Thom Credits Tough Losses For Making Him A Better Fighter, Ready For ONE Friday Fights 169 Main Event

Gregor Thom has been thrown into the deep end since arriving in ONE Championship, and rather than shy away from elite competition, the Scottish standout is using every hard lesson to sharpen himself heading into his next test.

This Friday, September 4, Thom headlines ONE Friday Fights 169 against Petmuangsri Torfunfarm in a flyweight Muay Thai showdown at Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium. A victory will undoubtedly move him closer to his goal of achieving the life-changing US$100,000 contract and coveted spot on ONE Championship's global roster.

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Learning From The Toughest Level Of Competition

Thom found early success upon joining the promotion, but he's since dropped back-to-back decision losses to more seasoned opponents, a stretch that speaks less to his own shortcomings and more to the sheer quality of competition inside ONE Championship.

But rather than let those setbacks discourage him, the 26-year-old has embraced them as part of his development.

"Every person I'm facing at the moment is top level, you know what I mean? So, you can't count no one out there," Thom said. "But it makes me confident, and also it makes me the fighter I am today."

A Quick Turnaround Against A Streaking Contender

Just six weeks removed from his last outing, Thom returns to headline the show against Petmuangsri, a fighter carrying a sterling 61-19 career record and a two-bout winning streak of his own.

The Scottish striker has clearly done his homework on his opponent's technical, patient style, and he acknowledges that he may need to be a bit more methodical this time around.

"He's a solid technical fighter. He's good. He sits on the back foot quite a lot, so I need to be a bit smarter with my shots here. I need to keep the pressure on, but not fall into his shots," Thom explained. "I think he's good with his weapons. He's got good kicks in him, good high kicks. I've been watching him a lot. So yeah, I'm feeling good for this one."

A Patient Game Plan Built For A Knockout

Thom's approach for Friday is built on controlled aggression rather than reckless pressure. He wants to keep the pace high without engaging in the clinch, staying just outside his opponent's range so he can enter and exit freely without walking into counters.

Early on, he doesn't plan to fight at full intensity, instead using the opening minute or two as a feeling-out process to gauge how Petmuangsri reacts before gradually raising his output.

If he executes that strategy with patience and strikes when the moment arrives, Thom believes he can secure the knockout and his 28th career victory.

"I'm confident of it. I just gotta get him in the right spot," Thom said. "As long as I can keep that pressure on, back him up against the ropes, and not let him run away, I'm 100 percent confident in my hands here."