Welcome to the third edition of the kickfighting roundup, where fights outside major promotions such as GLORY, ONE, RISE, and K-1 are given the spotlight. This month, Kompatak and Chalam delivered high-level, albeit controversial, action for the Rajadamnern Super Featherweight title. Undefeated Ryusei fumbled against Taimu Hisai, and Krush put on an eventful night at Korakuen Hall.
KOMPATAK VS. CHALAM
June 8, 2024 – Just two months ago, Petyindee promotion star Kompatak defeated a surging Somraknoi to gain his first major Muay Thai title at Rajadamnern Stadium, and he would make his first defense against one of the most decorated active Nak Muay today Chalam who had been undefeated for nearly 5 years. Chalam won the first round handily, and then Kompatak knocked him down with his famous lead head kick in the second round. Chalam would have to win all following rounds to take the fight, and he did just that. Round 3 was close and slightly controversially given unanimously to Chalam, which urged Kompatak to pressure more in the late rounds. He was no match against one of the top backfoot fighters in Thailand. Chalam adds a Rajadamnern Stadium title to his trophy cabinet of two Lumpinee Stadium and two Channel 7 Stadium titles.
RYUSEI VS. TAIMU HISAI
June 23, 2024 – The long reigning KNOCK OUT Black Featherweight (-57.5 kg) champ Ryusei took on KNOCK OUT Black Lightweight champion (-62.5 kg) Taimu Hisai for the inaugural KNOCK OUT Black Super Featherweight (-60 kg) championship belt. Hisai acted as a short notice replacement for Shootboxing ace Kotaro Yamada after Yamada pulled out due to a hand injury involving a sandwich slicer. Taimu Hisai would score two knockdowns in the first round, badly injuring the smaller man, with many thinking he would not make it to hear the first bell. Ryusei showed heart and excellent recovery, going on to win the next round and arguably the third against Hisai. Ultimately, Hisai would be awarded with a unanimous decision victory by the judges, with those two knockdowns in the first securing the inaugural Super Featherweight strap for the 18 year old phenom and snapping the 17 fight undefeated streak of Ryusei.
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KRUSH MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
June 23, 2024 – Off of a Middleweight tournament semifinals, Aqil Bukhari and Katsuya Jinbo were set to face off against each other in a rematch to crown the king of the Krush Middleweight (-75 kg) division. Bukhari was coming off a win against a leaned down Seiya Tanigawa, whom was making his debut at Middleweight after fighting at Cruiserweight for most of his career. Jinbo was coming off a close majority decision win against the Korean-Japanese veteran Yo Han Park. In a boxing heavy affair, the two fighters fought most of the fight guard to guard, exchanging essentially only punches with almost no knees or kicks thrown. Bukhari won a wide unanimous decision victory to claim the Middleweight strap, also avenging a loss to Katsuya Jinbo, avenging every loss of his since 2021 on his six fight winning streak.
HARUTA MATSUMOTO VS. RIKU MORISAKA
June 23, 2024 – Former Featherweight champ Riku Morisaka took on highly touted 18 year old undefeated prospect Haruto Matsumoto in his retirement fight. From the opening bell, the former champ was outgunned by the slick southpaw. Matsumoto battered the former champ with a bevy of laser sharp left crosses and shots to the legs, body, and head across two rounds enroute to a doctor stoppage in the second due to a nose injury on Morisaka. A rough retirement for the former champ, having been stopped for the first time in his career. However, the match acted as a good showcase for the skills of Matsumoto, showing that he has the skills to match up against some of the best in the division.
KRUSH FEATHERWEIGHT TOURNAMENT
Off the news of Featherweight champ Tatsuki Shinotsuka vacating his title to make his move to RIZIN, Krush set up a Featherweight tournament to ease some uncertain regarding the division by crowning a new king for the vacant title.
June 23, 2024 – The first tournament semifinal occurred between Ryota Ishida and Jin “Kyoken” Tanabe. The southpaw Ishida was coming in as the favourite, with an almost spotless record, his only loss coming from former Super Featherweight champ Naoki Takahashi in 2020. Kyoken was making his debut at Featherweight, up from his usual weight at Super Bantamweight and was on a two fight winning streak, with both victories by KO. Ishida scored a quick knockout in the first round of the fight, knocking down Kyoken with a minute left in the round before throwing a flurry of strikes with Kyoken against the ropes before flattening the Kyoto native with a counter right hook on the temple right as the corner threw in the towel.
June 23, 2024 – On the other side of the bracket, undefeated 18 year old Raita Hashimoto faced off against surging veteran Rei Inagaki. Inagaki was coming off one of the best wins of his career against former champion Takahito Niimi. The slick southpaw Hashimoto dropped Inagaki with a lightning fast left overhand with slightly over a minute left in the first round as Inagaki tried to get past the southpaw jab and lead handfighting of the young prospect. Going into the second and third rounds, Inagaki tried to make the fight messy, clinching and crashing into the southpaw technician, making for much tougher, infighting heavy rounds, wherein both fighters would clash heads, leading to a nasty cut below Inagaki's left eyebrow. Despite the effort, Hashimoto won a wide unanimous decision, with 30 - 26 on each judges' scorecard. Ishida and Hashimoto will face off in the finals for the Featherweight crown.
LA BELLE EQUIPE 5TH EDITION
ELIAS NAJI VS. LORN PANHA
June 27, 2024 – On the co-main event of last week’s “La Belle Equipe” show in Paris, top 147 lb Kun Khmer fighter Lorn Panha faced off against undefeated French Nak Muay Elias Naji under modified Muay Thai rules (3 rounds and elbow pads). Lorn Panha recently took a close split decision over top 135 lb Thai fighter Lamnamoonlek in Cambodia, while the young Frenchman is one of the top 147 lb outside of Thailand today. In the fight itself, Elias Naji unexpectedly dominated Lorn Panha with kicks and trips on the backfoot to move to a perfect 37-0 record. He said after his victory that this was the biggest fight in his young career and he proved that his undefeated record was not just a fluke. The next step for Naji’s career should be Thailand, where he may very well challenge the likes of Tapaokaew, Chujaroen, and Yodwicha for the top spot in the division or go to ONE Championship to compete in 4oz Muay Thai.
FINLAY SMITH VS. MARIO ÁLVAREZ
June 27, 2024 – This was one of the most significant European Muay Thai events of the year, a tournament consisting of France's Daren Rolland, top UK fighter Finlay Smith, undefeated top European fighter Mario Álvarez, and Kun Khmer fighter Chut Serey Vanthong. Earlier in the night, Mario Álvarez stopped his Khmer opponent in the first round with little trouble, while Finlay Smith pulled off the upset against Rolland over three hard rounds. In the Final, Álvarez came out on top in most exchanges and dropped Smith in the second round on route to a comfortable decision victory. With this, it’s clear that Mario Álvarez is the best European Nak Muay today in the 57.5-60kg range.
