Tag: muay thai

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor’s Stoppage TKO – ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor's Stoppage TKO - ONE Fight Night 28 HighlightsPrajanchai delivered another lights-out performance en route to retaining his ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE Fight…

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor's Stoppage TKO - ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Prajanchai delivered another lights-out performance en route to retaining his ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE Fight Night 28 in Bangkok.

After a fairly conservative opening round that saw both fighters sizing up one another, things really began to pop off in the second with the Thai titleholder opening up his striking and busting open his opponent, British slugger Ellis Badr Barboza, with a slick inside elbow.

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By the time we reached the third, Prajanchai was in clear control of the contest and even began to do a little trash-talking, much to the delight of the hometown crown.

Near the two-minute mark of the penultimate round, the Thai caught Barboza with another inside elbow to the same eye he’d busted open early. This caused the cut to open up even further, leaving the Brit with a completely split eyelid. Seeing the damage, referee Olivier Coste paused the contest to have ringside doctors take a look at the injury. Moments later Coste waived off the bout, awarding the contest to Prajanchai via a technical knockout in the fourth round.

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Official Result: Prajanchai def. Ellis Badr Barboza via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 1:55 of Round 4 to retain the ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship

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Check out highlights from Prajanchai vs. Ellis Badr Barboza at ONE Fight Night 28:

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama – ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama - ONE Fight Night 28 HighlightsThai prospect Kongthoranee Sor Sommai spoiled Nong-O Hama’s flyweight debut, scoring a closely contested split decision over the eight-time…

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama - ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Thai prospect Kongthoranee Sor Sommai spoiled Nong-O Hama’s flyweight debut, scoring a closely contested split decision over the eight-time ONE world champion at ONE Fight Night 28 on Prime Video.

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Kongthoranee was in control for a majority of the opening round, keeping Nong-O at bay with a variety of front kicks and the threat of landing an elbow in close. Things started to pick up in the final minute with Nong-O looking very relaxed in the new weight class, but it was Kongthoranee who appeared to have a higher output throughout the first three minutes.

After a fairly easy-going opening round, Nong-O came out aggressive in the second and started to pour it on Kongthoranee with a relentless barrage of body kicks.

Kongthoranee Sor Sommai

With the fight potentially tied up at 1-1, both fighters came out looking to put on a fast and furious pace. Kongthoranee landed a nice straight left early as Nong-O continued to punish his opponent’s body and left forearm with a non-stop string of kicks. With 10 seconds left to go in the fight, Nong-O attempted to rush Kongthoranee, but both fighters got caught up in the ropes, preventing them from slugging it out for the last few ticks on the clock.

Official Result: Kongthoranee def. Nong-O Hama via split decision

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Check out highlights from Nong-O Hama vs. Kongthoranee at ONE Fight Night 28:

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract Breach

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract BreachDmitry Menshikov, a lightweight contender and teammate of Artem Vakhitov, has initiated legal action against ONE Championship, alleging the…

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract Breach

Dmitry Menshikov, a lightweight contender and teammate of Artem Vakhitov, has initiated legal action against ONE Championship, alleging the organization failed to meet its contractual obligations.

Legal papers served on ONE Championship by Dmitry Menshikov

Through his legal team and manager, Dmitry Menshikov informed ONE that he plans to enter free agency after his February 14 bout in Bangkok. This decision follows a year of inactivity in 2024, during which ONE only offered him a single fight despite earlier promises of more opportunities. Dmitry Menshikov, who boasts an impressive 3-1 record in ONE with all victories via KO or TKO, expressed frustration over the lack of bookings despite his consistent performances.

Menshikov’s legal representatives highlighted that the fighter repeatedly notified ONE of his availability throughout 2024 but received no response. When a promised December fight failed to materialize, his legal team concluded that ONE had breached its contractual duties and formally notified the promotion.

Reflecting on his experience, Dmitry Menshikov stated: “A single fight per year is unsustainable for a competitive athlete and violates our agreement. After February 14, I will enter free agency.” He also criticized ONE for rebooking fighters he had defeated rather than himself and noted the difficulty in communicating with the promotion’s matchmakers.

Menshikov’s manager, Andrey Busygin, emphasized that signing an athlete to an exclusive contract implies regular competition, which was not provided in this case. He confirmed that Menshikov will pursue free agency after the February bout to resume a full competitive schedule. Menshikov plans to explore opportunities with other promotions starting March 2025. In a statement, he said:

“I had some great fights with ONE, but a single bout per year is not a sustainable calendar for a competitive athlete and is a clear breach of the understanding between the fighter and the organization when we entered into a promotional contract. For this reason, I will be entering free agency after the upcoming February 14th bout.

“I find it strange that all my wins are by KO or TKO, yet ONE chose to rebook the fighters I KO’d rather than myself. Maybe they were cheaper, I don’t know. It’s hard to know anything that’s going on at ONE – our attempts throughout 2024 to reach the matchmakers were met by deafening silence.

“Several fighters have left recently because of being frustrated like Sage Northcutt and Reinier de Ridder and I think that’s the best solution for me as well. My contract only has a few months left on it anyway. At this point it’s probably easier for us all to go our separate ways.”

Lyoto Machida Reacts to Sons’ Wins and Losses in Emotional Instagram Post “There is no shortcut to true growth”

Lyoto Machida Reacts to Sons’ Wins and Losses in Emotional Instagram Post There is no shortcut to true growthformer UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and martial arts icon Lyoto Machida had an emotional night as his two sons,…

Lyoto Machida Reacts to Sons’ Wins and Losses in Emotional Instagram Post There is no shortcut to true growth

former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and martial arts icon Lyoto Machida had an emotional night as his two sons, Kaito and Taiyo, competed in Muay Thai amateur bouts at Combat Night Orlando. The results were mixed: 14-year-old Kaito faced a tough loss, while his younger brother, Taiyo, emerged victorious in his matchup.

