Bangkok Ready Meme: The Origin Of The MMA Internet Meme

The phrase "Bangkok ready" is an internet meme that originated from The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on YouTube. In the January 1, 2017 episode which featured Eddie Bravo, Brendan Schaub, and Joey Diaz as guests, Bravo narrated a story about a mixed martial artist named Gerald Strebendt who confidently believed that he was "Bangkok ready" after only six months of Muay Thai training. The particular segment in the podcast tackled the issue of striking coaches giving grapplers false confidence. Bravo used the case of Strebendt as an example.

Eddie Bravo's Narration of the Story
Back in 2003, Bravo was part of the team who trained Gerald Strebendt when he was preparing for his UFC debut against Josh Thomson. Bravo served as the team's Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach. According to Bravo, Strebendt had a Muay Thai coach who had Strebendt falsely believe that he's "Bangkok ready" after only six months of doing Muay Thai. Strebendt was so confident in his Muay Thai skills that he entered the octagon in full Muay Thai regalia. He wore a mongkol (headband) and a druang rang (arm band) when he made his way into the octagon. Bravo added that Strebendt did some Muay Thai rituals once he made it inside the octagon. Thomson won the bout by knocking out Strebendt in the very first round.

According to Bravo, Thomson told him sometime after the fight that he got very worried about Strebendt's standup after seeing all his Muay Thai rituals and antics during his entrance. In the Joe Rogan podcast, Bravo said that Thomson took Strebendt down to the ground because he was so worried about his Muay Thai.

The Fight
Right off the bat, Strebendt went for the takedown but Thomson stuffed it. Strebendt made another attempt but he ended up with his back on the mat with Thomson attacking him. Strebendt made it interesting on the ground by attempting several submissions but none of them were successful. About halfway through the round, Thomson threw a back-fist which caught the grounded Strebendt flush on the head. Thomson went for the finish with nasty ground and pound. Big John McCartney saw enough and halted the fight.

What happened to Gerald Strebendt after the Josh Thomson fight?
The Thomson bout is Strebendt's first and last fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He went on to fight in various MMA organizations before retiring in 2008. He retired with a record of nine wins and seven losses. Eight of his wins came by submissions. Thomson on the other hand went on to have fairly successful stints in the UFC, Strikeforce, and Bellator. At one point, he became the Strikeforce lightweight champion after defeating Gilbert melendez in 2008.

Where to buy a Bangkok Ready t-shirt?
Your best option is to go online and seek out any of the stores that offer customized t-shirt printing services. Among the most popular of these stores are Zazzle, Redbubble, and Cafepress. These sites allow you to design your own t-shirt. Just upload your design or text and the site will do the rest. Make your order and the t-shirt will be delivered to your doorstep.