Feb 19, 2021

5 Southpaw Fighters Who Are Tearing Through ONE Championship

Some of the world’s greatest left-handed fighters have used their unorthodox styles to climb the ranks of ONE Championship.

From southpaw strikers in ONE Super Series to crafty left-handed grapplers in mixed martial arts, their uncommon styles have caused problems for a number of more traditional opponents.

With that said, here are five popular left-handed athletes and the ONE Championship fights that have defined their careers.

#1 Giorgio Petrosyan

ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Champion Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan is a pinpoint-accurate left-handed striker who hails from Italy.

Throughout his storied career, he’s amassed a ridiculous 103-2-2 (2 NC) record and has won five Kickboxing World Titles. He currently has his eyes on a sixth – the vacant ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship.

Before “The Doctor” contends for that accolade, he’ll have to get past Georgian striker Davit Kiria at ONE: FISTS OF FURY on 26 February, which would further cement his spot as the division’s #1 contender.

What makes Petrosyan such a dangerous southpaw is his timing and accuracy. Since joining ONE Super Series in April 2018, he’s won five of his six bouts with his accurate straight left punch.

Martial arts fans saw just how devastating the punch could be when Petrosyan used it to beat “Smokin” Jo Nattawut by first-round KO at ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix semifinals during August 2019.

#2 Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex

Former ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title challenger “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex has built a legendary reputation from the southpaw stance.

The #5-ranked featherweight contender has a professional Muay Thai and kickboxing record of 202-74-4, which has been collected over a career that spans decades and has taken him around the world.

Even as a southpaw, Yodsanklai is devastating from both his left and right sides. His left kicks have toppled many greats, but his right uppercuts are just as dangerous. Still, his left hand earned him his most impressive win in ONE.

That came in March 2019 at ONE: A NEW ERA, where “The Boxing Computer” faced old foe Andy “Souwer Power” Souwer under kickboxing rules and starched the Netherlands native with a straight left in the second round.

While Yodsanklai used his left hand to finish a rivalry, the next man on our list used his own to start one.

#3 Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai

With a nickname like “Left Meteorite,” it should come as no surprise that Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai made our list of the best southpaws in ONE.

The #3-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender is 62-11-5 in the striking art and has won the Lumpinee Stadium World Championship on two occasions.

He didn’t reach the elite level by playing patty-cake with his opponents. This Thailand-born striker has dozens of KO wins on his record, most of which came by the “Meteorite” he carries in his left hand.

At ONE: NO SURRENDER III in August 2020, Kulabdam sent the Muay Thai world into a frenzy when he stopped “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort with a left hand that levitated his compatriot at the end of the first round.

#4 Thanh Le

ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le is a Vietnamese-American who’s taken his traditional martial arts background and adapted it well for mixed martial arts.

In fact, he’s gone undefeated with a perfect 100 percent finishing rate in the all-encompassing sport since entering ONE Championship.

Le is a crafty striker who likes to explode in bursts, and being a southpaw who can also fight from the orthodox stance makes him even more difficult for opponents to deal with.

Martial arts fans witnessed Le’s impressive skills at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX last October, as he folded defending titleholder Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen with a left hook-right uppercut combo in the third round to claim the World Title.

That night, Le wasn’t the only lefty to loosen a former World Champion’s grip on a belt. In the main event, a top middleweight contender did the same thing.

#5 Reinier De Ridder

Recently crowned ONE Middleweight World Champion Reinier “The Dutch Knight” De Ridder has been unbeatable in his mixed martial arts career.

De Ridder is a perfect 13-0 in the sport, and since joining ONE in January 2019, he’s finished three of his four opponents in the promotion by either KO or submission.

“The Dutch Knight” is more than just a crafty grappler and striker – he’s also tall. This potent combination has given his opponents a ton of trouble inside the Circle.

In his last match – when he challenged then-ONE Middleweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang for the belt – De Ridder used his long arms to lock up the Myanmar icon, out-grapple him, and ultimately sink in the bout-ending rear-naked choke in the first round.