Tag: Buakaw

Buakaw Scores Decisive Win Over Nayanesh Ayman in Rajadamnern World Series Main Event (Highlights)

Buakaw BanchamekA few short weeks after defeating Saenchai under the BKFC banner, Buakaw Banchamek returned to the ring for a…

Buakaw Banchamek

A few short weeks after defeating Saenchai under the BKFC banner, Buakaw Banchamek returned to the ring for a rematch with Nayanesh Ayman in the headlining bout at the RWS Legend Of Rajadamnern event, at the iconic Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok.

Buakaw scored a quick finish in their first meeting at Kunlun Fight 69 in 2018 with a slick left hook just past the two-minute mark of the opening round. This time, Ayman was able to go the distance against, though he didn’t offer up much opposition throughout the three-round affair.

Buakaw put Ayman on the canvas in the opening round and overwhelmed the Congo-born fighter with constant pressure, but he was unable to finish the fight as Ayman kept himself out of danger by constantly tying up the Thai icon. Buakaw was understandably frustrated by his opponent’s strategy, but in the end, he still walked away with the victory via a unanimous decision.

Buakaw leaves the door open for a return to Rajadamnern Stadium

The bout was advertised as Buakaw’s last kickboxing match in The Land of Smiles. Asked if that is still the case during an interview with Antoine Pinto, the former WMC and WBC Muay Thai world champion didn’t seem so certain.

“In fact, as I have said before: This time is the last time… maybe I will come back and fight in kickboxing at Rajadamnern Stadium again,” he said. “It depends on RWS, if we will talk about a plan or agreement in the future… I think this time I will change my preparation to fight in a different style”.

Next up for Buakaw is a boxing match against legendary pugilist Manny Pacquiao in the first quarter of 2024. Details regarding the contest are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Muay Thai Legend Buakaw wants to welcome UFC star conor McGregor to BKFC: ‘I’m ready to go to war’

BuakawAfter scoring an impressive victory over fellow Thai legend Saenchai, former two-time K-1 World MAX champion Buakaw Banchamek would…

Buakaw

After scoring an impressive victory over fellow Thai legend Saenchai, former two-time K-1 World MAX champion Buakaw Banchamek would love the chance to welcome Irish megastar Conor McGregor to the BKFC squared circle.

Emanating from the sold-out Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall in Pattaya, Buakaw made his second appearance under the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship banner for a long-awaited showdown with Saenchai, a Muay Thai icon with more than 350 career fights to his credit. After three rounds of intense action, it was Buakaw who had his hand raised, scoring a unanimous decision in the first-of-its-kind special rules bare-knuckle bout at BKFC Thailand 5.

Despite walking away victorious, Buakaw had some admittedly mixed feelings after going toe-to-toe with a man he considers to be his friend.

“I really appreciated the opportunity to fight such a high-level opponent, but at the same time he’s my friend,” Buakaw told the promotion. “We both fought hard and put our friendship aside for the fight because we’re professionals, but after the fight I was glad it was over. It has been a great journey working with BKFC on this event and I’m really pleased they were able to make it happen.”

Buakaw Reveals his Dream Fight in BKFC

With 240 career victories and a lifetime’s worth of world titles, Buakaw has little left to prove in the art of eight limbs, but that won’t stop him from accepting the challenge of any man willing to step inside the squared circle with him, gloves or no gloves.

As for who he would love to fight if allowed to choose, ‘The White Lotus’ revealed that the name at the top of his list just so happens to be the biggest star in mixed martial arts history, Conor McGregor.

“I’ve told BKFC I’d fight absolutely anyone under this new rule set, but it has to be a big name. I’m ready to go to war with anyone. I want someone to really test me,” he said.

My ultimate fight would be against Conor McGregor in a bare-knuckle Thai fight, but I wonder if McGregor would even take a fight like that against me. I doubt it.”

Buakaw scores Victory over Saenchai in battle of Muay Thai legends at BKFC Thailand 5

BuakawOn Saturday, Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai stepped intoside the squared circle under the Bare Knuckle Fighting…

Buakaw

On Saturday, Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai stepped intoside the squared circle under the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship banner for one of the biggest fights in the history of the art of eight limbs.

Headlining BKFC Thailand 5 inside the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall in The Land of Smiles, the two Thai icons with more than 500 fights between them finally faced off in a special rules bare-knuckle Muay Thai bout. Buakaw, also known as ‘The White Lotus’, is a two time K-1 world champion and multiple time Lumpinee Stadium champion. Earlier this year, he scored his first victory inside the BKFC ring, finishing Erkan Varol via knockout in the opening round of their BKFC Thailand 3 scrap.

