‘Finish The Fight Immediately’ – Komawut, Yodphupa Fire Shots Ahead Of Rematch At The Inner Circle 37
Thai sluggers Komawut FA Group and Yodphupa Petkiatpet are coming for war, and this time, neither man plans to leave the verdict in the judges’ hands.
Their bantamweight Muay Thai rematch serves as the co-main event of The Inner Circle 37, which goes down in Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, November 6, in an Asia primetime card exclusively available to subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Judging by their first meeting in ONE – a three-round thriller at ONE Friday Fights 50 in February 2024 – this one has fireworks written all over it. Yodphupa picked his fellow countryman apart from range early, but Komawut found his footing, dragged the fight into the clinch, and left the ring with a razor-close split decision.
The war settled the scorecards but not the argument, and both men have a clear plan for how this sequel ends.
Komawut Wants To Stay Perfect In This Series
Komawut had already closed the book on Yodphupa, so the news of a rematch landed with a jolt.
The 27-year-old has had little trouble finding the right frame for it, though, and he has plenty of thoughts on how the first fight played out and what that night says about this one.
Komawut told onefc.com:
“I never thought I’d get booked against Yodphupa again. But since we’re in the same weight class and our builds are so similar, it was bound to happen eventually.
“Our first fight was super close. But I was the one constantly walking him down and pushing the action without taking much damage from his strikes. Overall, I performed better.”
Since that win, the FA Group representative went 3-1 in the promotion, including an explosive second-round knockout of Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree. A five-fight skid then momentarily put him off course.
It did little to shake his confidence, though, and he bounced back with a split decision over Kyaw Swar Win at The Inner Circle 27. Now, he is fired up to rediscover the winning groove that carried him to a 7-2 start in the promotion and move a step closer to the US$100,000 main roster contract.
Komawut said:
“Getting back on the winning track was very important. If I lost again, I couldn’t see myself getting another chance to fight in ONE. Securing that win was such a relief because it meant I still have a platform to showcase my skills.
“Beating Yodphupa will boost my confidence immensely, and I believe it will help me regain my prime form. If I stumble, it’ll be tough. So I really want this win.”
Standing in the way of that dream is a foe he has already beaten three times, with the other two wins coming in the traditional five-round Muay Thai format in the Thai stadium circuit. Komawut currently holds a 3-0 lead in the series.
With the blueprint to beat his fellow Thai, even in 4-ounce gloves, the FA Group warrior sees himself getting his hand raised again in Bangkok, and he has a clear idea of the path that gets him there.
He said:
“The key factor in deciding the winner will come down to the volume of strikes, and I believe I can execute that better than him. If the opportunity presents itself, I’d love to get a quick stoppage.
“But ultimately, I’ll stick to my game plan without rushing. I’m fully confident I will maintain my undefeated record against Yodphupa.”
Yodphupa Believes Komawut’s Slide Is Showing
Komawut may eye a finish and boast of a spotless series, but Yodphupa believes the ghosts of that five-match losing streak are about to come back to haunt him at The Inner Circle 37.
The 22-year-old has watched the slump closely, and he thinks it left a permanent mark on his rival’s game.
Yodphupa said:
“His momentum has slowed down – he went on a five-fight losing streak, which clearly affected his confidence and overall performance. He doesn’t look as sharp or physically dominant as he used to be.”
The Petkiatpet fighter knows a thing or two about climbing out of a slump, after all. He rebounded from a three-fight skid to win three of his last five, and the latest, a unanimous decision over Saw Min Min, came on the very night Komawut snapped his own skid.
While that win bolstered his belief, Yodphupa is leaving nothing to chance, tightening his preparation and staying open to new ideas as he looks to keep his winning run going.
He said:
“For this fight, I’ve prepared thoroughly in my traditional style – focusing on sharp punches, heavy leg kicks, and an all-around arsenal.
“If an opportunity opens up, I’m ready to finish the fight immediately. Recently, a friend invited me to train at ZDM Fight Club, which allowed me to pick up some fresh techniques and broaden my knowledge.”
Every little addition will certainly come in handy as the striking technician looks to get his hand raised against Komawut for the first time in four attempts.
He has also studied his shortcomings from their first meeting in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and he believes a win here could push him to the brink of a six-figure main roster deal.
Yodphupa said:
“The main reason I couldn’t beat Komawut before was my lack of discipline. I also fought with a very predictable and limited arsenal. But I’ve adjusted my mindset. He’s definitely going to face a completely different version of me.
“This time I want to build momentum, earn that ONE contract, and prove myself on the global stage. This fight will play out very differently from our previous meeting in ONE.”
