Double-Tragedy Couldn’t Stop Superlek Kiatmoo9 From Achieving Greatness

Every athlete walks a separate path to success, and Thailand’s Muay Thai specialist Superlek “The Kicking Machine” Kiatmoo9 is no different.

The ONE Championship star may be one of the friendliest personalities in The Home Of Martial Arts, but behind his ever-joyful character lies a tale of two tragedies.

The flyweight phenom was born into poverty in a small village in Buriram, Thailand, raised by his grandparents while his mother was away in Bangkok working tirelessly to make ends meet. He never met his father, so his grandparents were his ultimate role models.

However, at 16 years old, Superlek’s grandfather, the man responsible for getting him started in “the art of eight limbs,” passed away.

“It was very discouraging at the beginning and I was very tired. I had to start over. I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

“It was a very exhausting time for me. It was like I couldn’t do anything right.”

Superlek was dejected but knew nothing he did could have brought his grandfather back. Instead of staying unhappy, life had to go on, and he quickly returned to compete in a Muay Thai bout at one of Thailand’s most iconic venues.

“I remember I already had a fight at Omnoi Stadium booked, and I didn’t drop out. It was just a week after my grandpa had died and my mind wasn’t there like before,” he said.

“I fought on Channel 3 and won.”

Following the victory, he was slowly starting to complete the puzzle of a better mental game. Unfortunately, another hurdle surfaced – his grandmother’s passing.

That passing meant the Kiatmoo9 standout not only needed to balance his personal life and Muay Thai career, but he also had to be a father figure and caretaker to his younger brother.

“When my grandma died, I had to learn really fast how to manage my own money,” the ONE Super Series talent said.

“It was a very difficult time for me. I was left to raise my little brother and felt like I couldn’t do anything right. We lived alone. We had to wash our own clothes, so I had to teach my little brother to help with laundry, cleaning, and cooking.”

Despite losing two idols, “The Kicking Machine” kept battling through every obstacle, eventually earning the full support of his gym.

His courage and perseverance paid off. At just 16 years old, Superlek triumphed as a Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion and was named the Sports Authority Of Thailand Muay Thai Fighter Of The Year.