At 42, most fighters are thinking about retirement. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is thinking about one more championship. The former two-sport, two-division ONE world champion has unfinished business.
This Friday, December 19, at ONE Friday Fights 137 at Lumpinee Stadium, he’ll face 24-year-old Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi in a strawweight Muay Thai clash that serves dual purposes — welcoming a dangerous new contender to the division while proving that age is just a number when your body still feels championship-ready.
Sam-A has 376 career victories and three ONE World Titles to his name. He’s won everything there is to win in Muay Thai. But the thing about legends? They always want one more.
“The goal of every fighter is to become a champion. Since I’m getting older, I want one more chance to touch that success again. If I can win ONE gold before retiring, I will feel like I’ve successfully completed my duty and can be fully proud of my achievements,” Sam-A said.
Standing across from him is Jaosuayai, a knockout artist dropping down from flyweight after Akif Guluzada snapped his five-fight winning streak with a first-round knockdown in October. The move to 125 pounds represents a fresh start for the younger Thai striker, who brings flying knees, devastating kicks, and a 60-23 record to his strawweight debut.
Sam-A knew the matchup would happen eventually. He just didn’t expect to be the gatekeeper quite this soon.
“I heard that Jaosuayai would be dropping down to the strawweight division, and I figured we’d meet one day, but I didn’t expect it to happen so fast that I’d be the one initiating him into the division,” he said.
“Jaosuayai is an agile fighter with sharp punches. His striking and footwork are fast. He’s a well-rounded, modern fighter.”
Respect doesn’t mean hesitation. Sam-A has seen enough weight class transitions to know that dropping pounds changes more than just the number on the scale.
Speed, power, durability — everything gets tested differently when you’re fighting smaller. And the Evolve MMA stalwart plans to exploit exactly that uncertainty.
“Looking at his physique, Jaosuayai is well-suited for the strawweight division. But when he steps [into the ring] at this weight, we have to see if his power and endurance will be the same,” Sam said.
“Crucially, we need to see if he can take a shot because dropping down a weight class always comes with side effects. We’ll see how well he performs when he actually fights.”
The game plan writes itself. Jaosuayai lost his last fight after getting dropped early and spending the rest of the bout playing catchup. It was a mistake Sam-A knows intimately because he’s made it himself.
Now the Thai legend sees an opportunity to test the newcomer’s chin with the weapon that’s carried him through 376 victories: that heavy left kick.
“Jaosuayai’s loss to Akif came from a mistake similar to mine – he was dropped early and couldn’t catch up, which led to the loss. As for his weakness, since he dropped a weight class for this fight, I’m ready to use my heavy left kick to punish him,” Sam-A said.
“I still have all my Muay Thai weapons in my arsenal, and I’m prepared to give my junior a warm welcome to the strawweight division.”
Here’s where the story gets interesting. Sam-A isn’t just fighting to pad his record or play spoiler to a rising contender.
He believes his conditioning has actually improved since his dominant decision over Thway Lin Htet at ONE Friday Fights 126 in September, thanks to a longer training camp and focused preparation.
“Even at 42, I think my body is in better condition than when I fought Thway Lin Htet because my training camp has been longer. I’m fully prepared to fight now,” he said.
A convincing victory over Jaosuayai would do more than welcome the younger fighter to strawweight. It would position Sam-A for something he thought might have passed him by — one more legitimate run at ONE Championship gold.
The regrets still linger, particularly from the kickboxing title fight that slipped away.
“That day wasn’t my day. I missed my rhythm and got injured. If everything lines up, I want to go back, prove myself, and challenge for the belt again, in both Muay Thai and kickboxing rules,” Sam-A said.
Two fighters, two different stages of their careers, one shared understanding: Friday night determines what comes next.
For Jaosuayai, it’s about proving the weight cut was worth it. For Sam-A, it’s about proving that at 42, he’s still got one more championship run left in him.
“If I can get past Jaosuayai, there might be some surprises in store. Jaosuayai is a skilled and well-known fighter, so defeating him will definitely boost my confidence and give me a clearer path to pursue my goals for success,” Sam-A said.
“The chance to compete for a title again might not be far off.”
