Reigning two-sport, two-weight World Champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 has spent the past few years cementing himself as arguably the planet’s top pound-for-pound striker and a bona fide martial arts superstar.
On Sunday, March 23, the Thai will look to reach even greater heights when he defends the bantamweight Muay Thai belt against interim king Nabil Anane in a World Title unification fight at the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Undefeated since 2021, Superlek boasts blockbuster victories in ONE over the likes of reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty, former longtime ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa, just to name a few.
Those victories have propelled Superlek into a stratosphere of fame that he could never have previously imagined.
The 29-year-old recently spoke to onefc.com about his growing star power and how he handles the pressures that come along with it:
“I never thought I’d be this famous. I have to thank ONE for giving me the opportunity to compete in this promotion. If you ask me how I deal with the growing fame, I just act natural. I’m not the person to get carried away by the spotlight and fame.”
Indeed, Superlek has taken his evolution into an internationally recognized superstar in stride.
He said that joining the world’s largest martial arts organization was his first big step toward massive fame. Then, as he scored win after win over top-flight competition, his popularity continued to grow.
Finally, it was his epic clash against Takeru last year in the main event of ONE 165 – when he successfully defended the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title – when “The Kicking Machine” truly became a household name across the globe:
“The turning point that made me famous was when I joined ONE. There were many fights where I was seen as the underdog, but I won those fights, which made me more and more famous – especially after the fight where I beat Takeru. Many people said I had no chance against him [in kickboxing], but I beat him, which made my followers increase a lot.
“After that fight, I gained a lot of Japanese fans. I was able to fly to Japan to teach Muay Thai seminars in which hundreds of people came to learn.”
Superlek will soon return to Japan in search of another unforgettable victory that would garner him even more support.
But while he’s become a face of the striking arts in ONE Championship, he’s remained acutely aware that he’s also a role model for the next generation:
“I always try to behave well, practice diligently,66br and be disciplined because I know that many young fighters look up to me. I always try to convey good things to everyone so that they can learn and use them.”
Superlek Kiatmoo9’s growing fame has opened up some other opportunities outside of fighting.
For now, he’s focused on growing his newly opened Muay Thai academy in Thailand, where he said students can learn much more than just kicks from “The Kicking Machine”:
“I have my own boxing gym, MC Superlek, in Nonthaburi. I want everyone to come and learn Muay Thai or work out.
Kumar added that people taunt him for working throughout the year. But he took a different approach to this comment and looked at it from a different lens. He continued, “Many people who tell the other people ki ye bahut kaam karte hain. Beta, yaad rakhna lucky are those people who get work. Yahan kaam nahi milta… roz koi na koi bolta hai berozgaari chal rahi hai ye chal raha hai wo chal raha hai… jisko kaam mil raha hai usko toh karne do (Remember, lucky are those people who get work. Here, every day someone says there is unemployment, this is happening, that is happening… if someone is getting work, let them do it).”
A user named Neo Game Spark wrote, “Just got out from #DeadpoolAndWolverine. As someone who keeps a close eye on movie production, I don’t know HOW they managed to pull off half the stuff in this movie without it leaking. Best Deadpool movie to date and the most crowd-pleasing Marvel film since ‘Endgame’.”
“I want to pass on my kicking skill and additional techniques to young students who come to learn because if you go up there and only use kicks, your opponent will read your movement like an open book.”
In the future, Superlek plans to expand his entrepreneurial endeavors beyond Muay Thai and is currently in the early stages of opening a grocery store.
Still not even 30 years old and with plenty more blockbuster fights ahead of him, the Thai isn’t entirely sure what the future holds – whether he will stay in the martial arts world long-term or move into other areas:
“There are other businesses or careers that I am interested in. In addition to running my own gym, I would also like to open a grocery store for my mother. I am currently thinking and planning.
“As for the next 10 years, I still don’t know what may come. I might continue in this combat sports industry as an athlete or gym owner. We will have to wait and see.”
Sourcesamsungjogo