Panpayak’s road to ONE Championship gold continues at ONE Friday Fights 114

Seven-time Muay Thai World Champion Panpayak Jitmuangnon had a solemn ending to his 2024 campaign. He put his best foot forward this past March to kickstart his ONE Championship dreams. And he looks to continue building on that momentum next month.

“The Angel Warrior” meets undefeated slugger Aslamjon Ortikov at ONE Friday Fights 114. The duo will face off in a flyweight Muay Thai outing on 27 June, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.

After a two-year absence, Panpayak’s return at ONE Friday Fights 83 last October was a ceremonious occasion. Across three rounds, the Thai legend picked apart Silviu Vitez to earn the unanimous decision in the red-hot contest.

Undoubtedly, he looked back to his best and ready to take on the division. But he was given a shocking defeat at the hands of unbeaten Russian Egor Bikrev last December at ONE Friday Fights 92. Bikrev stunned Lumpinee Stadium by downing Panpayak once in the opening round.

He followed that up with a stinging right hand in round two that kept the legend down and unable to recover. Jaws dropped around the world. Everyone watched to see how Panpayak would recover.

Fortunately, fans wouldn’t have to wait long. He returned at ONE Friday Fights 100 this past March to battle Iran’s Majid Seydali. Panpayak battered his foe from pillar to post before securing the third-round knockout. It showed that his loss to Bikrev was just a bump in the road.

In June, history has a chance to repeat itself against Ortikov. The 22-year-old powerhouse has stormed through his opposition, scoring three knockouts along the way.

His whirlwind style of fighting is wild enough to catch his opponents off guard. More recently, it captured strikers Dedduanglek Wankhongohm MBK and Pompet PK Saenchai in its wake. So Panpayak must tread lightly.

With that said, if Panpayak hopes to become the first man to put a dent in Ortikov’s record. It would restore his name to its former glory in ONE Championship.

After all, this is the man who stormed through Savvas Michael in frightening fashion. He cut through Rui Botelho surgically. So a victory against another surging star would only put him back into the limelight.

Aslamjon Ortikov predicts war with Panpayak at ONE Friday Fights 114

Undefeated Muay Thai fighter Aslamjon Ortikov expects the fight of a lifetime against Panpayak Jitmuangnon.

Ortikov brings an impressive record of 21-0 into the bout. He has dismantled many Thai scrappers through his tenure in the weekly series. Those include Kaotaem Fairtex, Chatanan Sor Jor Joyprajin, and Watcharaphon Singha Mawynn.

But he knows it’ll take everything to overcome the seven-time Muay Thai king. Last time around, Panpayak marked the 250th victory of his career with a blistering third-round knockout. So Ortikov is more than aware of the caliber of opponent that awaits him.

What’s more, the 22-year-old has plenty of respect for the Thai legend. But no feelings of sentimentality will stop Ortikov.

He wants to get his hands on a US$100,000 contract with ONE Championship. And a win versus Panpayak might just get him there.

“To be the best you have to beat the best,” he said.

“It’s gonna be a war.”