ONE Fight Night 42 Muay Thai Results: Sam-A, Suakim, Black Panther, And Kovtun Deliver Winning Performances
· Yahoo Sports
The Muay Thai action at ONE Fight Night 42, which broadcast live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, April 10, reminded the world why the sport’s greatest stories are written inside the ring.
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A living legend silenced talk of retirement with a breathtaking walk-off head kick knockout in a co-main event that swung back and forth like a pendulum.
Plus, a three-division Lumpinee Stadium World Champion ground down a slick technician to claim his seventh straight victory, a Thai fan favorite survived a frightening late storm to edge out a split decision, and a Russian striker imposed his will from bell to bell to open the show.
Here’s everything that unfolded in the Muay Thai battles at ONE Fight Night 42.
Sam-A Produces Vintage Walk-Off KO In Breathtaking Co-Main Event
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Sam-A Gaiyanghadao proved age is just a number in the most emphatic fashion, stopping Elmehdi “The Sniper” El Jamari with a walk-off head kick KO at the 2:43 mark of round two in their strawweight Muay Thai co-main event.
El Jamari came out aggressive, firing boxing combinations and a right hand that bounced off Sam-A’s forehead. But the 42-year-old legend absorbed the pace, reading his opponent’s rhythm with veteran composure and timing him with a sledgehammer left hand whenever the Moroccan pressed forward.
The second round was even wilder. Sam-A knocked El Jamari down twice in rapid succession with picture-perfect punches, nearly sending him through the ropes. But “The Sniper” dug deep, swarming with clubbing shots that sent Sam-A crashing to the canvas in a stunning reversal.
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The crowd erupted. And then, Sam-A regrouped.
He retreated to the back foot and waited. When El Jamari charged forward looking to finish, the Thai legend uncorked a perfectly timed head kick that put him to sleep on the spot.
Sam-A nudged his record to 378-50 with the win, proving that his pursuit of one more ONE World Title reign is far from a fantasy. Also, he bagged a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Suakim Grinds Down Kuzmin To Claim Seventh Straight Win
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Three-division Lumpinee Stadium World Champion Suakim Pongsuphan PK backed up his billing with a commanding unanimous decision over Vladimir Kuzmin in their bantamweight Muay Thai showdown.
Kuzmin made life difficult early, switching stances and using lateral movement to frustrate the Thai’s rhythm. But whenever the Russian walked into close range, Suakim timed him with intercepting elbows and knees that made every exchange costly. A hook kick from Kuzmin cracked the Thai late to keep things interesting, but Suakim’s body shots at the bell edged the round.
The second saw the Thai veteran shift into the full aggressor, pressing Kuzmin backward with heavy mid-kicks and dominating the clinch. The Russian’s chin absorbed a massive overhand right, and he responded with a spinning elbow. Suakim, however, kept fearlessly walking through the fire.
By the third stanza, the Russian was running out of answers. Suakim shrunk the ring, landing elbows and closing with a slew of clinch knees before the final bell.
Suakim improved to 156-60 with the win, claiming his seventh consecutive victory and smashing his way into the upper echelon of the bantamweight Muay Thai division.
Black Panther Survives Paez’s Late Storm, Claims Split Decision
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Black Panther needed every ounce of his ring generalship to edge out Diego Paez via split decision in a flyweight Muay Thai bout that had the crowd on its feet from start to finish.
The Thai controlled the early exchanges with punishing calf kicks and precise counters, but Paez kept him guessing with stance switches and unorthodox movement. The Colombian-American soon found a home for his low kicks, and he even landed jumping knees and elbows. But Black Panther caught his rival’s front kick and dumped him to the canvas at the end of the opening frame.
It was more of the same in the second round until Black Panther cracked the California native with a massive overhand right, which sent the Colombian-American down for an eight-count. Paez recovered, but the Team Mehdi Zatout product worked the body and elbows in the clinch.
The third and final stanza is where things got dangerous. Paez cut the ring off relentlessly and caught Black Panther in the battle’s closing moments with a right hand and elbow that left the Thai fighter on skates. The Californian didn’t give him a moment to breathe, but the bell ultimately saved the Thai veteran.
Two of the three judges awarded the victory in favor of Black Panther, who elevated his career record to 81-17. The Thai also claimed his fifth straight victory and may have cemented himself as one of the cornerstones of the bustling flyweight Muay Thai division.
Kovtun Controls Battbootti From Bell To Bell
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Dmitrii “The Silent Assassin” Kovtun imposed his will on Mohanad “Solo” Battbootti from the opening bell, claiming a unanimous decision in their bantamweight Muay Thai clash to open the show.
“The Silent Assassin” immediately made life uncomfortable for the Iraqi striker, stepping in with knee attacks and dragging the fight into the clinch, where he was always going to have the upper hand. Battbootti, unable to handle the pressure, spent much of the first round on the back foot, never once reaching for his low kicks, which could have been his equalizer.
Kovtun turned the screw in the second, adding elbows to his clinch arsenal and smashing them into Battbootti whenever the two locked up. The Iraqi looked overwhelmed throughout, the pressure of the moment seemingly weighing on a fighter making his promotional return after the first loss of his career just three months earlier.
The Russian southpaw maintained his stranglehold in the third and final frame, rattling Battbootti with high kicks and punches that shook him to the core. The Iraqi finally summoned something in the waning seconds of the contest, rocking the veteran with a right hand and threatening a dramatic finale. But time expired before he could capitalize.
With the unanimous decision, Kovtun improved his career record to 15-8 and delivered the kind of complete, dominant performance that separates him from the chasing pack in the bantamweight Muay Thai division.