Khunsuk, Sitthichai Deliver Buzzer-Beater Knockouts At ONE Friday Fights 176
Just when it looked like both the main and co-main events were destined for the judges’ scorecards, there was a plot twist. The top battles at ONE Friday Fights 176 delivered two dramatic, buzzer-beating finishes on Friday, October 30, at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, sending the month off.
Khunsuk T1 Fight Academy waited until the very last moment to close the show, stopping YodUdon K Tongtalingchan in their atomweight Muay Thai main event with only a second remaining in round two.
The two traded kicks and combinations early, with Khunsuk gradually finding his rhythm by targeting his Thai compatriot’s exposed midsection with sharp body kicks and counter strikes.
That strategy eventually paid off in dramatic fashion, as the 22-year-old folded YodUdon with a body shot in the final 30 seconds of round two.
The 28-year-old Thai answered the referee’s eight-count, but he was exposed. Khunsuk noticed and didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath. He swarmed his rival against the ropes in search of the finish.
Even though YodUdon valiantly threw haymakers to the head, the T1 Fight Academy product dodged those punches, cracked him in the body, and dropped his grimacing opponent to the mat, forcing the referee to step in with the clock nearly expired.
The stop victory extended Khunsuk’s record to 59-18, making it three wins in his last four and pushing him closer to a US$100,000 main roster contract.
Sitthichai Ends A Teenager’s Night With A Crushing Head Kick
In the co-main event, Sitthichai Sor Dechapan needed just two rounds to dispatch promotional newcomer Arthur Evan in their flyweight Muay Thai clash.
Sitthichai controlled distance early with teeps and jabs, eventually opening a cut above Evan’s eye and then smashing the 17-year-old Frenchman with a slick spinning elbow to close out the first round.
Evan switched to a southpaw stance in round two in search of answers, but the 22-year-old Thai quickly adjusted, battered the lead leg, and timed a jumping knee to the body.
Though the French rising star absorbed heavy punishment in the clinch and appeared ready to survive to the final round, Sitthichai dropped him with a thunderous head kick to shut off his rival’s lights in the closing seconds of round two.
With the win, Sitthichai improved his career record to 69-27 and earned his first ONE Championship victory.
ONE Friday Fights 176 Full Results:
-Khunsuk T1 Fight Academy defeats YodUdon K Tongtalingchan via TKO at 2:59 of round two (Muay Thai – atomweight)
-Sitthichai Sor Dechapan defeats Arthur Evan via knockout at 2:56 of round two (Muay Thai – flyweight)
-Caviar Pudprachachuen defeats Klapichit K Tongtalingchan via split decision (Muay Thai – strawweight)
-Pedro Duarte defeats Ethan Brockett via TKO at 2:33 of round one (MMA – featherweight)
-Adham Ruziev defeats Denchailek Sor Dechapan via knockout at 1:15 of round one (Muay Thai – strawweight)
-Oga Akita defeats Prashanth Guda via TKO at 2:09 of round one (MMA – flyweight)
-Yumeto Mizuno defeats Nihad Taghizade via TKO at 2:13 of round two (kickboxing – strawweight)
