| Alt Name: | The Contender: Kickboxer (UK) The Contender: Muay Thai (US) (AU) |
| Creator: | Mark Burnett |
| Director: | Jerry Schaffer Ozzie Smith |
| Presenter: | Stephan Fox Jaymee Ong |
| Executive Producer: | Riaz Metha Joel Lin Mark Burnett Jeffrey Katzenberg |
| Country: | Singapore |
| Language: | English |
| Network: | AXN Asia ITV4 (UK) Versus (United States) DStv (South Africa) FOX8 (Australia) |
| Num Episodes: | 15 |
The Contender Asia (known as The Contender: Kickboxer in the United Kingdom, and The Contender: Muay Thai in the United States) was a reality-based television series that follows 16 Muay Thai middleweight fighters from 12 countries as they compete in a series of outdoor challenges and sanctioned matches.[1] The series is a deviation from the original Contender series, which involved boxing. The winner received US$150,000 and bragging rights as "The Contender Champion".
The program was hosted by Vice President of World Muay Thai Council and former World Champion Stephen Fox (who also serves as the show's main trainer) and Jaymee Ong.[2] [3]
The second season has been announced on its official website. Production will begin in late September 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with 16 fighters (14 currently revealed) vying for the title and a bigger cash prize, which the producers say as "the highest prize money ever to be paid out in the sport of Muay Thai."[4]
| WILD BOARS | TIGER KINGS | |
| Rafik Bakkouri – Leader | John Wayne Parr – Leader | |
| Naruepol Fairtex | Yodsanklai Fairtex | |
| Bruce "The Preacher" Macfie | Soren Monkongtong | |
| David Pacquette | Jose "Pitu" Sans | |
| Alain Sylvestre | Dzhabar Askerov1 | |
| Zidov "Akuma" Dominik2 | James Martinez | |
| Joakim "Yukay" Karlsson | Kim "Zig Zach" Khan Zaki | |
| Sean Wright3 | Trevor "TNT" Smandych |
1 Currently based in the United Arab Emirates.
2 Currently based in Thailand.
3 Currently based in Thailand.
Original airdate: January 16, 2008
The contestants, handpicked by Fox and his team of trainers, were introduced and brought to their loft where they would be staying during the course of the competition. The fighters were then divided into two groups: Blue Team and Red Team. Fox selected the team captains based on their fight records and characters. The leaders then chose their teammates in a "school yard pick", with John Wayne Parr choosing Yodsanklai first while Sean Wright was chosen last by Rafik Bakkouri.
Blue Team and Red Team were given the names "Wild Boars" and "Tiger Kings" respectively, based on legendary Muay Thai fighters.
During the challenge, Kim stumbled and cost the Tiger Kings a loss.
Original airdate: January 23, 2008
The Tiger Kings were devastated with Trevor Smandych's loss and felt unwell that they did not gave him a decent farewell. Meanwhile, the Wild Boars were triumphant with Naruepol declaring that the fight was "easy". Other members began contemplating about the pressure of defeating Thai fighters especially in their national sport, but Rafik Bakkouri stayed firm that he was not afraid of the Thais in and out of the ring.
Original airdate: January 30, 2008
The Wild Boars celebrated their second consecutive win, while the Tiger Kings were starting to feel angry at their opponents. This anger was channelled on the following training session as Dzahbar Askerov felt offended by the Wild Boars' fits of laughter during a discussion. Dzahbar Askerov and Rafik Bakkouri had a shouting match which resulted in a brawl between the two. The informal fight was broken up by several trainers.
Original airdate: February 6, 2008
The Tiger Kings were ecstatic as they celebrate the loss of the opposing team's captain Rafik Bakkouri, while John Wayne Parr had his nose stitched. He even quipped that he already had 186 stitches in his face alone and this number might reach 200 sooner than later. Meanwhile, the Wild Boars elected Bruce as their new captain. But the Wild Boars' problems were compounded when David Pacquette, Zidov Dominik, Naruepol, Joakim Karrison, and Alain Sylvestre fell ill. Soren Monkongtong used this as an opportunity to train harder.
Original airdate: February 13, 2008
The Tiger Kings once again were elated at their win, finally evening the fight at 2-2. In a show of sportsmanship, even the Wild Boars congratulated Yodsaenklai for his victory. Later, when David Pacquette saw that the food Alain Sylvestre was eating was not very appetizing, he explained to David Pacquette that he had to eat this way because he has Crohn's disease. After training, the Wild Boars once again elected for a new captain, this time giving the helm to David Pacquette. He, meanwhile, had reservations because of his new "jinxed" role, considering his predecessors were both eliminated.
Original airdate: February 20, 2008
The Tiger Kings had tipped the scales in their favor securing yet another win for them. The gloomy Wild Boars were encouraged by the newest captain to work even harder in the challenge to gain the opportunity to tip the scales back in their favor. At the Courts Megastore challenge, the Tiger Kings defeated the Wild Boars again by barely mere second. The triumphant Tiger Kings were juxtaposed with the frustrated Wild Boars over losing the opportunity to choose for the fourth time in a row. For their reward, the Tiger Kings won another shopping spree in Courts Megastore.
During deliberation, John Wayne believed that Dzhabar should fight David and eliminate the strongest competition from their team. During the match, tempers flew as they fought each other viciously. Blood spilled from both men though Dzhabar devalued himself by succumbing to dirty tactics in the ring that lost him two points. Despite this, it was a close fight between the two men with the score being 96-95. Finally it was announced that Dzhabar had succeeded David.
Original airdate: February 27, 2008
Original airdate: March 5, 2008
Original airdate: March 12, 2008
For the rest of the episodes, no more teams, team captains, team challenges, and for the elimination fight, the fate was with the Chinese Drawers, where each fighter would have to pull one drawer. If it's empty, the fighter would not have to fight the elimination fight. If it's occupied with an amulet, the fighter would have to fight. If the amulet is red, the fighter would have to fight in the red side. Same thing for the blue side.
Original airdate: March 19, 2008
Original airdate: March 26, 2008
Original airdate: April 2, 2008
Original airdate: April 9, 2008
Original airdate: April 16, 2008
Original airdate: April 23, 2008
Co-Commentators -"The Voice" Michael Schiavello & Mark " The Hammer"Castagnini
Emcee for the Final -Perry Cale -Australia
| Yodsaenklai | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Wayne | WIN | WIN | WIN | LOSS | |||||||||||
| Dzabhar | WIN | WIN | LOSS | ||||||||||||
| Sean | WIN | WIN | LOSS | ||||||||||||
| Soren | WIN | LOSS | |||||||||||||
| Zidov | WIN | LOSS | |||||||||||||
| Joakim | WIN | LOSS | |||||||||||||
| Naruepol | WIN | LOSS | |||||||||||||
| Pitu | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| Zach | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| David | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| Alain | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| Bruce | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| Rafik | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| James | LOSS | ||||||||||||||
| Trevor | LOSS |
Challenge and match winner
Challenge loser and match winner
Match winner
Challenge winners
Match loser
Challenge winner and match loser
Challenge and match loser
| Country | Broadcasting Network | Broadcasting Channel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Asia | Sony Pictures Television International | AXN Asia | |
| ITV plc | ITV4 | ||
| NBCUniversal | Versus (now NBCSN) | ||
 South Africa | Direct Broadcast Satellite | M-Net | |
| Foxtel | FOX8 | ||
 Finland | MTV OY | Sub |