ONE Championship: “I’m coming back with a lot of new motivation” - Superlek promises better form when he returns to the ring

ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion 'The Kicking Machine' Superlek Kiatmoo9 has used his time away from competition over the past few months to ensure he makes a victorious return when he steps inside the Circle next. The Kiatmoo9 Gym affiliate had a night to forget in his last outing when the promotion visited Japan's Saitama Super Arena for a loaded ONE 172 in March.

He lost his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship on the scales during fight week and absorbed a unanimous decision defeat to Nabil Anane during their rematch.

This setback, however, has only lit a new fire in the Thai megastar, who vows to erase memories of his painful time in Japan when he straps on the gloves for his next fight.

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"This time, I'm coming back with a lot of new motivation and new goals. I'm full of motivation this time," Superlek told Nick Atkin in a recent online interview. "I see a lot of people have made so much improvement. And I see plenty of room for improvement for me."

Setbacks aren't something new to the ONE world champion, after all. Across his 169-fight resume, the pound-for-pound great has tasted defeat on 30 occasions. But the manner in which 'The Kicking Machine' has bounced back from defeat is a true testament to his never-say-die attitude and his constant thirst for excellence in his career.

Before his recent defeat to the Thai-Algerian phenom, the Thai striking specialist lost to then-flyweight kickboxing king Ilias Ennahachi at ONE: Fists of Fury in February 2021.

That defeat, though, served as a stepping stone to his miraculous 11-fight win streak in the world's largest martial arts organization, a run that ended with two-sport glory via a stunning 49-second knockout of Jonathan Haggerty at ONE 168: Denver.

Watch his full interview with Nick Atkin here:

Superlek confident he'd earn a 'clear win' in possible rematch against Rodtang

His redemption mission against Anane aside, Superlek is down to run it back with former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

'The Kicking Machine' handed 'The Iron Man' his maiden defeat in the striking discipline when the pair crossed paths—billed as the biggest Muay Thai fight in 50 years—at ONE Friday Fights 34 inside the Lumpinee Stadium in September 2023.

While he earned a solid unanimous decision triumph against Rodtang, the 29-year-old missed weight during fight week.

As such, Superlek is ready to make sure he passes all his pre-fight duties so there wouldn't be any question marks hanging around his performance if the promotion books a sequel between two of the biggest striking superstars on the planet today.