MMA News: First ONE Strawweight Champion Retires After Years Of Fighting

After years and years of fighting in both Muay Thai and mixed martial arts (MMA), Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke decided to hang up his gloves for good following his loss at ONE: Bad Blood last Friday, February 11.

Dejdamrong made the heartfelt announcement on his social media pages, sending one last message to the fans that have supported him along the way and everyone who helped train him to reach the heights that he did.

“Today's fight, I lost, no excuses, and it's a proof of the heart fighting, but the body can't go on. This fight is my last fight. The struggle taught me to fight, never be afraid of obstacles. I fought with difficulties as a child, but on the battlefield, it's different,” Dejdamrong wrote in Thai.

“We have to accept the truth. Thank you to the body that has been fighting on the field for a long time. I thank 'P'Chatri' (ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong) for supporting me all the time and believing in my fighting spirit. Thank you, ONE Championship.”

The 41-year-old had put up a valiant effort against Danial Williams, but the 28-year-old was an avid fan of Dejdamrong’s work and caught him with a punch to the body that led to a second-round knockout.

Dejdamrong was an accomplished Muay Thai practitioner that amassed a record of 282 wins, 65 losses, and three draws in a career that started all the way back in the 1990s.

He made a transition to mixed martial arts in the early days of ONE Championship, winning his debut fight in 2014 against Jomanz Omanz by TKO thanks to his deadly knees.

Riding a four-fight winning streak, Dejdamrong fought Filipino striker Roy Doliguez for the inaugural ONE strawweight championship and subsequently won via technical decision.

His 371-day reign with the belt would come to a screeching halt via rear-naked choke to Japan’s Yoshitaka Naito in May 2016.

Dejdamrong would seesaw between wins and losses for his following fights as his body was slowly betraying him due to age and the rising skill level of the fighters he faced.

At the time, Nak Muays making the jump to MMA was not unheard of, but the peaks that he reached have prepared the way for fighters like Pongsiri Mitsatit and Stamp Fairtex.

Dejdamrong retired from MMA with a record of 12 wins and seven losses with seven victories by knockout and three via submission.

His Muay Thai accolades include being a three-time Lumpinee world champion, Thailand national titleholder and Shell Rimula champion.