Kongchai vows knockout finish in ONE Friday Fights 140 main event: “He’s going to fade”

Fifteen appearances taught Kongchai Chanaidonmueang patience doesn’t earn contracts. The Thai southpaw is done playing it safe Friday night in Bangkok.

The 23-year-old headlines ONE Friday Fights 140 on Friday, January 30, inside Lumpinee Stadium at Bangkok, Thailand, where he faces Myanmar powerhouse Thway Lin Htet in a high-stakes strawweight Muay Thai clash. As the most active competitor in the history of the weekly series, Kongchai enters carrying experience few others can match.

A former Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, he has built his reputation on a punishing left straight, a destructive left body kick, and clinch work refined through constant exposure at the highest level. But experience alone hasn’t brought that life-changing $100,000 main roster contract within reach.

Years of navigating pressure-filled fights have sharpened his sense of urgency. Now he approaches this matchup as a chance to impose pace and intent from the opening bell rather than waiting for judges.

“Thway Lin Htet’s durability doesn’t scare me. I’ve fought plenty of tough guys and won,” he said. “I actually prefer fighting brawlers. Whenever I’m in a slugfest, I usually win. It’s the muay femur fighters that give me more trouble.

“I watched his last fight – he’s incredibly tough. Even when Sam-A caught him with big shots, he stayed standing. His strength is his unpredictability. He throws those weird, flashy moves, like that spinning backfist that caught Sam-A. He clearly trains those, and they can be tricky to defend. He’s got a lot of X-factor in his striking.”

Kongchai promises faster start against Thway Lin Htet

Kongchai Chanaidonmueang remains unsatisfied with recent performances despite victories. His latest appearance against ONE veteran Walter Goncalves brought a win, but defensive lapses and delayed aggression left room for improvement.

The southpaw acknowledged that while his kicks scored consistently, he ate too many shots because of poor blocking. His biggest frustration remains a slow-starter tendency that forces him to wait until the third round to truly let his hands go.

That pattern ends Friday. Kongchai plans to hunt the knockout immediately by targeting the Myanmar striker’s defensive weaknesses and conditioning issues. Thway Lin Htet doesn’t check kicks well, and his defense can be sloppy when pressured early.

“This time, I’m throwing everything at him. I’m hunting for the knockout,” he said. “If we start trading and I see a gap, I’m going for it. I definitely want that bonus. His weakness is that he doesn’t check kicks well, his defense can be sloppy. He’s tough, sure, but when he gets hit, he slows down.

“I’ve seen him stall. If he doesn’t start checking my kicks, he’s in trouble. Once I land my power shots, he’s going to fade. This fight, I’m pushing the pace immediately. No more ‘slow starter’ excuses. If I get past him, I’m ready for anyone ONE throws at me. In this division, Prajanchai is the gold standard.”

The goal this year is simple: rack up more wins. Last year brought only two victories for the Tor Sangtiennoi athlete, forcing him to confront the reality that staying busy matters as much as performing well.

“My goal this year is to rack up more wins. Last year, I only got two, so I need to stay busier,” he said. “To the fans, please keep supporting me. I’m going to give it my all. Physically and mentally, I’m at 100 percent. And to Thway Lin Htet, see you on Friday. Get ready to catch my weapons!”