Asian Street Fair in Frisco on May 17. On June 12, she will be flying home to Manila to show off her Muay Thai prowess, and reconnect with her roots. What’s more meaningful is that Christine Toledo could show her people and the world that a Filipino woman is not all sweetness and serenity – she can also be sound, sharp and sure. Like The Blade. - Philippine News