‘I Lost My Identity’ – How Superlek Rose From His Darkest Stretch To Rediscover “The Kicking Machine”
For “The Kicking Machine” Superlek, a grueling year of setbacks shook the very foundation of who he was as a martial artist.
Now, the reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion looks ahead with fresh purpose. The Thai striking legend returns to action at The Inner Circle against Russian knockout artist Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev in a high-stakes bantamweight Muay Thai battle on May 15, streaming exclusively for members only on live.onefc.com.
For Superlek, this is more than just another fight. It is the first step of a massive reclamation project. Not long ago, the 30-year-old Thai superstar was viewed as virtually untouchable.
Spectacular victories over reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty, ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa, and former World Champions Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon and Nabil Anane had cemented him as one of the finest pound-for-pound strikers of his generation.
However, the higher the climb, the steeper the fall. Superlek looked like a mere shadow of himself in a Muay Thai rematch with Anane, and many assumed it was just an uncharacteristic off night. Then came the kickboxing loss to Yuki Yoza — another alarming performance that raised uncomfortable questions. Superlek heard every word of the criticism, and he owned every single bit of it.
He told onefc.com:
“Last year was tough with injuries, plus I lost my confidence because of several outside issues. It made it so I couldn’t train fully or focus 100 percent on each fight.
“I lost my identity. After dealing with injuries and being out of action for so long, I started overthinking. I wanted to try this and that without focusing on the results. I thought so much that I stopped being myself. I forgot that I already have great weapons and tried to do something else instead.”
That was not the only battle he was fighting behind closed doors. Through it all, Superlek had been quietly pushing through an undisclosed knee injury, a true testament to his unyielding warrior spirit.
Away from the physical setbacks, Superlek had also taken on an entirely new challenge. His immense success in ONE Championship had given him the financial means to open his own gym — a lifelong dream made real. But the heavy responsibilities that came with it quickly proved too much to handle alone.
As a result, Superlek made the difficult decision to go back to where it all began. YOKKAO Training Center in Bangkok welcomed him back with open arms, and everything immediately felt natural again.
He shared:
“Actually, YOKKAO has been my sponsor from the start. When I left for a bit, there were some minor issues. While [running my own gym], I couldn’t focus solely on fighting. I had to worry about management, staff. It was just too much to handle.
“So I decided to come back and focus on myself, training at Yokkao so I could prioritize fighting. Now that I’m back here, I don’t have to think about management. I just focus on who I’m fighting, plan my strategy, and evaluate myself fully.”
Rejuvenated and carrying hard-won clarity, Superlek returns as a completely different man.
He has always evolved physically as a fighter, but recent adversity has forged something much deeper: an unbreakable mental resilience.
He continued:
“I believe I can make a comeback and show better form. One thing is, I’ve cleared my head. My goals are clear now.
“Life was high-pressure back then — I won the belt after just a few fights, and then I lost it because I missed weight. A lot of things happened after that, and I just have to accept it and move on. My mental state is fine now. Win or lose next fight, I’m staying focused.”
Superlek Credits Psychology For Breaking Through His Mental Block
Beyond reconnecting with familiar surroundings, “The Kicking Machine” Superlek took a step that required a completely different kind of courage — acknowledging that his biggest battle was being fought inside his own head.
For decades, the muay femur master had faced the most dangerous strikers on the planet without flinching. His toughest fight, it turned out, was on a divan in the doctor’s clinic.
“The Kicking Machine” explained:
“For this fight, I’ve been talking to a psychologist. I had an issue I couldn’t solve: I was conflicted between fighting the way I wanted to and fighting the way people wanted to see me, which is moving forward and being aggressive. I cared more about others than myself, and it stopped me from fighting in my own style.”
“Talking about it made me feel so much lighter. I realized I already have what it takes. Why should I change my style just to be what others want?”
When Superlek walks into the ring against Abdulla Dayakaev on May 15, the heavy baggage of his past shortcomings will stay behind.
A statement performance would remind the global audience exactly why they fell in love with this generational talent in the first place.
He concluded:
“This fight, I’m bringing back my true style: the ‘Kicking Machine.’ In my last few fights, I completely forgot who I was. I barely kicked at all. This time, I’m going back to kicking like I used to, and I’ve got some tricks ready to close the show.”
