"He's gained a lot of experience" - Sitthichai in awe of how much Tawanchai has grown as a fighter since their last encounter

In his return at ONE 167, Sitthichai will share the card with a former foe of his at a stacked card inside the Impact Arena.

The Thai veteran has faced many of the top names in the promotion meaning that he has a history with all of the best of the best.

This kind of pedigree makes him the perfect opponent to welcome Japanese star Masaaki Noiri to the fold when they meet in kickboxing.

At the top of the card, Tawanchai will defend his ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship in a main event rematch with Jo Nattawut.

Whilst his last clash with Nattawut may have come right down to the wire, the Thai phenom hasn't lost a fight since back in August of 2021.

In the main event of Battleground III, Tawanchai came up against Sitthichai in the main event where a split decision verdict gave the veteran the win in Muay Thai.

During the ONE 167 press conference where both men shared the stage, the experienced competitor spoke about how far his former foe has come since then:

"As the last fighter to beat Tawanchai, back then (he) recently joined ONE Championship. But since then, he's gained a lot of experience. He's shown strengths, techniques, and many more things."

Watch the full press conference below:

Sitthichai is the ideal measuring stick

To refer to Sitthichai as a gatekeeper would be unfair considering what he has accomplished in his career.

The fact of the matter is that the ONE featherweight kickboxing division is home to some of the best strikers in the world today and the Thai striker has faced off with all of them.

This means that a debut win for Masaaki Noiri could have huge implications for the very top of the division as he announces his arrival.

Potentially, there is an opportunity to see Tawanchai try to claim revenge over the last man to beat him should they meet in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix.

ONE 167 will air live at US prime time on June 7 and is free to watch for North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription.