Yodpanomrung Reveals How New Aggression Led To KO Win

Yodpanomrung “The Lightning Knee” Jitmuangnon showed fans exactly why he earned his nickname with his highlight-reel knockout at ONE: FOR HONOR.

The six-time Muay Thai World Champion struck Australia’s Tyler Hardcastle with a devastating knee to the body to earn a sensational third-round knockout – and his first ONE Super Series win – at ONE: FOR HONOR.

“I was ecstatic to earn my first win with ONE Championship, and it was even better to win by KO,” he says.

The 25-year-old admits that he felt under pressure to deliver in Jakarta, Indonesia, following a defeat in his debut in The Home Of Martial Arts, but that did not affect his performance.

There was a stark contrast from the Yodpanomrung fans had seen in October compared to the rejuvenated athlete that stepped into the ring on 3 May.

From the opening bell, both he and Hardcastle attacked each other with full force at a high pace in search of a finish.

“In my first fight, I couldn’t adjust fast enough, I was too used to competing for five rounds,” Yodpanomrung admits.

“For my second fight with ONE, I felt a lot more prepared, so I was a lot more aggressive coming out in the first round.

“ONE is just three rounds, so you have to be more aggressive, I changed my style for this fight.”

The contest was not all one-way traffic, however, as Hardcastle gave his Thai rival plenty to think about in the opening exchanges.

Stiff, straight punches from the Perth resident representative found their mark, but the Jitmuangnon Gym representative anticipated that he would feel the force of his opponent’s boxing, and he was not put off by them.

“The small gloves hurt a lot more when getting hit, but I’m starting to get used to them,” he explains.

“I got hit with a few hard punches in the first round, but I felt my shots were more powerful and had more of an effect on my opponent.

“I hit him with a lot of hard shots in the first two rounds, and I could see he was starting to fade.”

Thanks to more than 300 bouts and a decade of experience in the ring, Yodpanomrung could see openings starting to appear in Hardcastle’s defenses, and he stepped up a gear.

What had been a competitive contest quickly became a one-sided showcase in the Bangkok athlete’s favor.

“In round three, I went out really hard, very aggressive. I first hit him with a body shot that hurt him. I knew a second shot would take him out, so I went with a flying knee,” he recounts.

Hardcastle could not answer the referee’s count, and Yodpanomrung got the win with less than a minute left in the match.

Now, with his first victory in The Home Of Martial Arts under his belt, the six-time Muay Thai World Champion wants to make up for lost time and win his way to a shot at the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title – currently owned by his compatriot, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.

“I want to keep winning with ONE, I really like competing for them. It was amazing walking out to such a packed and energetic crowd,” he adds.

“I need to show my best form first, and then work my way up. I would love an opportunity to fight for a World Title, but I know I need to put in the work.”