Kulabdam confident he can stop Sangmanee in tournament semifinal

"Left Meteorite" Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai has continued to soar in his young Muay Thai career.

The 21-year-old from Surin, Thailand, is already a multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion and has received the esteemed Sports Writers Association Of Thailand Fighter Of The Year award.

Now, he's hoping to add a ONE World Championship belt to his list of accolades – and the next step of that journey will come this Friday, 21 August, in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament semifinals.

That evening, Kulabdam will clash with "The Million Dollar Baby" Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort in the main event of ONE: NO SURRENDER III in Bangkok, Thailand.

The victor will battle Saemapetch Fairtex in the final, with the tournament winner then getting a shot to challenge ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.

For his matchup with Sangmanee, "Left Meteorite" plans to rely on a simple – yet proven – game plan.

"It's an aggressive style. I walk at them, I kick their legs, and I punch them," he said. "My style is quite risky."

Sangmanee, on the other hand, has a very calculated approach in the ring.

That means Kulabdam, who is one of seven World Champions set to compete at ONE: NO SURRENDER III, knows he must be wary of well-timed shots against him.

"The scariest tactics of Sangmanee are his left foot and his elbows. They are very scary. I do feel somewhat worried," he admitted, "But I am happy to fight someone of his caliber."

Those are humble words from "Left Meteorite," who once won seven straight bouts at Bangkok's Channel 7 Stadium by knockout.

And if he has it his way, he'll replicate that result this Friday.

"I am confident in the power of my punches. If I hit him, it will be enough for sure," Kulabdam said.

Indeed, a knockout would be enough to reach the final, but ultimately, the Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai athlete is focused on his long-term success.

"If I win this fight and beat brother Sangmanee, then I will have a bright future ahead of me," he said.

"Maybe I will even be able to compete for the championship. The goal I set for myself in ONE Championship is to become the champion."

Watch ONE: NO SURRENDER live on Hotstar, Star Sports Select, the ONE Championship YouTube channel, or the ONE Super App at 6 p.m. India Standard Time (IST).