3 Performances That Made Saemapetch A Superstar In ONE
Over the past three years, Saemapetch Fairtex has gone on quite a journey in ONE Super Series. He fought his way through the bantamweight Muay Thai division’s elite, challenged a ONE World Champion, and successfully defended his spot as the division’s #1-ranked contender.
This Friday, 12 November, he’ll defend that ranking once more against ONE Championship newcomer Rittewada Petchyindee Academy in the main event of ONE: NEXTGEN II.
If he defeats Rittewada, Saemapetch could get his second shot at the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title, and he would also further his legacy on the global stage.
With fight night just days away, we count down the Fairtex athlete’s top three performances in the ONE Championship Circle.
#3 Surprises A Future ONE World Champion
After an impressive debut against Deividas “The Lithuanian Savage” Danyla in July 2018, Saemapetch again showcased his calculated striking against future ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov.
Saemapetch met the wily Russian in November 2018 at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS. Before their bout, Ramazanov had scored a first-round TKO win over Andrew “Maddog Fairtex” Miller and a shocking decision victory over future ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy.
Because of those results, many thought “Babyface Killer” would continue his climb up the bantamweight Muay Thai division, but Saemapetch found a way to stop the Russian wrecking ball’s destructive force.
From the onset, The Thai was precise with his counterstriking, picking off the bouncy Ramazanov from the outside with straight lefts and left body kicks. “Babyface Killer” had his moments, scoring in the later rounds with kicks and sweeps, but Saemapetch stayed inches ahead of his opponent.
The Fairtex athlete ultimately won the bout by unanimous decision and went on to challenge ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
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#2 Wins Tournament Semifinal Against An Old Foe
After Saemapetch fell to Nong-O for the divisional gold, he found himself as one of four participants in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament.
In the semifinals, he faced off against compatriot and old foe “The Steel Locomotive” Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym at ONE: NO SURRENDER II in August 2020.
Rodlek had defeated Saemapetch two out of three times on Thailand’s stadium circuit, but the Fairtex representative had grown into a more well-rounded athlete since that time. Those improvements were enough to produce an impressive majority decision win over “The Steel Locomotive.”
The victory was anything but easy. Although Saemapetch rallied early with punches and kicks, Rodlek turned the bout into a summer dog fight in the latter stages. Because of that, the Fairtex man was forced to dig deep, counter often, and attack precisely.
Rodlek brought out the best in his foe during this showdown, and the semifinal victory gave Saemapetch the confidence he needed when he took on one of the most feared strikers in ONE Super Series.
#1 Knocks Out A Fellow Top Contender
After “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai became only the second person to knock out “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee in their ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament semifinal, he was immediately considered one of the division’s most dangerous fighters.
Saemapetch, however, proved to be just as lethal when they went head-to-head.
In their late-April 2021 battle at ONE: FULL BLAST, the Fairtex star faced his compatriot, who was looking to snatch away the #1 spot in the bantamweight Muay Thai rankings.
Given the way Kulabdam had starched Sangmanee, no one expected this matchup to last long. But few believed “Left Meteorite” would be on the receiving end of a KO loss.
However, the ever-evolving striker in Saemapetch proved that he could marry power with speed and timing, as he crumpled Kulabdam with a straight left to the body to score the walk-off knockout in the first round.
The victory further elevated Saemapetch’s lore in ONE Super Series and made him one of the most sought-after opponents next to Nong-O.
So, it’s no wonder why Rittewada – one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world right now – wants to challenge himself against the Fairtex tactician in his ONE debut.
Read more: Saemapetch: ‘No Way’ Rittewada Will Take My #1 Ranking
