Kongsuk Has Found His Killer Instinct, And ONE Friday Fights 156 Is Where He Uses It Again

Two Lumpinee Stadium World Titles, 69 career victories, and a brand new weapon: tremendous knockout power.

Kongsuk Sitsarawatsuer is not the same fighter who used to circle out and play it safe. The decorated 25-year-old veteran has rediscovered his aggression, earned a performance bonus for it, and is heading into the main event of ONE Friday Fights 156 on May 29 with one thing on his mind: another early night.

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A champion is reinvented

Kongsuk Sitsarawatsuer may be one of the more veteran athletes competing at ONE Friday Fights, but he is still evolving.

His most recent showing in March was the clearest evidence yet – a third-round knockout of Babak Solouki that earned him the 69th victory of his career. What’s more, it was his first stoppage victory in three years, and it earned him a performance bonus.

It was not an accident.

That result was the product of his dedication, strength, and pure tenacity, and that performance gave him a newfound confidence.

"I really focused on adding more aggression and power to my game," the 25-year-old said. "Before that, I lacked that killer instinct. I wasn't willing to just bite down on my mouthpiece and go for broke. Getting that knockout in the last fight gave me a massive confidence boost. I scored a knockdown with a left kick and then put him away with a left straight. Walking away with a performance bonus completely elevated my confidence, and it's made me much more willing to stand my ground and trade."

A dangerous debut opponent

The challenge this Friday comes in the form of Khakimov Anisjon – a 19-year-old Uzbek striker making his ONE Championship debut with a 10-2 record and a point to prove.

At 5'11", he carries a significant size advantage over Kongsuk and fights with solid knees, a willingness to clinch, and fast hands and feet that make him a threat at distance.

He is also fighting with extra inspiration.

His undefeated compatriot Aslamjon Ortikov – a ONE Friday Fights success story – will challenge for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title in late June, and Khakimov arrives in Bangkok hungry to write his own chapter.

Kongsuk, however, has done the homework and knows what is coming.

"For this fight, I am fully intending to go out there and brawl for the fans. Being aggressive got me the result last time, so I'm sticking with it," Kongsuk said. "People used to bash me on social media, saying I don't engage and that I run too much. Honestly, they were right. I was backing up a lot. It was part of the game plan. I'd circle out while throwing volume, but I wasn't trading toe-to-toe. I'd slip, throw, and move. But pressing the action in that last fight felt incredible. In this promotion, you have to trade. I had to adapt."

Hungry for another finish

Kongsuk is not coming to ONE Friday Fights 156 to survive three rounds and wait for the judges.

The Thai tasted what a finish feels like and what a performance bonus feels like — and he wants both again.

The confidence that came from stopping Solouki has not faded. If anything, it has grown.

He walks into Lumpinee Stadium this Friday with a sharper game, a clearer mindset, and a hunger that was not there before.

"I want to search for an early finish now because my confidence is so high," Kongsuk said. "Stopping my last opponent gave me that hunger to go out there and put people away again."