ONE Championship lit up Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium with eleven more high-octane bouts on Friday, May 23.
ONE Friday Fights 109 showcased Muay Thai, MMA, and kickboxing at their very best to the fans in attendance and those watching around the world, and it was wall-to-wall action from start to finish.
In case you missed anything that went down inside the fabled striking venue live in Asia primetime, here’s a recap of each battle.
Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri earned his seventh win in a row when he outlasted Brice Delval in their thrilling bantamweight Muay Thai main event.
Delval got the better of the early going by chasing his Thai foe down and landing stern right hands that to quickly nullify any offence.
Yod-IQ came out with a more constructive plan in round two, and he put Delval on his heels with slicing elbows and short hooks that caused the former ONE World Title challenger’s eye to swell shut.
Sensing a stalemate, the pair let loose in round three. Yod-IQ continued to grow with each passing minute while Delval bit down on his mouthpiece and gave as good as he got.
In the end, Yod-IQ’s resilience and aggression saw him get the nod from all three judges at ringside, and he moved to 124-36 in his career with the unanimous decision win.
After his spectacular high-kick KO win in his debut this past March, Wuttikrai Wor Chakrawut scored another jaw-dropping stoppage against Myanmarese fan favorite Eh Mwi in flyweight Muay Thai.
The 23-year-old landed a combination of slicing elbow and head kick that staggered his foe early in the first round, and he followed up with consecutive knees in the clinch before dropping Eh Mwi with a devastating elbow strike.
The Top One’s man beat the eight-count, but Wuttikrai quickly seized momentum with four consecutive knees that forced the referee to halt proceedings just 2:37 into the fight.
The spectacular first-round TKO win moved Wuttikrai to 2-0 in ONE Championship and 47-17 overall.
Chama Superbon Training Camp shrugged off a slow start to steal the victory against Superjeng Tded99 in 141-pound Muay Thai.
Chama got going with body shots from close range, but Superjeng’s left hooks shot past his defenses towards the end of round one.
In the second frame, the 19-year-old star caught Chama with a perfect straight right to the chin to score a knockdown. But the Superbon Training Camp affiliate got up and returned fire via punishing body punches.
Chama then went in for the kill in the final frame. A powerful uppercut sent Superjeng down, and he scored two more knockdowns, via a one-two combination and a laser left hand, to secure the TKO win at the 1:57 mark.
The impressive victory moved Chama to 92-30 in his career.
Denkriangkrai Singha Mawynn returned to the win column when he outstruck Yodthongthai Sor Sommai in 129-pound Muay Thai action.
Yodthongthai got the better of his Thai compatriot early on, and his consistent push kicks and fast strikes frustrated Denkriangkrai across the opening three minutes.
The Singha Mawynn man utilized his boxing to nullify Yodthongthai’s kicking game in round two, and he continuously stamped his face with a lethal straight left hand, leaving him dazed and confused.
Denkriangkrai used that same tool to drop the three-division Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion in the final round, and that was enough to earn him his 58th career win via unanimous decision in the end.
Bernueng Sor Salacheep put on a striking masterclass en route to obliterating Chathai Bang Saen Fight Club in his first ONE Championship outing.
The two Thai warriors quickly engaged in a phone booth brawl once the atomweight Muay Thai got underway, trading punches, knees, and elbows in the clinch.
Bernueng staggered his compatriot with a high kick and right hook then quickly chased him with a flying knee.
Chathai survived the onslaught, but the thunderous push kick that followed was too much for him to handle. The Bang Saen Fight Club representative failed to answer the eight-count, so Bernueng was awarded a knockout victory at 2:10 of the first round.
With the debut win, the 17-year-old star earned his 41st career victory.
Alessio Malatesta’s raw power was on full display in his one-sided demolition of Kampeetewada Sitthikul.
The bantamweight Muay Thai contest began with a barrage of heavy body kicks from both sides. Malatesta then broke the stalemate with a looping left cross that he followed up with two left hooks to close round one.
Kampeetewada found his timing in the second frame and struck with a beautiful right-hand counter. But Malatesta fearlessly shot in and rocked the Thai with a swift left straight.
The Italian unloaded relentless punch combinations and crushing elbows from there. Kampeetewada tried to hold on, but he eventually crumbled to the mat at 2:28 of round two.
The impressive KO victory marked the 23-year-old’s third win in ONE Championship.
Thai master Apiwat Sor Somnuk recovered from an early onslaught to notch his third win in a row in ONE Championship against Jacob Thompson in 132-pound Muay Thai.
Apiwat was on the backfoot early as Thompson pressed him with heavy punches and dirty boxing. But the 32-year-old’s experience and granite chin kept him in the fight.
The Road To ONE: UK winner brought the pressure again in round two, but Apiwat landed counterstrikes cleanly and cut open his British foe with a solid elbow to even the score.
The Sor Somnuk representative used his momentum to outstrike Thompson in the final frame. He landed more elbows and stern right hands to take home the unanimous decision and move to 106-31 in his career.
Yuki Yoza arrived in ONE Championship in style when he earned a dominant win over Elbrus Osmanov in bantamweight kickboxing.
Osmanov came in with dynamic footwork, but Yoza had studied his opponent well. Every time he unleashed his signature spinning kicks, the Japanese striking star stepped back and launched body and leg kicks with perfect timing.
Yoza’s methodical kicking game proved decisive in the second frame. He timed counters well and swept Osmanov’s support leg any time he committed.
The Dagestani striker tried to increase the aggression in round three, but Yoza gamely neutralized him with push kicks before closing the bout by connecting with a thunderous left hook.
In the end, Yoza walked away with the unanimous decision victory that improving his record to 19-2 and ended Osmanov’s 12-fight win streak.
Mohammad Siasarani used effective switch-hitting to spoil Kaito’s ONE Championship debut in featherweight kickboxing.
The Japanese newcomer looked composed early, landing calf kicks with impunity. But Siasarani responded with leg strikes and sharp punch combos before finishing the round strong with a roundhouse kick that landed flush.
The Iranian star continued firing missile-like left body kicks to bruise up Kaito in round two, and he repeatedly rattle him with his volume and precision.
Knowing he was behind, Kaito let his hands go in the final round. But Siasarani kept the pressure up with more cracking kicks to secure the unanimous decision win and move to 6-2 in ONE.
Torepchi Dongak’s pressure was too hot for Marwin Quirante to handle in their strawweight MMA encounter.
Dongak stalked his foe immediately and tagged him with body kicks and overhand rights in the corner, which forced Quirante to shoot in for an aggressive takedown.
Dongak quickly returned to his feet and backed the Filipino into the corner, where he landed a barrage of strikes that forced the stoppage at 4:01 of round one.
The TKO win was the Tyva Kickboxing Federation star’s fourth career victory, and it extended his winning streak to three.
Shazada Ataev made a statement in his ONE Championship debut when he submitted Jean Claude Saclag in flyweight MMA.
The 27-year-old Turkmenistani fighter was dropped by a short left jab seconds into the tie, but he retaliated with a left hook that floored his Filipino foe.
From there, Ataev attempted a Suloev stretch, but Saclag escaped and connected with another staggering left.
The firefight continued in round two, with both men trading leather and reversing positions on the ground. Ataev hunted for a rear-naked choke, but Saclag escaped to his feet.
The Team Lakay man looked sharp when they returned to center, but Ataev smartly executed a takedown before transitioning into an armbar to force the tap at 3:47 of the second frame.
The submission victory extended Ataev’s pristine record to 6-0.