Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao continued his successful ONE Super Series run on Friday, 18 May, in his adopted home of Singapore. He became the first ever ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion.
The Muay Thai legend and Evolve MMA coach forced a stoppage after knocking his opponent Sergio Wielzen down twice in the fourth round, and improved his Muay Thai record to 366-46-9.
Wielzen’s own mark dropped to 46-19-2 (1 NC) with his tough defeat. Despite the loss, “Samurai” could leave the Singapore Indoor Stadium with his head held high, after he kept coming forward until the end against his vastly more experienced foe.
Wielzen began the contest with leg kicks, while Sam-A went to the body, and then found success with front push kicks.
At the end of the first round, Wielzen charged in with hard, straight punches, which Sam-A deftly blunted by clinching and tripping his opponent.
The second round saw Sam-A stalk Wielzen, and he was first to strike in most exchanges. When Wielzen did lead the way, Sam-A continued to use the clinch well to slow things down and regain control of the tempo.
The end of the second period saw Sam-A connect with more hard left kicks to the body and leg, as well as with an elbow to Wielzen’s head.
In the third round, Sam-A demonstrated incredible evasiveness, slipping and leaning back out of the way of many of Wielzen’s kicks and punches, before returning fire with his own high kicks.
The third period also saw more clinching exchanges, which were broken up by the referee. At the end of the round, Sam-A connected with another head kick and another sweep, prompting him to celebrate on his way back to his corner.
Sam-A began the championship rounds mixing in hard, straight, punches to the head with his roundhouse kicks, and he increased his control from the clinch. With just over a minute remaining, he connected with a left elbow to the jaw of Wielzen, which dropped him.
After beating the 10-count, Wielzen refused to wilt, firing strikes before pressing Sam-A against the cage. Unfortunately for him, Sam-A once again used his clinch skills to take control of the contest and bring about its end.
Sam-A angled-off the cage and rattled off a knee to the body, a head kick, and a combination of elbows to Wielzen that dropped him to the mat for the second and final time.
The referee called a halt to the action, and Sam-A celebrated once more, this time for good.
“I saw that he was hurt,” he said. “There were a few openings, I took advantage, and finished the fight.”
