“I Had to Work for Hire” – Kongthoranee Opens Up on MMA Career Before Aiming for Greatness in ONE Championship

Surging Thai knockout Kongthoranee Sor Sommai is now tantalizingly close to the biggest opportunity of his 84-fight professional career. The Thai sensation is on a seven-fight winning streak and is expecting to continue his dominance in his upcoming match

This Friday, June 28, live in Asia primetime at ONE Friday Fights 68: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella, he will take on reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a high-stakes Muay Thai tilt that’s captivated the attention of striking fans around the globe.

Kongthoranee Sor Sommai fought against COVID-19 for his relevance

Set to take place at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, that bout will be Kongthoranee’s chance to extend his seven-fight winning streak and take out a pound-for-pound great. Because Superlek is both the flyweight kickboxing king and the #1-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender, a win at ONE Friday Fights 68 could propel Kongthoranee to both global superstardom and a shot at Muay Thai gold.

While the 27-year-old is currently flying high with momentum, things haven’t always been so easy Just four years ago, Kongthoranee found himself struggling to make ends meet during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to fight and earn money, he nearly walked away from the sport.

He recalled: “My struggle was during the COVID period. I didn’t have any income at all. I had to work for hire. And I even thought it was the end of the road of my fighting career.”

Luckily, Kongthoranee pushed through those difficult times and has since established himself as one of Muay Thai’s most exciting and talented contenders.

Sor Sommai is humble in his achievements

Kongthoranee  made his ONE Friday Fights debut in February 2023 and hasn’t looked back since: “After COVID, ONE Championship changed my life.” Hailing from rural Thailand where day-to-day life means nothing but hard work, Kongthoranee says that now competing in the world’s largest martial arts organization in front of millions of fans around the globe is a dream come true.

Still, he hasn’t yet reached the top of the Muay Thai mountain. The ultimate goal, he says, is to have 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold wrapped around his waist, and he won’t stop until that’s a reality: “It’s overwhelming – from a country boy who became an athlete for a world-class sports organization. 

He further added, “I still don’t think I’m successful yet. It’s only the beginning for me. I still have a long way to go. Every fighter wants to become a ONE World Champion, and I’m one of them, too.”