Saenchai, who boasts an incredible 327-49-2 record, made his promotional debut at Saturday’s event, having also been a multi-time Lumpinee Stadium champion. Saenchai, who is two years older than his opponent, is also a former WBC Muay Thai champion and has an undefeated record of 5-0 in conventional boxing.

The contest delivered on the hype with both fighters going toe-to-toe for five full rounds that ultimately ended with Buakaw emerging as the winner in a fairly decisive fashion.

Official Result: Buakaw Banchamek def. Saenchai via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-46 & 48-47).

The loss is the first of Saenchai’s career since 2014, snapping a 70+ fight win streak.

Check Out Highlights From Buakaw vs. Saenchai at BKFC Thailand 5 Below:

Exclusive: BKFC President David Feldman Previews Massive Muay Thai Clash Between Buakaw and Saenchai

BKFCBKFC President David Feldman can’t wait to deliver one of the most anticipated Muay Thai fights in the history…

BKFC

BKFC President David Feldman can’t wait to deliver one of the most anticipated Muay Thai fights in the history of the sport on November 4.

Emanating from Pattaya, two legends in the art of eight limbs, Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai will step inside the squared circle for a special rules Muay Thai matchup at BKFC Thailand 5. It’s a contest fight fans never thought they would live to see, but Feldman, the founder of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, prides himself on delivering the fights that nobody else can.

“I think what I try to specialize in is doing things that everybody says you can’t do and doing things that people don’t do and everybody said that Saenchai and Buakaw would never fight,” Feldman said in a LowKick MMA exclusive interview. “I’m like, ‘Oh yeah? Watch.’ We were able to do this and like I said in my last interview, the reason we’re doing it as a special Muay Thai rules is because I think it’s not doing the fans, the fighters, or anyone justice if we limit those guys to only their knuckles.

“Let’s let them do the elbows, the knees, and the kicks. No throwdown. No real clinch. It’s gotta be action and I think it could be something where we change the Muay Thai world a little bit and take the boring part of the Muay Thai out of it and make it complete excitement. Long story short, I’m super excited about that. I think it’s going to be a very widely viewed event and I can’t wait for it.”

How Did the BKFC Manage to Book Buakaw vs. Saenchai?

Asked how they managed to bring the two Thai icons together, Feldman indicated that it ultimately came down to the almighty dollar, but he also believes that Buakaw and Saenchai are eager to deliver to fans one of the most debated fantasy matchups in Muay Thai history and finally answer the question of who would win.

“This is a chance for them to really prove themselves,” Feldman added. “They always wanted to do this, but nobody could make it work. We paid them good. We paid them something they haven’t been paid before and I think they’re just excited to prove themselves because everybody says Buakaw would beat Saenchai, or Saenchai would be Buakaw, and guess what? On November 4, we’re gonna find out.”

Buakaw enters the contest as one of the most celebrated athletes in the history of the sport, carrying 240 career wins and a plethora of world titles. Buakaw is a former multi-time WMC Muay Thai champion, a former WBC Muay Thai champion, and a two-time K-1 World MAX Champion.

His opponent, Saenchai, has been competing for more than 35 years and has amassed an incredible 327 career wins. During the course of his three-and-a-half-decade run, Saenchai has claimed titles under the WPMF, WBC, WMC, and PABA banners. He is also a six-time Lumpinee Stadium champion.

BKFC Thailand 5 will air live from the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall on Saturday, November 4 at 9:00 a.m. ET, 6 a.m. PT via the BKFC app.

Boxing super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Buakaw Banchamek reportedly set for January 2024

PacquiaoRetired boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is set to face Muay Thai icon Buakaw Banchamek in a super fight slated for January 2024. Bebangpakong (Worathep Makapokha), a renowned Thai sports insider, revealed in a post on Facebook that Pacquiao and Banchamek would square off as part of a mega-sized sports event called ‘The Match 3’ early […]

Pacquiao

Retired boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is set to face Muay Thai icon Buakaw Banchamek in a super fight slated for January 2024.

Bebangpakong (Worathep Makapokha), a renowned Thai sports insider, revealed in a post on Facebook that Pacquiao and Banchamek would square off as part of a mega-sized sports event called ‘The Match 3’ early next year. The information reportedly came from Vinij Lertratanachai, the CEO of Fresh Air Festival Co Ltd, who will be promoting the matchup.

On July 21, a press conference is scheduled to take place at 4:00 p.m. ICT where more details will be announced, including an official contract signing ceremony between the two combat sports stars.

