Top 6 ONE Super Series Stars Aged 21 And Under

The future of world-class striking in ONE Championship looks extremely bright judging by the number of phenomenal athletes in the ranks who are barely out of their teens.

Two World Champions are in their early 20s, and a selection of leading contenders marching their way into the World Title picture are also years away from reaching their competitive prime.

Many of these superstar strikers began their careers when they were of elementary school age, and now that they have entered adulthood, they are elite operators in the ring.

Here are six ONE Super Series superstars aged 21 and under who could dominate in the Home Of Martial Arts for the next decade or more. 

#1 Stamp Fairtex

Thailand’s Stamp has competed in Muay Thai since the age of 5, so she is already a veteran, which makes it easy to forget that the two-sport ONE World Champion is still only 21 years old.

Last year, she defeated “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang to become the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion at the age of 20, and then added the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title to her collection against Janet “JT” Todd in February.

The Pattaya-based striker has also had success in mixed martial arts under the ONE Warrior Series banner. With time on her side, her aim of becoming an unprecedented three-sport ONE World Champion is still a possibility.

Stamp will be back in action against Alma Juniku at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST on 15 June.

#2 Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy

Petchdam won the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title thanks to his victory over Elias Mahmoudi earlier this month – just two weeks before he turned 21.

The Ubon Ratchathani native’s path to the top is a familiar tale among the elite martial artists of Thailand – he took up Muay Thai aged 8 to help his family out of poverty, and he has since grown into one of the most exciting strikers on the planet.

He scored three straight knockout victories in ONE Super Series before he earned his shot at the gold, and now the Bangkok resident has established himself as the top athlete in his division.

#3 Rodtang “Iron Man” Jitmuangnon

Even among some of his peers in ONE Super Series, Rodtang’s record of 256 career wins is remarkable, and he is only 21.

However, no matter how impressive the rising star’s résumé is, he will not be happy until he has gold around his waist in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and he may get that chance soon when he faces Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.

“Iron Man” began his Muay Thai training when he was 8, and he has competed ever since so he could help to provide for his family of 12. He later moved to Bangkok’s Jitmuangnon Gym, where he excelled and became the devastating force that we see inside the ONE Circle today.

#4 Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi

Born into a family of martial artists, Mahmoudi took on the tradition and excelled at a young age.

He debuted aged 8 and traveled to Thailand for his first professional bout at the age of 10, which is rare for a Western athlete, but Mahmoudi was up to the task.

He became an IFMA World Champion at 15, and added the WMF, WPMF and MTGP World Titles to his résumé before he signed with ONE.

He came up narrowly short in a thrilling match-up with Petchdam on 10 May for the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title, but the Algerian could get another chance to claim the belt soon.

#5 Savvas “The Baby Face Killer” Michael

This rising star from Cyprus delivered a career-best performance to help usher in the new era of Muay Thai to ONE Championship.

The 20-year-old Petchyindee Academy athlete kept a frenetic pace in a battle of youth vs. experience at ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT earlier this month to win a unanimous decision against Singtongnoi Por Telakun in Bangkok. 

That win showed the WMC Muay Thai World Champion can mix it up with the world’s best, and showed he is one of the new generation of elite competitors in “the art of eight limbs.”

That result against an icon of his sport has also filled Michael with confidence, and now his target is locked on the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, too.

#6 “Muay Thai Boy” Zhang Chenglong

The “Muay Thai Boy” is arguably China’s most promising martial arts star, and he has made a huge impression in the ONE Super Series bantamweight division with back-to-back victories in his first two outings.

The 21-year-old Top King Muay Thai World Champion faced a veteran World Champion in his last match, but he proved he could overcome a tough opponent when he demonstrated his power to knock down and defeat Panicos Yusuf.

If he can build on his latest success against Tyler Hardcastle at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST, he could jump to the front of the queue for a World Title shot and join the growing stable of vibrant young World Champions in the Home Of Martial Arts.