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The Joe Rogan ExperienceThe Joe Rogan Experience

JRE MMA Show #19 with Vinny Shoreman & Liam Harrison

Joe is joined by mind coach and fight commentator Vinny Shoreman & 8-time World Muay Thai Champion Liam Harrison.

Joe RoganhostLiam HarrisonguestVinny ShoremanguestGuestguest
Mar 21, 20181h 50mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Muay Thai’s Brutal Beauty, Mental Game, And Global Growth Explored Deeply

  1. Joe Rogan sits down with Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison and mind coach Vinny Shoreman to discuss why Muay Thai is undervalued in the U.S. despite being, in their view, the pinnacle of striking arts.
  2. They break down traditional Thai culture, rule sets, and matchmaking, and contrast the sport’s popularity and depth in Europe and Thailand with its relatively small American scene.
  3. Harrison details his training volume, fight career (108+ bouts), and how mental coaching, hypnosis, and tools like ‘Hakalau’ and anchoring have transformed his performances.
  4. The conversation widens into youth development, Western fighters catching up to Thais, crossover with MMA, recovery methods, and what it takes mentally and physically to be an elite striker.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Muay Thai’s presentation, not its action, is the main barrier in the U.S.

Traditional music, wai kru rituals, and two‑minute breaks can put off casual fans, even though the actual fighting is relentlessly exciting and more complete than boxing or standard kickboxing.

Careful matchmaking is critical to showcasing Muay Thai at its best.

Promotions like YOKKAO thrive by matching fighters evenly so every bout is competitive; massive skill mismatches, sometimes seen in U.S. cards, damage the sport’s credibility and entertainment value.

Western fighters are now genuinely competitive with top Thais.

Years of Westerners living and training full‑time in Thailand, coupled with high‑level European shows, have produced fighters who can trade evenly with stadium legends instead of being routinely outclassed.

Mental preparation can be as decisive as physical training.

Harrison credits Shoreman’s hypnosis, anchoring words like “warrior,” and techniques like Hakalau (enhanced peripheral awareness) with helping him overturn previous losses and perform pain‑free in brutal fights.

Youth systems and structured gyms are creating the next wave of stars.

UK gyms like Bad Company run large, tiered kids’ classes (beginners, intermediates, fighters) and even field juniors with dozens of bouts and Thai stadium wins by their early teens, building deep talent pipelines.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I really believe that if there's one sport that doesn't get its due, it's Muay Thai.

— Joe Rogan

I've had over a hundred Muay Thai fights. It's definitely a lot harder than boxing.

— Liam Harrison

Fights are won and lost in the changing rooms.

— Vinny Shoreman

People are paying their hard‑earned money to come and watch me fight; I feel like I've got a moral obligation to give ’em that.

— Liam Harrison

What we do works. He's eight‑time world champion and I'm his mind coach.

— Vinny Shoreman

Why Muay Thai remains niche in America versus Europe and ThailandTraditional elements of Muay Thai (wai kru, music, scoring, gambling)Western fighters closing the gap with elite Thai fightersLiam Harrison’s training regimen, fight style, and career milestonesMental coaching, hypnosis, NLP, and performance psychology in fightingYouth development systems and junior Muay Thai structures in the UKCrossover between Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA (fighters, promotions, rule sets)

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