Thailand Wrestling 1984: USA vs Iran 💚 Complete Story

USA versus Iran

It was 1984 my brother and I’s first trip to Thailand. We had just finished a 4-day trek through the jungle (2 days on elephant back) staying in little hill tribe villages as we went. Now we were in Pattaya beach, a resort area on the Gulf of Thailand. It’s a wild place, bars with wild sex shows, male and female prostitutes and ones with fighting rings in them. Paul and I were walking down the main street when I saw a sign in front of the Rose Beer Bar. It read: Iran takes on all comers in wrestling. We go inside to watch, the Iranians are kicking the Thai’s asses (most Thai’s are kind of small) I tell my bro to hold my stuff, I walk up to one of the Iranians and tell him I’ll take the next fight. In the dressing room I am changing, looking at the Iranian I’m going to wrestle, damn he’s a big one probably got 30 pounds on me.

          We’re in the ring, the bell rings, I’m grappling with this guy, he’s stronger than me but not by much and I’m way faster. After a couple of minutes, I’m getting tired. We’re locked in a bear hug; he picks me up and tries to throw me on my back, I spin him and in midair Slam he’s flat on his pack pinned. I win. People are cheering.

          Just then another Iranian comes up and starts poking me in the chest “wrestle me”, he keeps saying over and over.

          “I’m tired”, I tell him but he keeps bugging me. Finally, I say ok and go to my corner. There’s a fat Thai man waiting, he whispers in my ear in broken English “You win I give you 100 baht” I chuckle that $4 and say, “You bet money on me?” He says, “Yes I bet a lot of money.”

!Ding! I rush in trying to end it quickly, but this guys good and built just like me. Plus one of his eyes is cockeyed so I can’t tell exactly where he’s looking. He shoots on me but I sprawl and shove his face in the mat he shoots again and this time I’m able to take him down but can’t pin him. He forces his way to his feet and I get him in a head lock and start to choke him, I can hear people in the crowd yelling “KILL HIM, KILL HIM” the refs trying to pull my arm off (he’s Iranian) I’m yelling at him, he says that illegal. Damn I let him go. The bell rings. I hold my arms up, I’d taken him down twice, and I win on points. Nope… it’s a three round fight the Iranian goes back to his corner and sits on the bottom rope. I head back to mine trying to catch my breath. In my corner there the fat Thai guy who bet the money, turns out he’s the owner of the bar. He’s got a stool for me. I sit down; he’s pouring water on me, massaging my arms and legs and trying to tell me how to beat this guy. If I wasn’t so tired I would laugh.

!Ding! Round 2. My brother has the microphone; he’s chanting “USA, USA” I slip in quickly, grab him, pulling him over my shoulder, flipping him on his back coming down hard on top of him. YEAH I pinned him. The crowds going wild, a girl comes up and gives me roses. The fat Thai guy slips my bro the 100 baht, he didn’t know what it was for but mamma didn’t raise no fool, he puts it in his pocket.

USA 2, Iran 0

Believe it or not the Iranians wanted me to wrestle again which kind of pissed me off. I told them in an angry voice “you just want to beat me but all tell you what I will box anyone of you right now” Nope they just shook my hand, kissed me on both cheeks.

Note: I still have the 100 baht bill in my scrap book.