Fresh Air Festival is best known for booking the Manchester United and Liverpool football match dubbed ‘THE MATCH Bangkok Century Cup 2022’ last year. In March, the company also hosted a six-red snooker tournament billed as ‘The 2023 Pathum Thani Six-Red World Championship’, otherwise known as ‘The Match 2.’

Buakaw is one of the most decorated Muay Thai practitioners in the history of the sport, competing in more than 270 career bouts. He is a former WMC and WBC Muay Thai world champion and has won the K-1 World Max tournament on two separate occasions. Buakaw walked away from the sport in 2019 but has since competed in exhibition bouts and kickboxing matches, including an appearance for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2022. He scored a first-round knockout against Erkan Varo at BKFC Thailand 3 in September.

His next appearance inside the squared circle will come against another legend in the art of eight limbs, Saenchai. The two men are scheduled to scrap at BKFC Asia 5 on November 5.

Manny Pacquiao, of course, needs no introduction. ‘PacMan’ is one of the most beloved boxers in the history of the sport, becoming the first and only eight-division world champion while capturing 12 different titles during his illustrious career. He was also the first boxer to win the lineal championship in five different weight classes. Pacquiao actively competed for more than 25 years but has since put more focus on his political career, serving as a Senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.

Pacquiao went 62-8 in his career, his last appearance coming against Yordenis Ugás in August 2021. ‘PacMan’ came up short in the contest, suffering a unanimous decision defeat. A month later, he would announce his retirement from the sport. “My boxing career is already over. It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough,” Pacquiao told Toni Gonzaga in a September 2021 interview.

Exclusive | BKFC Asia CEO Nick Chapman talks Buakaw vs. Saenchai: “Zero gloves, zero wraps, completely bare-knuckle.”

Buakaw vs Saenchai BKFCBKFC Asia has booked a showdown between two legends, targeted for March 2023. All-time kickboxing great Buakaw Banchamek will face off against Muay Thai legend Saenchai Saepong in a bare-knuckle boxing match. Saenchai is a multi-time Muay Thai stadium world champion with an incredible record of 314-41-5. Buakaw has faced some of the greatest kickboxers […]

Buakaw vs Saenchai BKFC

BKFC Asia has booked a showdown between two legends, targeted for March 2023. All-time kickboxing great Buakaw Banchamek will face off against Muay Thai legend Saenchai Saepong in a bare-knuckle boxing match.

Saenchai is a multi-time Muay Thai stadium world champion with an incredible record of 314-41-5. Buakaw has faced some of the greatest kickboxers in history including Nieky Holzken, John Wayne Parr, Giorgio Petrosyan, and Masato Kobayashi among many others. This fighter held world titles in Muay Thai and Kickboxing, including two championship wins at the prestigious K-1 MAX World Grand Prix.

The Thai-born athlete is recently coming off a bare-knuckle win as he earned KO victory in round one of September 2022 at BKFC Thailand 3.

BKFC Asia CEO Nick Chapman offered a breakdown of this legendary matchup during an interview with LowKickMMA’s Tim Wheaton, he explained:

“Saenchai has the best fight IQ I’ve ever seen. He’s a wizard … Buakaw is a beast. Buakaw has power, strength, his toughness is next level.”

However, the size difference is notable. BKFC will be having the larger Thai-born fighter cut weight for this match. And to help even the odds, clinch time will be reduced. Chapman continued:

“Buakaw is slightly bigger so he’s got that slight advantage. So Saenchai was concerned about the size. So I said okay. Well, we’re going to make Buakaw cut to 68.5 [kg], [Saenchai] will come up half a kilo because walks around at 68 … We’re reducing the clinch. They’re only allowed two-seconds and then split so Buakaw can’t lean on him and wear him down … Zero gloves, zero wraps, completely bare-knuckle.”

The promotion was also concerned that Buakaw and Saenchai may be too friends with each other. The two legends were offered a friendly exhibition match but they declined. Both said, they want a fight and will be aiming for knockout wins.

See the full interview with BKFC Asia CEO below:

Bare-Knuckle Muay Thai after Buakaw vs Saenchai

While Buakaw vs Saenchai will be under boxing rules, Chapman explains that there are future plans in 2023 to expand into bare-knuckle Muay Thai fighting. The BKFC Asia CEO is unable to reveal very much, but he did illustrate while speaking to LowKickMMA:

“It is something we’re discussing with the big boss David Feldman. Because look, bare-knuckle fighting championship, it’s not bare-knuckle boxing, not bare-knuckle kickboxing, not bare-knuckle Muay Thai, it’s bare-knuckle fighting. Which means we’re opening up to a much wider audience … We’re going to launch a new platform; BKFC Bare-Knuckle Muay Thai.”

Who would you like to see compete in BKFC Muay Thai?