WATCH: Thai superstar Superlek takes in the fans' love in Japan after his stunning defeat to Nabil Anane at ONE 172

ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 would rather put what happened at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on Sunday, March 23, at the back of his mind. However, the fans inside the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, did not allow him to leave the event with a frown.

As 'The Kicking Machine' made his way to the locker room following a stunning unanimous decision upset at the hands of ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane, fans showed their appreciation by greeting him with warm smiles and handshakes.

Watch the entire video below, which ONE posted on Instagram:

Some fans quipped that Superlek was not his usual self when he fought Anane in the sense that he looked rattled or, at the very least, distracted.

One possible reason could be his disappointment in himself at being stripped of the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship for failing the pre-fight hydration test. This led to his bout with Anane being turned into a three-round, non-title fight instead of a unification bout over the 145-pound Muay Thai crown.

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Superlek promises he will return even better than before

After having his 11-fight winning streak snapped by Nabil Anane, Superlek took to Instagram to congratulate the 20-year-old phenom while promising that fans will not know what hit them when he returns to the circle.

The Kiatmoo9 Gym star wrote:

"Congratulations to my younger brother. Keep developing yourself. 🏆 For me, I have to apologize to the people who cheer me on. Whoever wants to curse, scold, or criticize me, do as you please.🙏 I will improve and fix my losses, not make excuses. Then I will come back. I know best. SPL fights in its own style."

The full replay of ONE 172 is available via watch.onefc.com.