DaytonDailyNews.com

I am a guy who likes good eats, so "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is a Monday night staple.

However, sometimes one needs a decent appetizer before checking out all those cool places cooking up good food. Dhani Jones has provided the dish for me.

"Dhani Tackles the Globe" premiered a week ago on the Travel Channel and served up the right stuff from the start.

Did you ever wonder how the Bengals linebacker with a style all his own works himself into shape? To kick things off, Jones tries some Muay Thai fighting in Bangkok.

That definitely should keep the competitive juices flowing for the 240-pound man from Michigan who led the Bengals with 165 tackles in 2008.

What I liked about the show was how Jones immersed himself into learning the sport, as well as diving in and checking out the culture of the area.

I do not know that I would have had the guts to eat those insects, but it definitely was a good call to pass on the intestines sitting in a street market in 90-plus degree heat.

Of course, his opponent for his fight was less than stellar — a Thailand version of me after a good body wax — so you knew a win was inevitable.

However, the show combined with the exploits and personality of Jones made me hungry for more.

Up tonight at 9: Jones playing rugby in England.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-0727 or sblack@DaytonDailyNews.com.