Jaosuayai makes strawweight debut against “toughest opponent” of his career at ONE Friday Fights 137

Defeat changes everything. Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi watched his five-fight winning streak vanish in October, forcing serious reflection about his future.

The 24-year-old Thai knockout artist now drops to strawweight Muay Thai for ONE Friday Fights 137 on December 19, facing former two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The move represents strategic calculation rather than retreat from competition.

Jaosuayai’s first promotional loss in over a year came against Azerbaijani sensation Akif Guluzada at ONE Fight Night 36. The 20-year-old secured a crucial first-round knockdown with a thudding knee to the face that fundamentally changed the trajectory of the match.

The Thai striker applied pressure over the final two rounds and even wobbled his opponent. But the early damage proved insurmountable, with Guluzada claiming a unanimous decision victory to drop Jaosuayai’s promotional record to 8-3.

“Personally, I think the game plan and style for the last fight with Akif was a mess,” he said. “In that moment I was counted, I lost control. It was like my vision cut out, and I instantly blacked out. But with so many fans cheering for me, it gave me the determination to fight back.”

Jaosuayai explains strategic move to 125 pounds

The setback demanded introspection. Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi consulted his team about dropping from flyweight, discovering his natural weight changes made the transition logical.

“After the last fight, my weight only went up by four or five pounds,” Jaosuayai said. “So, I decided to consult with my coach about dropping down to try the 125-pound division, a weight class I haven’t competed at for about four-to-five years.”

Critics questioned the timing. But the Sor Dechapan product insists improved training protocols drove the decision, not fear of flyweight competition.

“This decision is not about running away from the 135-pound division, as some have criticized,” he said. “I feel more energetic, elusive, and faster now, which should lead to more evenly matched and exciting opponents than at 135 pounds.”