6 ONE Super Series Stars Who Were On Fire In 2018

ONE Super Series has sent shockwaves around the martial arts world in 2018.

The all-striking showcase got underway in April, and has provided a platform for the world’s best Muay Thai and kickboxing competitors on the global stage.

It has already stationed itself as the number-one destination of stand-up combat on the planet, where established world champions and rising stars have provided unrivaled excitement.

Here are six of the standout stars from an incredible inaugural year.

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao entered ONE Championship as one of the most decorated Muay Thai competitors ever. He boasts Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Titles in four divisions, among his many other accolades.

His performances in The Home Of Martial Arts did not disappoint. He debuted at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR in April with a win over world-class Frenchman Fabio Pinca, and returned in his home city of Bangkok in October where he dominated Mehdi Zatout.

Nong-O’s strategic excellence came to the fore against Pinca, yet he overwhelmed Zatout with aggression and power at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES. The Thai’s versatility was impressive, and he wants to prove he is still the best in the world by claiming a ONE Muay Thai World Title in 2019.

Giorgio Petrosyan

Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan is widely regarded as the best kickboxer of his generation, if not of all time. His accuracy is unrivaled, and his application of technique is almost flawless.

“The Doctor’s” two performances in The Home Of Martial Arts to date have confirmed his status at the top of the tree. With precision and power, he overcame hard-hitting Jo Nattawut at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, and Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy at ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

Both opponents came at him aggressively and with plenty of firepower, but the unflappable Italian remained calm, dictated the pace, and consistently found his mark with hard punches and kicks.

He now has his sights set on ONE Super Series gold, and there is nobody more deserving.

Han Zi Hao

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Thailand-based Chinese athlete Han Zi Hao. Though he came within inches of a knockout, he was narrowly defeated by Panicos Yusuf in his ONE debut in July.

However, he took lessons from the loss and went on to become the most prolific performer in ONE Super Series.

He dominated Stergos Mikkios to claim a one-sided decision victory in front of his compatriots in Shanghai, and then knocked out Ryan Jakiri in Myanmar after just 1:39 of the first round at ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS.

Topping off an incredible resurgence, he added a third win — and a second KO — at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS in Manila. His first-round demolition of Azwan Che Wil gave Han the top spot for most victories in ONE’s all-striking contests.

Petchdam Kaiyanghadao

The Charismatic Petchdam Kaiyanghadao has picked up two knockouts in as many ONE Super Series performances to establish himself as one of the stars of the flyweight ranks.

His spectacular finish of Josh Tonna reverberated around the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. The Thai’s second knockout of Kenny Tse in front of a partisan crowd in Bangkok was just as memorable, as his feared left head kick landed on his opponent’s jaw to seal the deal.

Petchdam has not just won two bouts – he has blitzed his opposition. The 20-year-old’s fanbase continues to rise, along with his stock on the global stage for martial arts.

Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex

Some athletes have been making their names in ONE Super Series, but along with the likes of Nong-O and Petrosyan, Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex entered as a combat sports legend.

“The Hero’s” pair of victories helped to solidify that status, and also showed that any injury woes are firmly in his past following a brief retirement in 2017.

At ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS in May, “The Hero” went back-and-forth in an enticing battle with Chris Ngimbi and won via unanimous decision.

He ended the year in blistering form on 7 December when he knocked out Brazilian Luis Regis with a volley of uppercuts. He is now unbeaten in seven years, and showing that he is as hungry as ever.

Stamp Fairtex

Well-rounded Thai star Stamp Fairtex first featured in Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series early this year, when she scored a head kick knockout in just 19 seconds in her mixed martial arts debut.

However, the experienced Muay Thai star’s real coming-out party came when she switched disciplines to challenge and win the ONE Kickboxing Atomweight World Title from “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang in October.

“Killer Bee” was in fine form when she beat Yodcherry Sityodtong to claim the title, but Stamp successfully negated her offense with jabs, kicks, and knees in the clinch.

The Pattaya native went from relative unknown to World Champion almost overnight, and 2019 is set to be a massive year for the cross-codes star.