The Top 5 ONE Super Series Fights Of 2020
Muay Thai and kickboxing fans around the world witnessed a plethora of spectacular bouts in ONE Super Series this year.
Over the past 12 months, emerging superstars captured belts, others defended them from living legends, and some simply threw down for just the sheer glory of competition.
With so many thrilling matchups, it was difficult to narrow down the list. But in the end, 10 athletes put on memorable performances that will go down in history.
That said, here are the five best ONE Super Series fights of 2020.
#1 Stamp Vs. Todd II
The stage was set for the rematch between American standout Janet “JT” Todd and then-ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Stamp Fairtex at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE in February.
The two women had already met at ONE: CALL TO GREATNESS a year earlier, with Stamp scoring a unanimous decision win to claim the inaugural ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title.
However, their second meeting would go a lot differently.
From the opening bell, Todd fired off furious punches and kicks that threw off Stamp, who remembered Todd as a slower starter. That striking allowed the American to dominate the first two rounds.
But in the third and fourth stanzas, Stamp started to take back control of the fight. She pinged her rival with punches and kicks of her own, and it looked like “JT” was under pressure and starting to tire.
Instead, the American dug deep when the fifth-round bell sounded. She stung Stamp with hard right hands and high kicks that put the Thai off-balance, and that was all Todd needed to secure the split-decision victory, redemption, and of course, the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title.
#2 Rodlek Vs. Kulabdam
Muay Thai fans know that Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym wears his heart on his sleeve (or his arm) in every battle.
The Thai veteran certainly showed that heart in his clash with “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament final at ONE: A NEW BREED in August.
Kulabdam had just gotten done sending “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort sideways with a left hand that dropped the ground from underneath his feet in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Rodlek had been gifted a second chance in the tournament after his former tormentor, Saemapetch Fairtex, was forced to withdraw due to injury.
In the end, one man’s second chance and another man’s starching left hand made for one of the most epic confrontations in ONE Super Series history.
From opening to closing bells, both men pelted each other with punches, knees, and elbows. “The Steel Locomotive” was damaged early, but he made up for it by dropping Kulabdam twice – first with a right uppercut-left hook combination and then later with a knee.
Although Rodlek’s hand was raised, everyone who tuned in to watch this epic showdown was a winner on that night.
#3 Petchmorakot Vs. Yodsanklai
You’re guaranteed a “fight of the year” candidate when a newly crowned World Champion takes on a living legend who’s hungry for one more chance at the gold, and that’s exactly what happened at ONE: NO SURRENDER in July.
That evening, ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy was defending his belt for the first time against Thai icon “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex.
Both men leaned toward the victory as the five World Championship rounds unfolded. Yodsanklai startled the young titleholder with signature right uppercuts and straight lefts, while Petchmorakot slung heavy kicks at his older compatriot.
An elbow from Yodsanklai damaged the Petchyindee Academy representative midway through the contest, but the defending king’s counters riddled the veteran, who kept getting stung from the outside.
The battle was a close one, as both men served and took a plethora of shots. But in the end, the judges gave the majority decision to Petchmorakot, who had defeated a living legend and might’ve become one in his own right.
#4 Rodtang Vs. Haggerty II
Rodtang Jitmuangnon is known as “The Iron Man,” but he may as well be known as the man with the iron will, because at ONE: A NEW TOMORROW in January, he defended his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title against old foe Jonathan “The General” Haggerty and never took a step backward.
But if Rodtang showed an iron will, then Haggerty showed an iron heart. The Englishman refused to give up – even after being knocked down numerous times – and that’s why this bout makes our list.
The climax of the action came in the third round when Rodtang let fly a flurry of hooks and a straight right that dropped Haggerty. The challenger rose back to his feet, but “The Iron Man” sent hooks into his rival’s head, causing him to go down once again.
It was only a matter of time before Rodtang went for the finish, and it came just moments later when the Thai tore into Haggerty’s body with a soul-snatching left hook, forcing the referee to stop the action.
#5 Pongsiri Vs. Clancy
Fans of ONE Super Series got a break from their lockdown boredom during the three-round thriller between Pongsiri PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym and Sean “Clubber” Clancy.
Up until this bout, fans had only seen Pongsiri in ONE’s featherweight Muay Thai division, where he never quite displayed his full potential because he always seemed to be smaller than his opponents.
Clancy, on the other hand, was making his ONE Super Series debut after a stellar career outside of the promotion – a career in which he won the WBC Muay Thai World Title.
When the Thai athlete and Irish debutant met in the Circle, fans never expected one of the greatest bouts in bantamweight Muay Thai history – but that’s exactly what went down at ONE: A NEW BREED II in September.
From the onset, Pongsiri and Clancy threw punches at each other like their milk money was on the line. And a second-round knockdown courtesy of Pongsiri’s left hook and right elbow put the Thai ahead on the scorecards.
For his part, Clancy would never catch up.
Despite the Irishman answering the knockdown count, going toe-to-toe with the Thai in the pocket on numerous occasions, and absorbing three rounds of punishment, Pongsiri won the bout – and the hearts – of ONE Super Series fans everywhere.
Read more: The Top 5 ONE Super Series Knockouts Of 2020
