The first-round head kick knockout hurt more than Panpayak Jitmuangnon’s pride. Asadula Imangazaliev’s finish at ONE Friday Fights 122 capped a challenging stretch that saw the seven-time Muay Thai World Champion alternate between wins and losses across his last six promotional appearances.

The pattern forced the 29-year-old Thai icon toward difficult conversations about what comes next. His December 12 return at ONE Friday Fights 136 inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium brings him to kickboxing rather than Muay Thai, representing both technical adjustment and emotional reset in his pursuit of renewed momentum.

The move was Panpayak’s idea rather than ONE Championship’s suggestion. After watching his recent Muay Thai performances fail to meet expectations, “The Angel Warrior” recognized that confidence requires rebuilding through familiar territory where his strengths translate more naturally. Kickboxing’s larger gloves alleviate concerns about absorbing punches while allowing his technical timing to flourish against opponents who lack the full arsenal Muay Thai permits.

“I was the one who informed ONE that I wanted to switch to kickboxing first to regain my confidence. My performance in the last four Muay Thai fights hasn’t been as good as expected. I am very grateful to the promotion for still believing in me,” Panpayak said. “My physical condition right now is excellent. Fighting with the big gloves is my strength, which alleviates my concern about taking punches and allows me to utilize my technical timing to attack my opponent.”

The Imangazaliev knockout might have broken lesser fighters, yet Panpayak refuses to view the setback as anything beyond normal career fluctuations across nearly 300 bouts spanning two decades. His game plan execution was perfect — controlling pace, landing counters, dictating exchanges — until a technique he’d never seen in footage study connected cleanly. That’s fighting, where one unexpected moment erases rounds of dominance.

“I don’t feel regretful about the result of the last fight at all, because I executed my game plan perfectly. I controlled the pace and was able to counter his attacks throughout. I just made an unexpected mistake and got caught with a head kick. When I studied his clips before the fight, I hadn’t even seen him use that technique before,” Panpayak said. “I see this as a normal part of a fighter’s life; there are ups and downs. I need to develop myself even more if I want to return to greatness. I assure everyone I haven’t lost heart.”

His pedigree remains unquestioned despite recent struggles. The only athlete ever to win Thailand’s coveted Sports Writers Fighter of the Year award three consecutive times, Panpayak holds championships from both Lumpinee Stadium and Rajadamnern Stadium while carrying the experience of someone who’s lived every chapter a fighter can experience. Now he wants to build toward another run at ONE Championship gold through kickboxing rules that favor his timing over raw aggression.

Zhao Chongyang brings dangerous momentum into Friday’s flyweight main event after his dramatic second-round head kick knockout at ONE Friday Fights 124 in September. Yet Panpayak sees the structure of Zhao’s offense as something he can exploit through superior timing and technical precision, viewing the Chinese finisher’s straightforward approach as a weakness rather than a strength.

“Zhao Chongyang is an aggressive fighter with dangerous punch combinations and decent stamina. However, I believe he is a fighter who lacks feints and relies solely on his strength to press forward, which I see as a weakness I can exploit by countering his attacks in this fight,” Panpayak said. “Personally, I am confident that my kicks are not inferior, and neither is my timing and skill. The game plan suggests he will be the one moving forward, and I will use my superior timing and technique to counter-attack and hit him as much as possible.”

Beyond proving his legacy remains unfinished, Panpayak fights for his daughter — whose voice and presence carry him through this challenging chapter while renewing his drive to rise again. The nearly 2-year-old already cheers for fights, telling her father to keep pushing forward. Seeing her face after leaving the arena lifts his spirits immediately, creating readiness to fight again without hesitation.

“My daughter, who is not even 2 years old yet, already cheers for the fights. She’s always telling me to keep fighting. Just seeing her face and hearing her voice when I step off the stage lifts my spirits and makes me ready to fight again immediately,” Panpayak said. “I’m also hoping to win the bonus as an early birthday gift for my daughter, who turns two on December 28th.”

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