As World Champion, Kai Ting Chuang Just Wants To Inspire
“Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang (17-5) entered ONE Championship as an accomplished martial artist, but competing for the ONE Kickboxing Atomweight World Title was on a whole other level.
In July, the Chinese sensation defeated multi-time Muay Thai World Champion, Yodcherry Sityodtong, via unanimous decision in the main event of ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS to claim the inaugural crown.
As soon as the 23-year-old won the gold, she immediately thought about all of the people who helped make the career-defining moment possible.
“I thought of the skills my coach had taught me, and the courage my team provided to me. Also, my manager, all my fans, and the audience. I was thankful for their support,” she says.
Chuang will go down in the history books at both first ONE Kickboxing Atomweight World Champion and the first women’s titleholder in ONE Super Series.
However, with this great honor comes even greater responsibility.
She is grateful to wrap the sport’s most illustrious belt around her waist, but she is also aware of the scale of her achievement.
“I gained a lot of motivation,” the Iron Boxing product continues.
“There is also a lot of pressure. I need to keep training hard, as I know there are still many areas where I can make progress.”
The Chinese striker is even more motivated now that she has the gold.
Chuang has not let her success go to her head – acting like a true martial artist by maintaining her humility and her constant desire to improve.
“Killer Bee” appreciates the status that being a titleholder in the world’s largest martial arts organization brings, because it can help her to spread a positive message. She can inspire others who may not otherwise have a role model they can identify with.
At just 158 centimeters tall, the atomweight queen does not seem like much of a physical force, but she proves that what’s on the surface is not necessarily an indicator of success.
“People think I am a very strange girl because I am tiny and small, but then I hold a World Championship,” she explains.
“I feel like I want to encourage people like me — I’m a small, tiny little girl, but with big power.”
Chuang plans to showcase her power on Saturday, 6 October.
The champion will make her first World Title defense against Stamp Fairtex (60-15-5) in the co-main event of ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES, which will broadcast live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Like Yodcherry, the 20-year-old is a skilled Muay Thai practitioner with vastly more competition experience, but “Killer Bee” has already shown she can overcome that disparity.
This time, she wants to continue to impress, all while leaving an impression on martial arts fans.
“I want to give a wonderful fight, and add surprises every time, so that people remember me,” she says.
A victory in her first title defense would make Chuang’s star shine brighter, and with every win, she can shine her light a little further.
“It would mean the world to me to win,” she states. “I could prove to the whole world that a little bee can dig a big hole.”
