Um...Muay Thai is like boxing...useless in a real life situation...they are both show martial arts...meant for entertainment.
If you fight straight Muay Thai, yes it's useless. However, certain strikes that you learn from the art are... more than useful, in the same way that a leg sweep from Judo or a choke from Jiu-Jitsu is useful; you adapt the techniques you learn in the art to what is useful for the situation. The other guy is not fighting in a Judo match, complete with no strikes, no face contact, and twenty-five second time limits once you go down--you shouldn't be, either. You do not perform some show-off bullsh*t in a fight. You do what it takes to get the other guy down. Martial arts just make that more efficient.
If you read up on Krav Maga (Not directed at anyone) you'll learn it is one of the only effective martial arts in a combat situation. Watch Human Weapon and you'll see what I mean. Google the episode on Krav Maga.
Use to take a little Muay Thai at my Uncles. He has a degree and use to own a school. Don't remeber much but it was wicked.
Screw all those little styles, if you get into a fight, use your environment. Glass bottles, bricks, rocks. Do whatever it takes.
If someone is skilled, they can still take you down. In fact, I'd probably be more likely to win a fight in that situation because they'd only have one hand... Unless they threw it. I dunno, I've never been in a fight with no rules, so it's all theoretical with me. But I kicked a guy in the head recently while sparring and he was really out of it the rest of the day . Serves him right for losing focus and lowering his guard -_- . He tried to get back at me the next time we sparred, but when someone keeps sending head shots your way... it's pretty easy to predict them.
I'd rather have one hand holding a weapon in a fight than be fighting with my bare hands, martial arts trained or not.
Doesn't matter if they're skilled or not, just because some people are willing to fight with whatever they got, doesn't mean they don't know any holds or take downs. I've never taken classes but I do know a few holds and I've come up with my own ---- as well (tried it on my friends first).
In a real fight, it doesn't matter what you use to win. The idea is to be able to stop the attacker and get out of their sight. Always remember this kiddies, go for the balls. Guaranteed to work to your advantage.
What if it's me attacking you B-3 One Step Sparring Technique: left out-block, simultaneous right punch to solar plexus; right leg out horse stance. Chamber, back fist to upper lip, simultaneous left punch to solar plexus; left back stance. Chamber, left hand ball tap, grab, right knife hand sweep down the length of the arm to you know where . Switch to cat stance as you sweep. It's a fun one that I think I have right (sometimes I mix up body punches with face punches), but far too complicated to perform the entire thing in a street fight. Neuron, skill makes a difference, it's just how much skill one has in comparison to the other. You wouldn't be able to take down someone who had been studying for fifteen years with only makeshift techniques and no real weapon. I know how to break quite a few holds as well; you'd be surprised how many can be broken with just a little bit of knowledge. It's when the holds put them in a place that is near the breaking point for a bone that things work out, but most people who fight in the street won't know much about that. At least, most people I'd be fighting in the street.