Following an argument over the origin of kickboxing between Thailand and Cambodia, the World Muaythai Organisation (WMO) has banned Brazilian boxer Thiago Teixeira from the sport after he announced support for Kun Khmer. His Apex Fight Series middleweight class championship record was also expunged.
Cambodia is pushing to gain international recognition for its version of kickboxing, Kun Khmer. The country has even removed Muay Thai from their list of sports for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), replacing it with Kun Khmer. This decision resulted in Thai athletes withdrawing from the competition.
The International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) has since announced that any country participating in Kun Khmer would be banned from joining major events such as the World Games, Asian Indoor Games, Asian Martial Arts Games, and World Boxing Championship.
