“I was shocked” - Prajanchai recalls surprise opponent in legendary Sam-A for ONE Championship debut

Prajanchai was shocked to find out that his ONE Championship debut would come against a Muay Thai legend. Before becoming the two-sport world champion that he is today, Prajanchai introduced himself to ONE fans in July 2021 at ONE: Battleground.

Standing across from him inside the Circle at Singapore Indoor Stadium was none other than 375-win veteran Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, a man Prajanchai had never fought up to that point.

Looking back on the bout during an appearance on The ONE Podcast, Prajanchai said:

"When I found out I was fighting Sam-A, I was shocked. He was still in his prime and a very skilled fighter. But since it was Muay Thai vs Muay Thai, I knew we would both understand the style well. I just focused on training hard and giving an entertaining fight, regardless of whether I won or lost."

Prajanchai ultimately won the bout via unanimous decision, but they'd run it back two years later at ONE Friday Fights 22. On that night, Prajanchai delivered a much more definitive ending, knocking out Sam-A in Round 2.

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Prajanchai reveals his secret to longevity in Muay Thai

Despite only being 30 years old, Prajanchai already has close to 350 career fights on his resume, and the Thai superstar is showing no signs of slowing down. Asked for his secret to career longevity, Prajanchai revealed that it all comes down to two simple things—discipline and self-care.

"For fighters, how long we can continue doesn't really depend on age but on how we take care of our bodies. Discipline and self-care matter more than age. Look at Buakaw and Saenchai - they're over 40 and still fighting."

Prajanchai has not yet booked his next bout, but fight fans are chomping at the bit to see what's next for the reigning ONE strawweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion.