If you want an insanely good night out combined with some unapologetic midget mayhem then Ringside Manila truly does take some beating.
Located right in the heart of one of Manila’s many red light districts this place is the very definition of only in the Philippines. Equal parts surreal hilarious and deeply questionable Ringside is one of the few venues in Asia where the boxing gloves are tiny and the morals even smaller.
What the hell is Ringside Manila
Tucked away on P. Burgos Street in Makati Ringside Bar has long held the crown as the capital’s most infamous adult playground. Opened sometime in the early 2000s it took the novelty employment concept of Manila’s now closed Hobbit House ripped out the Tolkien whimsy and replaced it with a boxing ring.
During COVID things got quiet. Manila shut down the girls went home and the midgets hung up their gloves. But now it’s back loud unfiltered and as gloriously wrong as ever. Ringside is open again and pulling no punches.
The theme
This is not your average pub. Ringside is an arena of absurdity. You’ve got a boxing ring in the middle tables around the outside and a rotating schedule of madness. Some nights it’s midgets some nights it’s girls in bikinis slapping each other with pillows and sometimes it’s both.
The vibe? Think neon chaos. It’s smoky it’s loud and drinks are most definitely not cheap. You’re here for the experience not for the savings. The crowd is a mixture of curious backpackers wide eyed expats confused Koreans and whatever’s left of the stag do from upstairs.
Rumour has it that both the girls and yes the midgets can be bar fined. I’ve never tried to test that theory but I’ve also never tried to disprove it either.
And the midget boxing
Now here’s the part where it stops being cheeky fun and enters the realm of did that just f***ing happen.
Back when I was helping run stag parties with GNT we used to regularly bring punters here. Our local stars? Jimmy the Midget and Jose the Midget. So named because well Jimmy was a midget and so was Jose. These two weren’t just acting. When I saw them fight they were properly going for it. No choreography no pulling punches just two angry little men giving it hell while the crowd went wild.
And then it got better. These days you can actually fight them.
Yes for the equivalent of around 100 dollars you can get in the ring yourself. You kneel you wear a helmet and you’re only allowed to punch with your left hand. They start you off with two midgets but as the fight goes on more jump in. When I did it I was surrounded by six of them. Did I hold back? Of course not. I beat the shit out of those little bastards.
Is it exploitative? Almost certainly. Was it hilarious? Without question. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.
How to get to Ringside and where to stumble after
Ringside Bar is located at 4853 P. Burgos Street corner Kalayaan Avenue Makati Metro Manila Philippines. It’s a short walk from most hotels in the area or a quick cab ride from anywhere else in Manila. Just tell the driver Ringside Burgos and they’ll know exactly what you mean.
After you’re done watching or participating in one of the weirdest things you’ll ever see in a bar there are plenty of options nearby to keep the party going. Best of the bunch? Filling Station Bar and Cafe.
Located at 5012 P. Burgos Avenue Barangay Poblacion Makati City Metro Manila Philippines this 1950s themed diner is open 24 hours and does a great line in burgers milkshakes and cocktails served by girls in cheerleader outfits. Whether you’re sobering up or doubling down it’s the perfect place to reset your brain after Ringside.
And is Ringside exploitative
Of course it is. But that’s also part of what makes it Ringside. The Philippines isn’t a place where the poor are looked after and finding employment when you’re a little person is not exactly easy. Ringside gives people like Jimmy and Jose a chance to earn even if that means getting punched in the face by drunk tourists.
If you’re one of those people who likes to pretend the world is a nice place and we can all float by on good vibes and NGO handouts then Ringside probably isn’t for you. But for those who understand that the world is messy unfair and often downright bizarre Ringside is very much the kind of place where the weirdness of the world comes into focus.
Click to check out our Philippines Tours for a slice of Midget Boxing, well and other stuff too.
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