New Name, Same Southpaw: Kulabdam Returns As Ratchasiesan At ONE Friday Fights 147
The name on the contract has changed but everything else remains exactly as feared.
The fighter the Muay Thai world knows as Kulabdam — the devastating southpaw puncher nicknamed “Left Meteorite” — steps back into the ring at ONE Friday Fights 147 on March 20 under a new identity.
He now competes as Ratchasiesan Laochokcharoen, a name bestowed on him by new sponsors who rebranded the former two-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion ahead of his bantamweight clash with Uzbekistan’s Uzair Ismoiljonov in Bangkok.
“For this fight, I’ve officially changed my name and gym colors because sponsors bought my rights and renamed me Ratchasiesan — The Lion of Isan,” he said. “I love the name. Lions are the kings of the jungle and fear no one, which fits my personality perfectly.”
The rebrand also marks a reset after a difficult result in his most recent outing. The 27-year-old suffered a majority decision loss to PTT Apichart Farm at ONE Friday Fights 137 last December — only his second defeat in ONE Championship — and has spent the months since dissecting exactly what went wrong.
His verdict is honest and specific.
“I made a huge mistake early on,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting him to lead with punches. I thought for sure he’d come in to clinch and knee, so I got caught off guard and dropped. After losing that count in the first round, I spent the rest of the fight frustrated, trying to chase him down, which really messed up my rhythm.”
To correct course, Ratchasiesan made a significant change to his training environment, joining the renowned PK Saenchai Muaythaigym. He has spent the past 20 days working alongside ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PongSuphan PK and ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai — two of the best practitioners in the world.
“To my fans, don’t worry about the name change,” he said. “My style is still the same Kulabdam you know. I’m a fighter who leaves it all in the ring.”
The matchup itself suits him well. Against international opponents inside ONE Championship, Ratchasiesan carries a near-perfect record, losing just once across nine such contests — with one no contest — and has consistently performed at his most dangerous away from the pressure of all-Thai rivalries.
“I actually prefer fighting foreigners — I feel less tense and can just go out there and do my thing without any extra pressure,” he said. “My record against international fighters is undefeated, and I plan on keeping it that way forever.”
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