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Fans expected Tawanchai PK Saenchai to dominate at ONE 172. The reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion was supposed to get in, finish the match, and go home with kickboxing gold - but that just wasn't how things played out.
Masaaki Noiri had been the underdog, and many had thought he'd be an easy game. But then Tawanchai hit the canvas, and the tone shifted.
When Tawanchai hit the canvas during his match with Masaaki Noiri at ONE 172, people thought it was the punch that ended it. But for Muay Thai icon Buakaw Banchamek, the damage started much earlier, and much lower.
After ONE 172, Buakaw uploaded a reaction video where he analyzed the matches featured in the event. His sharp eye caught a detail that many had likely missed:
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"I don’t think it was a punch that ended it. It was Noiri’s earlier leg kicks that already got the job done. Sure, the punch hurt him, but his legs couldn’t bear the power of standing up anymore. He got kicked so much that it messed with his footing."
Check out the full analysis below:
Buakaw on Masaaki Noiri's electric performance at ONE 172: "Most agree that he wasn't on Tawanchai's level"
According to Buakaw Banchamek, Masaaki Noiri wasn't expected to win during the interim ONE featherweight kickboxing world championship. On paper, Tawanchai was sharper and more established.
But fight nights don't play out on paper. Buakaw said:
"But fight from, his fighting style, heading into this fight, most agree that he's not quite on Tawanchai's level. So yeah, many fans saw this as kind of a test drive for Tawanchai."
Instead, it was Masaaki Noiri who went home with gold. And it wasn't a close match either. It was a clear outcome, and Noiri proved he's a contender to keep eyes on by knocking out Tawanchai in the third round.
With that win under his belt, a unification match with ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon is imminent for Noiri. Stay tuned for more updates.
ONE 172 is available via replay on watch.onefc.com.
