At Tiger Dragon Muay Thai Boran Fight Gym, we develop our members through a Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level of skills, through the implementation of the curriculum of Muay Thai Boran South Africa (www.muaythaiboran.co.za), the only Muay Thai Boran Association recognised by Martial Arts South Africa (MASA). This is not a team orientated sport so you are not graded according to the general class standard but rather your own absorption capacity of the technical arsenal you have been exposed to. Repetition is the name of this game and you need to show your due capacity before being invited to grade.
The fitness, strength and conditioning levels vary in demand as you progress but essentially maintain the vigorous demand of the training schedule of a professional boxer.
Beginner – Basic fundamental striking skills of Muay Thai Boran
Intermediate - Incorporation of takedown and submission skills, and advanced striking arsenal of Muay Thai Boran. Sparring is part of training schedule.
Advanced – Sparring in advanced stand-up, take-down and ground fighting skills of Muay Thai Boran.
We believe that all exposure is good for you however if not done in a timely manner could be detrimental. Therefore we exclusively organize and prompt training exposure in Thailand at one of our affiliate Muay Thai Boxing Gyms in Bangkok or Chiang Mai when you have reached a highly advanced level. We arrange for a training intervention of three weeks with minimal tourist leisure to keep the focus on Muay Thai.
Ayutthaya, 2010 
Kru Yai Mario receiving Mongkon
The instruction at the Tiger-Dragon School is performed by Chief Instructor Kru Yai Mario Da Silva and instructor Kru Lee. Kru Jonathan Lee is a qualified Khan 11 instructor, accredited by the Kru Assocation of Thailand. He has also received his coaching qualifications from the World Muay Thai Federation, and is an internationally qualified judge and referee.
Kru Yai Mario is a qualified 1st Dan in WTF Taekwon-do, former Military Hand to Hand Combat Instructor in the Portuguese Special Defense Forces, internationally registered 4th Degree Black Belt in Kickboxing and a specialist in the martial art of Muay Thai Boran and Muay Thai where he has become the highest qualified instructor in Muay Thai and Muay Boran in South Africa through recognition and certification as Assistant Master (Kru Yai) at Khan 13 level by the Grand Masters of Muay Thai/Muay Boran in Thailand and accredited by the Kru’s Association of Thailand. His experience of over 30 years in the martial science of combat is portrayed through the standards of instruction offered to the Tiger-Dragons.
His fight record boasts 27 wins in the Portuguese amateur kickboxing arena and 3 professional kickboxing wins. At the time of “retirement” was ranked NUMBER TWENTY THREE in the world as THE African Continental Thaiboxing Champion. 
After periodic training interventions in Thailand at the LANA Muay Thai Professional Boxing Camp in Chiang Mai, he defeated the North-East Muay Thai Champion in a challenge and then progressed to qualify in the inner circle of highly advanced Muay Thai Skills and Instructors course at the Muay Thai Institute in Bangkok.
Today he teaches Muay Thai Boran, which include striking, takedown and groundwork techniqies. He complements this with the take-down and groundwork principles from a hand-to-hand combat course he presented to a special operations unit in the Portuguese defense force. He is no amateur. His coaching has been acknowledged in the most esteemed professional and competitive arenas:
“My primary objective is to teach the strengths of Muay Thai to all interested participants as well as the rest of society, strengths not solely portrayed through fighting skills but primarily through the development of healthy minds which have a direct contribution in the individual’s day to day life and also in his self-respect and self acknowledgement and his role in society as a human being.
My secondary objective is to develop Martial Artists who through my instruction will have achieved a balanced split in mental fighting capacity as well as physical fighting capacity having captured the confidence in their bodies as weapons of defense irrespective of size or gender, to further assist their survival in our world today.
My third objective is to remain humble and remember that one martial artist is not the martial art but he is in fact only the traveler of that path, a reader of that book… some travelers will be further along in their paths, and some readers will be further along in their chapters. But essentially all martial artists irrespective of their grade or preferred martial art will always remain students to something larger than themselves.”
Kru Yai Mario da Silva
A summary of his credentials:
- In 2004 he was appointed Manager/Coach to the Protea Muay Thai Team and -
- Was awarded his Protea colors in representing South Africa at the 2004 World Championships in that capacity.
- Currently ,he is the president of the amateur sporting association M.S.A© (MUAY THAI BORAN SOUTH AFRICA) and -
- His instruction and grade is fully licensed and underwritten by M.A.S.A© (MARTIAL ARTS SOUTH AFRICA) and -
- He has been accredited by the Grand Masters in Thailand as Assistant Master Kru Yai at Level 13 Khan
- He is registered to and recognized by AITMA (Association Institute of Thai Martial Arts) and Kru Muay Thai Association for his instruction and knowledge.
- He is the representative of AITMA and the Kru Muay Thai Association in South Africa.
- He is the representative of W.M.F© (WORLD MUAY THAI FEDERATION) in South Africa.
- He has been appointed as the representative of the Muay Thai Conservation Centre of Thailand in South Africa.
- In 2008 he received his Protea colours as head coach to the International Martial Arts Games in Bangkok where he produced a gold and silver medalist.
- He presents hand-to-hand combat courses to professionals ranging from military operators to bodyguards and other security professionals.
- He is affiliated to World Professional Muay Thai Federation (WPMF) as the arena for his professional fighters.
