ONE strawweight champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke on Friday won a unanimous decision over Brazil’s Yago Bryan in the main event in Singapore.
Dejdamrong was headlining the card after a scheduled rematch between Ben Askren and Luis Santos was canceled. Santos failed to make the 170-pound (77.1kg) welterweight weight limit, was given a chance to contest the bout if he made 190 pounds the next day and again failed to make weight.
A hard-fought first round saw the former Lumpinee Muay Thai champion throwing kicks that Bryan effectively countered with hard punching combinations that opened a cut over the Thai fighter’s right eye.
Photo: Courtesy of ONE Championship
With 30 seconds remaining, Dejdamrong landed hard knees from the clinch, before losing his balance while chasing the Brazilian down with a kick, opening himself up to Bryan’s own kicks before regaining his feet to end the round.
Dejdamrong had adjusted to Bryan’s tactics by the second round, managing to evade his counter-punches or answer them with counters of his own, while continuing to land low kicks. Dejdamrong was increasingly dominant as the round progressed, showboating with a modified Ali shuffle and landing kicks at will.
The third frame saw more of the same, until Bryan landed a sharp straight right that briefly dropped the Thai. The Brazilian almost scored a second flash knockdown immediately after, but Dejdamrong then reasserted control, holding Bryan off with kicks for the remainder of the round.
Dejdamrong continued to get the better of the exchanges with kicks and knees in the fourth and fifth, while evading occasional takedown attempts by the Brazilian.
The win improved Dejdamrong’s record to 6-0-0, while Bryan fell to 3-1-0. Dejdamrong’s title was not at stake, after Bryan failed to make weight.
On the undercard, Japan’s Kotetsu Boku scored a second-round knockout of the US’ Major Overall, while Angela Lee submitted Natalie Gonzales Hills.
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