‘I Want The Belt’ – Liu Mengyang Reflects On Tawanchai Knockout At ONE Friday Fights 137, Calls Out Superbon
“Spirit Dragon” Liu Mengyang came to ONE Friday Fights 137: Tawanchai vs. Liu with a simple mission – to prove he belonged in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title conversation.
But what the 22-year-old Chinese striker delivered inside Bangkok’s world-famous Lumpinee Stadium this past Friday, December 19, went far beyond that.
In just 52 seconds, he dismantled ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai with a devastating calf kick that brought the Thai superstar’s night to a heartbreaking and premature end.
The ONE Friday Fights 137 main event began with Tawanchai deploying his trademark aggression, as he launched a powerful teep that briefly sent Liu to the canvas. But rather than rattling the Shunyuan Fight Club product, the opening exchange seemed to awaken something inside of him.
Liu rose immediately to his feet and fired a sharp right hand that drove the PK Saenchai Muaythaigym standout backward toward the ropes. More importantly, he began systematically targeting the same spot on Tawanchai’s lead leg with brutal inside calf kicks.
One kick. Two kicks. Three kicks.
As Tawanchai continued managing distance with push kicks, Liu remained patient, waiting for the perfect moment to deliver the decisive blow. Then, he swung a fourth calf kick, which proved to be catastrophic.
Tawanchai’s leg instantly buckled beneath him.
The Thai superstar crumpled to the canvas, trying valiantly to rise but unable to beat referee Ricky Sewell’s count. The upset was complete, and Liu had authored one of the most stunning finishes in recent ONE Friday Fights history.
Liu said:
“I felt a very crisp sound. His legs were too thin. Maybe my feet were too strong.
“I feel very happy and very excited, but at the same time, I’m a little worried about Tawanchai. I saw he hurt his leg, and I’m a little worried about him. I hope he can recover soon.”
The victory, which moved his record to 35-7, wasn’t an accident. It was the result of weeks of meticulous preparation at Shunyuan Fight Club.
Liu and his coach had studied Tawanchai’s fighting style relentlessly, identifying three specific techniques that could potentially end the ONE Friday Fights 137 main event early. They drilled the calf kick, body kick, and power punches obsessively, convinced that at least one of the weapons would find its mark.
But beyond the physical preparation, Liu entered ONE Friday Fights 137 with something even more valuable – a strong mentality and an unshakeable self-confidence.
The Chinese striker shared:
“I prepared three techniques before the fight. One was a calf kick, the other was a kick to the stomach, and the last one was a punch. Before the fight, I was thinking that one of these three techniques would knock him out.
“I thought I would definitely get a KO because I did a lot of psychological training and a lot of real training. So, I thought I could definitely do a KO. I knew it. I knew this was going to happen.”
Liu Wants Shot At Superbon’s Kickboxing Belt
With his most spectacular victory now secured and momentum firmly on his side, Liu Mengyang has inserted himself into the World Title conversation.
Over the past 12 months, the Chinese dynamo has claimed some massive victories over decorated athletes, including big wins over former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Masaaki Noiri and Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Shadow Singha Mawynn.
Now, with a shocking 52-second triumph over Tawanchai, who had defeated current ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon twice in Muay Thai, Liu has firmly established himself as a top contender.
Currently, Superbon reigns over the featherweight kickboxing division, having unified the gold against Noiri at ONE 172 in Tokyo, Japan, last month to earn that distinction. At the post-event press conference, a potential showdown with his longtime rival Marat Grigorian had been mentioned, and the Thai warrior is completely down with that matchup.
But that World Title battle has not been made official – and with Liu’s shocking TKO victory over Tawanchai at ONE Friday Fights 137, there is suddenly another interesting challenger for the reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion.
The Chinese knockout artist desperately wants his crack at the gold and believes he deserves it. At the very least, he knows his win over Tawanchai has moved him within striking distance of a World Championship opportunity.
Liu said:
“I think that beating him is very important for my career because this fight will make me closer to the championship and closer to my dream.
“For my next match, I want the belt, Superbon. Your belt! It’s time to put it on my shoulder!”
