Just finished watching Muay Thai Bones Podcast #10 - Losing Sweetness, No "Easy Fights", Thai Culture.
The haircut story reminds me of Rose Namajunas. Her hair was getting in her way in training so she cut it. There is a lot a lot of cultural baggage in the West about hair being a "woman's crowning glory" and also a cliche that women will cut their hair after a breakup as a symbol that they don't care how they look/other people perceive them.
I was really moved when Kevin was talking about taking a step back and appreciating the things that Sylvie has done. In the documentary leading up to her 50 fights. At 4:41 she talks about maybe a woman in Thailand having 200 fights. Sylvie is that woman and she's even surpassed it now.
I asked on Facebook, "How are fighters fighting down in match up seen, especially if they lose? Do Sylvie's opponents receive criticism for fighting her with such huge weight mismatches?"
Sylvie's reply, "I can't say that it's all one way or another. My own trainer says he would be embarrassed to lose to someone much smaller, which I'm sure happens, and that he'd be embarrassed to win over someone much smaller. But the way my opponents are boosted, in what I see written, when they beat me it doesn't seem to be the case that way. Beating me is still an achievement, despite the size differences, which are rarely outright mentioned in Thai comments that I see."