“I had to change my style” - Superlek says tough competition in ONE forced him to evolve as a martial artist

Thai superstar Superlek Kiatmoo9 views his campaign in ONE Championship as something worth his while, believing that through it he has significantly grown as a martial artist.

'The Kicking Machine' opened up about it in an interview with Nickynachat on YouTube, touching on his martial arts journey, which has seen him battling amid tough competition in the 'Home of Martial Arts' for six years now.

Superlek said:

"So, I decided to try ONE, as it was a new challenge. I had to change my style. I switched from a technical style to a more aggressive one. It made me feel excited and pressured."

Watch the interview below:

Superlek had his ONE Championship debut in February 2019 after establishing his name in the martial arts circuit in Thailand. He opened his ONE journey against Cambodian Leo Chetra, who he defeated by unanimous decision in a Super Series Muay Thai-Flyweight joust.

He has since won 14 of his next 15 matches, including the last 11, while along the way claiming the flyweight kickboxing and bantamweight Muay Thai world titles and is now recognized as among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the game.

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Superlek basks in competing on the global stage in ONE Championship

Superlek Kiatmoo9 considers himself lucky to be competing under ONE Championship, whose atmosphere and lure he proudly proclaims as unamatched.

He shared this in the same interview with Nickynachat, saying that six years into his ONE journey he continues to be amazed at the whole setting under the promotion and that it has been a privileged to be given such an opportunity.

The 29-year-old Kiatmoo9 Gym standout said:

"These days, I get excited by the atmosphere. I love the atmosphere, sometimes it even brings me to tears."

Superlek returns to action on March 23 as he defends the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.

He will take on the division's interim champion Nabil Anane in a unification bout, part of the stacked event happening at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The match will mark the first defense of 'The Kicking Machine' of the world title he seized from erstwhile divisional king Jonathan Haggerty by knockout in his last fight in September in the United States.

It is also a rematch between the Thai superstar and Anane, who first fought in June 2023, where Superlek knocked out the Algerian-Thai phenom in the opening round.

For more information on ONE 172, check out watch.onefc.com.