“Why Shouldn’t I” – Yu Yau Pui Reveals the Story of How She Defied Her Mother to Learn Muay Thai

Yu Yau Pui took a brave step in pursuing her passion for Muay Thai, and she now finds herself competing on the biggest stage of martial arts. 

At ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Friday, August 2, the Hong Kong native will get to showcase her skills in front of a global audience once again when she takes on Scottish striking star Amy Pirnie in an atomweight Muay Thai bout inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.                                           

Yu Yau Pui didn’t want to tread the traditional path

Despite her success in the sport, it was not a path laid out for her. The 31-year-old revealed to ONE in an interview that she was initially encouraged to go after more “girl-oriented” pursuits.  

“I never thought I would be a sporty person one day. When I was a kid, my mother, she just told me to go play piano, go do ballet. That’s what she thought a girl should do,” she said.

“Because in Hong Kong, we really consider these kinds of resumes will help get you into college. These are the kinds of useful things. So sports, [especially] Muay Thai, I didn’t have any chance to learn.”

While she had no choice but to go through with what was expected of her, Yu’s interest in martial arts couldn’t be snuffed out. 

Inspired by movies by local hero Jackie Chan, she sought to pursue her dreams when given a choice. 

“After I finished my secondary school, I had a chance to decide what I wanted to do during some holidays. I said, ‘Why shouldn’t I give this a try?’ So I went to a local Muay Thai fitness center and gave it a try,” Yu said.

What started as a means to stay fit later became a more serious path after her natural talents were unleashed. Coaches saw promise in the burgeoning star’s aggressive style, leading her to compete regularly.

How did Yau Pui fare at ONE?

Yu would soon find her way on the ONE Friday Fights series. There, she amassed five straight victories to earn a six-figure contract to compete in ONE’s marquee events. 

After defeating former World Title challenger Lara Fernandez this past March in her U.S. primetime debut, the KF 1 powerhouse will be looking to add another big name to her hit list when she takes on Pirnie at ONE Fight Night 24. 

Adding another win to her undefeated record in ONE will only lead to bigger things for Yu, further proving that she chose the right path to dedicate her life to Muay Thai.