Lyoto Machida Sons Compete in Muay Thai

The evening marked a significant milestone for the Machida family, as the next generation stepped into the spotlight to carry forward their father’s martial arts legacy. Lyoto is well known for blending traditional karate with modern MMA techniques. He took to Instagram shortly after the bouts to share a heartfelt reflection on growth, perseverance, and embracing the process of improvement.

“Life is like continuous training: each progress depends on well-defined stages. There is no shortcut to true growth,” Machida wrote. “Whenever we start something, we make mistakes, study, understand, and learn. It’s normal, it’s the cycle! … Trust the process, honor each step, and the results will come as a natural consequence of your effort.”

Lyoto Machida Kaito and Taiyo

Lyoto Machida has built his life and career on the principles of discipline and patience, values passed down from his father, Yoshizo Machida, a karate master. Those same principles appear to be shaping his sons’ journey into the combat sports world.

Machida Karate

Kaito, who also competes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has shown promise in prestigious tournaments like the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro. While Taiyo, though younger, displayed resilience and skill in securing his win. Both brothers seem poised to follow in their father’s footsteps, not just as athletes but as disciplined martial artists.

The Machida family’s legacy has long extended beyond the cage, with Lyoto Machida dedicating himself to promoting karate and inspiring younger generations through the Machida Academy. Now, with Kaito and Taiyo beginning to carve their own paths, it seems the legacy will continue to grow.

Tawanchai TKOs Superbon to Retain Featherweight Muay Thai Gold – ONE 170 Highlights

Tawanchai TKOs Superbon to Retain Featherweight Muay Thai Crown - ONE 170 HighlightsTawanchai went two-up on Thai rival Superbon inside the iconic Impact Arena in Bangkok. After a lackluster showing in…

Tawanchai TKOs Superbon to Retain Featherweight Muay Thai Crown - ONE 170 Highlights

Tawanchai went two-up on Thai rival Superbon inside the iconic Impact Arena in Bangkok.

After a lackluster showing in his last outing against ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut, Tawanchai delivered a lights-out performance against the undisputed ONE featherweight kickboxing king, scoring a technical knockout against Superbon in the second round of their highly anticipated rematch at ONE 170.

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While the first round was fairly competitive with Tawanchai being slightly more active, things ramped up in the second when the defending champion landed a brutal combination punctuated by a right-left combination that sent Superbon crashing to the canvas. Though he looked worse for the wear, Superbon answered the count and kept pushing forward.

That was until Superbon ate mat for the second time in a matter of seconds following another barrage of strikes from the Thai fan favorite.

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Superbon once again answered the count, but it was clear that his demise was just a matter of time. Moments later, the champ pressed Superbon against the cage wall and caught him with a vicious left hook that sent Superbon crashing to the canvas for the third and final time.

Official Result: Tawanchai def. Superbon via TKO (three knockdowns) at 1:10 of Round 2.

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Check out highlights from Tawanchai vs. Superbon at ONE 170:

Ex-UFC Star John Lineker Suffers Controversial Defeat Against Kulabdam: ONE Fight Night 27 Highlights

Kulabdam Scores Controversial Decision Victory Over Ex-UFC Star John Lineker: ONE Fight Night 27 HighlightsJohn Lineker suffered his first loss in Muay Thai at ONE Fight Night 27, though the scorecards left some…

Kulabdam Scores Controversial Decision Victory Over Ex-UFC Star John Lineker: ONE Fight Night 27 Highlights

John Lineker suffered his first loss in Muay Thai at ONE Fight Night 27, though the scorecards left some confused as to how exactly the former UFC fighter lost despite landing an early knockdown.

Lineker came out swinging big early and trapping Kulabdam against the ropes. A mere 45 seconds into the contest, Kulabdam hit the mat after eating a left hand followed by a short uppercut from the former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion.

Kulabdam answered the referee’s 10-count but was forced to face another barrage of strikes from Lineker. However, ‘Left Meteorite’ was more than willing to engage and caught ‘Hands of Stone’ with a series of stiff lefts that had Lineker backing away and trying to clear the cobwebs.

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After a fast and furious first round, both fighters were much more measured in the second. But with the fight on the line, all bets were off in the third. Kulabdam looked to punish Lineker with a slew of body kicks as ‘Hands of Stone’ tried to bring his signature hooks over the top.

Kulabdam’s repeated attacks to the body appeared to have Lineker slowing down significantly, but because of the knockdown in round one, the Thai would likely need a finish to leave The Land of Smiles with a win.

… Or would he?

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Kulabdam turned up the heat with 15 seconds to go, forcing Lineker to clinch up and ride out the remainder of the clock.

With the Thai unable to score a knockdown of his own, it seemed like ‘Hands of Stone’ would move to 3-0 in the art of eight limbs. However, the three judges saw things differently.

Official Result: Kulabdam def. John Lineker via unanimous decision.

Clearly, Kulabdam had to have earned a 10-8 round either in the second or the third for a unanimous decision to make sense. Unfortunately, ring announcer Dom Lau did not elaborate on the scorecards, leaving many, including ONE color commentator Mitch Chilson, scratching his head in confusion.

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Check out highlights from John Lineker vs. Kulabdam at ONE Fight Night 27: