Sam-A Gaiyanghadao knows what the calendar says. At 42 years old, the Thai legend doesn’t have unlimited chances left.
The former two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion beat Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi by unanimous decision at ONE Friday Fights 137 on December 19 inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The victory kept his championship dreams alive against a 24-year-old knockout artist making his strawweight debut.
Jaosuayai opened the fight exactly how you’d expect a young gun to start. He threw hard punches and thunderous kicks that pushed the veteran backward. The Sor Dechapan product looked fast and dangerous. But Sam-A stayed patient through the storm.
The Evolve MMA representative found his opening in round two. He caught Jaosuayai with a perfectly timed counter left hook that dropped the phenom for the first knockdown. The younger fighter rallied hard, backing Sam-A to the ropes with massive punches and elbows. But the veteran southpaw hung tough and landed an uppercut-left cross combination for the second knockdown.
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao targets title shot after career-defining victory
The win proved decisive. Sam-A seized control in the third round with sharp elbows and crafty counters to seal the unanimous decision. The performance improved his record to 377-50 and positioned him for one final championship run.
Two paths exist toward gold. He could chase a rematch with Jonathan Di Bella for the unified ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title after falling short at ONE 172 earlier this year. Or he could pursue a trilogy fight with Prajanchai PK Saenchai for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.
“I want to get a title shot because at this age, if I could get one shot at the title, it would be something great,” he said.
The Muay Thai path requires patience. Prajanchai faces Aliff Sor Dechapan next after the Thai-Malaysian prospect earned his shot by beating Ramadan Ondash at ONE Fight Night 38. Sam-A believes the champion’s craftiness gives him the edge.
“In this matchup, Aliff is a tall fighter who’s difficult to fight,” he said. “I think it will go the distance with their styles. I favor Prajanchai because of his angles and craftiness.”
Sam-A predicted Jaosuayai’s power might diminish after dropping weight classes. That read proved accurate. The veteran capitalized on those weaknesses to secure the biggest win of his comeback and possibly earn another shot at greatness before time runs out.