Superlek Wins, Petchtanong Returns With A Bang, Nabati Earns Contract On ONE Friday Fights 68 Supporting Card
ONE Championship returned with a stacked Asia primetime event on June 28 featuring many of the best strikers on the planet.
With World Champions, top contenders, and rising stars in action, the supporting card of ONE Friday Fights 68: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella produced drama and high-stakes battles from start to finish.
Ahead of the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title main event between Prajanchai PK Saenchai and Jonathan Di Bella, we recap the first 11 fights at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Superlek Outstrikes Kongthoranee For 10th Straight Win
Fans inside the “Mecca of Muay Thai” watched with delight as ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 extended his winning streak to 10 with an impressive victory over Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in their flyweight Muay Thai affair.
“The Kicking Machine” controlled the evening’s co-main event from bell to bell. His kicks and high output allowed him to stay ahead while taking advantage of his fellow Thai’s hesitance to pull the trigger.
Kongthoranee attempted to find ways back into the contest, but Superlek remained one step ahead of the two-time Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion with his high elbows and blistering knees.
The unanimous decision saw “The Kicking Machine” defend his #1 flyweight Muay Thai ranking and improve to 137-29 in his storied career while snapping Kongthoranee’s seven-bout winning run.
Next, Superlek will challenge Jonathan “The General” Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.
Nabati Wins US$100,000 Contract With Destruction Of Suablack
Kiamran Nabati earned himself a six-figure contract to compete on ONE Championship’s global roster after hitting the reset button on Suablack Tor Pran49 in their bantamweight Muay Thai matchup.
The fight was supposed to give Suablack a chance to redeem his 2023 knockout loss to Nabati outside of ONE, but instead, the Russian star turned it into a near-identical replay of their first affair.
Nabati tracked his Thai rival around the ring, pinned him against the ropes, and then sent a counter left hook careening into Suablack’s jaw just as the latter threw a left punch.
Suablack collapsed, the referee waved off the action at 1:54 of round one, and the Archangel Michael representative moved his perfect career record to 21-0 with the life-changing win.
Petchtanong Returns With Second-Round Stoppage Of Ramazanov
Eighteen months after his last appearance, former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus reintroduced himself to the global fan base with a clinical showing against fellow ex-titleholder Alaverdi Ramazanov.
The 38-year-old put the pedal to the metal from the get-go, seeking an opening for his world-renowned skill set. Ramazanov gave back the best he could, but Petchtanong was growing increasingly confident.
The Thai superstar sensed the victory was there for the taking in the second frame, butchering Ramazanov with heavy shots immediately after the bell. The pressure forced the Russian to turn his back before failing to answer the referee’s count.
With the TKO win at 1:59 of round two, Petchtanong upped his remarkable overall slate to 359-56 and re-established himself as a dangerous World Title contender in the division.
Shadow Outpaces Vienot In Three-Round Thriller
It took Shadow Singha Mawynn one round to get his gears turning, but once he set them into motion, nothing could jam them up – not even five-time Muay Thai World Champion Jimmy “JV01” Vienot.
The 24-year-old Thai scored an impressive unanimous decision victory over the current #4-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender to bump his all-striking record to 77-13 and grab the attention of the stacked division.
The former Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion mauled his French opponent with kicks, punches, and elbows, barely giving Vienot a moment to gather his senses between attacks.
By the time the fight ended, the judges’ decision was a mere formality.
Now, the only question is whether the victory will earn Shadow a spot in ONE’s featherweight Muay Thai rankings.
Pakorn Knocks Out Bohic In Highly Anticipated ONE Debut
Thai icon Pakorn PK Saenchai arrived in ONE Championship in style.
The 33-year-old wasted no time once he locked up with French legend Rafi Bohic in their bantamweight Muay Thai clash between former World Champions, landing heavy punches from the first bell to set the precedent.
From the moment those strikes landed, it was clear Bohic wanted nothing to do with them. Pakorn’s shots continued to find a home, backing his foe up against the ropes, where the Thai landed the fatal right hand to finish the contest at 2:15 of round one.
The promotional debutant earned his first victory in ONE and improved to an astonishing 196-45 overall for his decorated career.
Harrison Triumphs In Tight Three-Round War Against Sibmuen
In bantamweight Muay Thai action, Tyson “John Wayne Noi” Harrison’s aggression was the difference against a game Sibmuen Coach Nay.
The Australian sensation made his intentions known early, alternating between punches and kicks to the head and midsection of Sibmuen.
Although the Thai did well to fend off those strikes, Harrison’s inside leg kicks, elbows, and lefts found a home throughout the second stanza.
With the result still up for grabs, both warriors swung for the fences in the final three minutes. Sibmuen’s work in the clinch and trademark left kicks appeared to trouble Harrison, but the latter refused to back down.
The 23-year-old kept the pressure on his rival until the final bell, eventually walking away with a hard-fought split decision for his 25th career victory.
Yodlekpet Employs Powerful Boxing Attack To Beat Komawut
Yodlekpet “The Destroyer” Or Atchariya and Komawut FA Group went the distance in a gritty 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai battle.
The first round was a feeling-out process, with Yodlekpet looking for openings for his hands while his Thai compatriot focused on attacking with inside low kicks.
Komawut gained momentum by using his punches to set up his kicks in round two, but “The Destroyer” stood his ground and found openings for his short, heavy boxing combinations in reply.
Yodlekpet’s punishing fists paid dividends in the final frame as he wobbled his foe with heavy uppercuts en route to the unanimous decision victory. The four-time Muay Thai World Champion now boasts an 89-35 career record, including five wins at ONE Friday Fights.
Suriyanlek’s Right Hand Sleeps Pompet Late In Round One
Suriyanlek Por Yenying bagged his fifth knockout at ONE Friday Fights – this time in his 132-pound catchweight Muay Thai rematch with Pompet PK Saenchai.
Suriyanlek burst into action immediately, firing away with heavy shots against the more technical and patient PK Saenchai representative. From there, it did not take long to seal the match-winning moment.
The Thai star found the slightest of openings, feinting with a left and a right to the body before connecting with another right that sat his compatriot down near the turnbuckle.
With the victory at 2:50 of round one., Suriyanlek moved to 80-27 in his career and gained redemption after dropping a unanimous decision to Pompet at ONE Friday Fights 54 this past March.
Sakaguchi Outlasts Lan To Earn Nod In Kickboxing Firefight
Kaito Sakaguchi and Lan Shanteng battled at a blistering pace for all three rounds of their 132-pound catchweight kickboxing battle.
Sakaguchi came out with his sharp straight punches in round one, but Lan returned fire with heavy hooks and overhands.
The Chinese athlete stayed aggressive with his boxing in round two, but Sakaguchi absorbed the shots well. Seemingly fired up after recovering from a low blow, the Japanese striker drilled his foe with heavy right hands that wobbled him late in the frame.
Lan was more labored in the final stanza, allowing Sakaguchi to score with hard low kicks and body shots en route to a unanimous decision victory, upping his career slate to 15-4.
Wakabayashi Takes Split Decision Over Gexi
Kohei Wakabayashi’s elite grappling was on display in his strawweight MMA duel with Sanlang Gexi, and after three intense rounds, he bagged a split-decision win to get his promotional tenure off to a solid start.
Wakabayashi’s vast knowledge on the canvas proved to be the difference as he successfully shot in with takedowns and trips, where he punished his foe with ground strikes and aggressive top control.
Gexi held his own and fought off the Japanese athlete’s heavy artillery for as long as he could, even managing to turn the tide deep in the third stanza.
However, the Chinese competitor left it a little too late, as two of the three judges at ringside handed Wakabayashi the win, pushing his record to 8-1.
Hashimoto Opens The Show With Huge Knockout Of Ueno
Yuto Ueno got off to a strong start in his 143-pound catchweight Muay Thai clash with Ryota Hashimoto, but in a split second, the all-Japan tussle was flipped on its head.
The taller Ueno controlled the distance with his jab and push kicks and punctuated his combinations with thudding round kicks. Hashimoto also tried to work his jabs and low kicks from the outside but initially struggled to close the distance.
However, he only needed one chance.
Stepping in behind his lead hand, the 34-year-old uncorked a hellish right cross that knocked his compatriot out cold at 2:05 of round one, extending his record to 10-3 in a memorable debut.
