5 Weapons That Have Made Kongthoranee A Top-Ranked Flyweight Muay Thai Contender
With 13 thrilling fights in ONE Championship under his belt, Kongthoranee Sor Sommai has solidified himself as a global star and one of the flyweight Muay Thai division’s most dangerous contenders.
On May 2 in U.S. primetime, the 28-year-old Thai will rematch former long-reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama in a high-stakes flyweight bout in the main event of ONE Fight Night 31 on Prime Video.
After earning a split-decision victory over Nong-O in February at ONE Fight Night 28, Kongthoranee hopes to erase any doubts that he is the superior fighter right now and continue his march toward the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.
A former three-time Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, Kongthoranee has looked nearly untouchable over the course of his ONE tenure.
Before he goes toe-to-toe with Nong-O at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, we take a closer look at why the #3-ranked contender is such a special fighter.
#1 His Unstoppable Counter-Striking
Kongthoranee is a true master technician, and while he’s plenty capable of leading the dance, he tends to do his best work when fighting on the counter.
This doesn’t mean he’s a passive or inactive striker. Quite the opposite – he loves to pressure his opponents, draw out their attacks, and then counter those attacks with big strikes of his own.
Above all, the Thai is a high-output counter-striker who has proven to be an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve.
#2 His Venomous Straight Left
Kongthoranee’s thunderous straight left hand is his single most dangerous weapon – a trademark strike that’s carried him to 11 spectacular victories in ONE.
Fighting out of the southpaw stance, he’s an expert at landing his straight left on the counter, just as he did to send #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Nakrob Fairtex (and many others) crashing to the canvas.
#3 His Brutal Left Kick
The Sor Sommai representative complements his terrifying left hand with a booming left kick.
Whether he’s throwing it to his opponent’s body, legs, or head, the left kick always does big damage and serves as a constant knockout threat, often forcing his adversaries on the defensive as they try to avoid this show-stopping weapon.
#4 His Slashing Clinch Elbows
While Kongthoranee generally likes to strike at range, he’s also a talented clinch fighter with concussive elbow strikes.
Indeed, he found some success against Nong-O with elbows from the clinch, and fans won’t soon forget his highlight-reel elbow knockout of Parsa Aminpour at ONE Friday Fights 43.
#5 His Unbreakable Mind
Beyond his tactical approach or any individual strike, Kongthoranee has set himself apart with his unshakable mindset and superhuman toughness.
Even when he’s found himself in trouble, he’s almost always roared back with both aggression and composure.
One need look no further than Kongthoranee’s unforgettable war with Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi at ONE Friday Fights 58 when he suffered a second-round knockdown only to pick up the pace and score a stunning knockdown of his own, ultimately securing the decision victory.
