ONE Championship: “I cannot meet my own expectations” - Superlek owns up to his faults in shocking defeat to Nabil Anane

Superlek Kiatmoo9 has broken his silence following a harrowing three-round war with Nabil Anane last March. Superlek met the young six-foot-four-inch-tall phenom in the ONE Championship ring at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang and lost a tough decision to Anane.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Superlek explained what happened and why he was unable to give fans his usual performance.

'The Kicking Machine' said:

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"There are a few factors at play at the event, you know, like my physical condition and stuff. It wasn't at 100 percent. I was also very frustrated with myself about my performance. It's just so frustrating that I cannot meet my own expectations."

To add insult to injury, Superlek lost his bantamweight Muay Thai belt on the scales before the fight after failing weight and hydration. Nevertheless, Superlek vows to return a better version of himself and reclaim his lost glory.

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang was broadcast live from the historic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on March 23, 2025. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand on watch.onefc.com.

Superlek Kiatmoo9 promises fans an epic return after "pushing a reset button"

Superlek Kiatmoo9 has had enough time to process the defeat to Nabil Anane at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang, both physically and mentally.

The Thai striking icon vowed to return with a vengeance once he's fully healed. He told the South China Morning Post:

"It doesn't matter who would come first. Rodtang or Nabil, if I’m ready, then I am ready. Right now, I'm pushing a reset button. I'm just like, you know, just chilling, relaxing, taking care of myself before I get back into the ring."

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Superlek Kiatmoo9's next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra