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ONE Championship has always prided itself as the home of the best striking matches on the planet and 2022 proved to be a grand showcase for Muay Thai and kickboxing.
The striking arts were on full display over the past year, with historic world title matches, incredible comebacks, and complete domination filling up the calendar.
While nearly all of the Muay Thai and kickboxing matches can stake their claim to be the best, only five have made it to ONE Championship’s yearly list.
That said, here are the five best Muay Thai and kickboxing matches from ONE Championship's 2022 calendar year.
#5. Tawanchai PK.Saenchai vs. Petchmorakot Petchyindee (Muay Thai)
The match between Thai superstars Tawanchai PK.Saenchai and Petchmorakot Petchyindee was nothing short of Muay Thai artistry.
The 23-year-old Tawanchai was seen as a young, unstoppable force, while Petchmorakot, 28, was the established king who never wavered against any competition that dared challenge him.
Their meeting at ONE 161 in September 2022, though, became Tawanchai’s coronation atop the Muay Thai world. Both fighters threw everything at each other but it was Tawanchai’s overall aggression and early dominance that pushed him to a unanimous decision win.
Not just a rising star, Tawanchai’s victory over Petchmorakot saw him claim the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship and the distinction as arguably his generation’s best striker.
#4. Jonathan Di Bella vs. Zhang Peimian (Kickboxing)
Talk about coming through in the clutch.
Jonathan Di Bella, who was making his ONE Championship debut, went strike-for-strike with Chinese phenom Zhang Peimian in their ONE 162 match for the ONE strawweight kickboxing world title in October 2022.
Both fighters were on almost equal footing throughout the match, but a left roundhouse kick from Di Bella in the final minute of the fight firmly secured his win.
After absorbing a couple of huge left hooks, Di Bella launched a three-strike combo, but it was his left shin that sent Zhang crashing to the mat.
Though the Chinese star was able to come back up, the late damage that Di Bella caused was enough for him to earn a unanimous decision win and, most importantly, the ONE strawweight kickboxing world title.
#3. Hiroki Akimoto vs. Capitan Petchyindee (Kickboxing)
If there ever was an inspiring world title win in ONE Championship, then it would have to be Hiroki Akimoto’s victory over Thai star Capitan Petchyindee.
The two striking masters went at it at ONE Championship’s 10th-anniversary show, ONE X, in March 2022. Neither side looked to give in throughout the night.
That was until the fifth round when Akimoto got up from his corner looking like a man possessed. Akimoto rushed in with all his might against Capitan and launched combinations as if he was in a feverish dream.
Akimoto, who was hellbent on securing his first piece of gold in ONE Championship, tagged Capitan repeatedly with nasty hooks to the head and cracking knees to the midsection.
Once the smoke settled, it was clear that Akimoto deserved the unanimous decision win and the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title.
#2. Roman Kryklia vs. Iraj Azizpour (Kickboxing)
Heavyweights have always carried a certain mystique, but bitter rivals Roman Kryklia and Iraj Azizpour brought a certain degree of intensity befitting of their hulking stature.
Kryklia, the reigning ONE light heavyweight kickboxing world champion, had his trilogy match against Azizpour in the final of the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix in a matchup that ultimately settled their score.
Despite touching the canvas in the first round, Kryklia exploded in the second and went at Azizpour like an unrelenting storm.
Kryklia charged at Azizpour, landing some hellish hooks and knees to score his first knockdown of the fight. Just mere seconds later, Kryklia was at it again and this time he made sure that the Iranian striker went down for the count.
#1. Liam Harrison vs. Muangthai PK.Saenchai (Muay Thai)
Comeback wins aren’t uncommon in martial arts, but what Liam Harrison did against Muangthai PK.Saenchai was nothing short of miraculous.
Harrison was already on the brink of defeat during his match against Muangthai at ONE 156 having touched the canvas twice already in the first round. Another knockdown would’ve pushed Muangthai to the knockout win, but Harrison displayed that trademark British toughness.
Coming back up for the second time, Harrison patiently waited for Muangthai to attack and his methodical counters breathed new life into his fight when the Thai star touched the canvas for the first time.
Harrison’s second knockdown was the complete opposite of his first. ‘Hitman’ let his hands go and once again sent Muangthai falling to the mat.
Sensing that the momentum firmly swung his way, Harrison went into a furious rampage and clocked Muangthai with the heaviest hooks he threw for the inspiring knockout win.
The win earned Harrison a shot at ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao and is also regarded as one of the greatest ever victories in ONE Championship history
