At ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE on Friday, 28 February, Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao became a two-sport World Champion in the strawweight division.

Fresh off his capture of the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in December, Sam-A dominated Australian opponent Rocky Ogden to win the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship.

“I’m so happy to win the Muay Thai World Title, as it is my nation’s sport,” he said. “By winning, I was able to make a name for the people of Thailand and myself.”

This marked the Buriram native’s third World Title victory in ONE Championship – an incredible feat for the 36-year-old athlete.

“I felt so much better in this fight. I was able to stay strong for five rounds, I had a good game plan and followed it, and I was able to throw combos better,” he said.

Sam-A displayed a level of skill and power that his younger opponent could not match – a lethal combination of defense and offense that earned him the unanimous decision win.

“I was waiting for him. I wanted to see what he was going to bring and figure out his rhythm. I wasn’t in a hurry,” he said.

The Evolve representative’s sharp counterattacks paid off as he out-struck Ogden in the later rounds.

“By the second round, I started to pick up the pace. I started to figure him out and started to get active,” Sam-A said.

“By the third round, I was very confident I would beat him. I started to really let go and throw hard, heavy shots.”

Having practiced his homeland’s signature discipline for more than 20 years, Sam-A’s experience allowed him to pick apart his rival’s offense with sharp strikes.

“I was able to see everything he threw and pick my shots. Whether it was with elbows, knees, punches, or kicks, I felt in control,” he added.

The Thai superstar clinched the World Title and walked away with a newfound respect for his younger foe.

“Rocky is awesome. He’s got a big future ahead of him. I think he will go very far,” Sam-A said.

“He recovered so quickly even though I was hitting him with a lot of clean shots. He’s youthful, has a big heart, and came to fight.”

Getting the win has only motivated Sam-A to work harder to maintain his reign at the top.

“I have to know my duty and what my job is. Whether it is kickboxing or Muay Thai, as a champion, I have to train even harder,” he said.

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Read More From ONE Championship:

Sam-A Reaped The Rewards After A Lifetime Of Sacrifice

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