Superlek has been through the fire, and he is ready to come out the other side.
The reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion faces dangerous Russian Abdulla Dayakaev in a crucial bantamweight Muay Thai bout at The Inner Circle on May 15, live on live.onefc.com. For "The Kicking Machine," this fight is about far more than a result. It is about reclaiming who he is.
The 30-year-old Thai superstar arrives carrying the scars of a brutal 2025. A weight miss cost him his bantamweight standing, and two tough losses added further pain to an already difficult period.
For a fighter who has toppled the likes of Jonathan Haggerty, Takeru Segawa, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and Nabil Anane across a 15-3 ONE record and 139-31 career record, the slide was as jarring as it was unexpected. Superlek knows exactly where it all went wrong.
"I lost my identity. After dealing with injuries and being out of action for so long, I started overthinking. I wanted to try this and that without focusing on the results," he admitted.
That period of drift is now behind him. The mental fog has lifted, and the path ahead has never been clearer.
"I believe I can make a comeback and show better form. One thing is, I've cleared my head. My goals are clear now," he revealed.
Standing across from him on May 15 will be Dayakaev, a 24-year-old Russian finisher with a 15-2 career record and an 8-2 ONE record. It sets up a fascinating clash between two fighters with points to prove.
But Superlek is not just coming to win. He is coming to remind the world exactly what made him one of the pound-for-pound striking greats in the first place, and he has a very specific plan for how to do it.
"This fight, I'm bringing back my true style: the 'Kicking Machine.' In my last few fights, I completely forgot who I was. I barely kicked at all. This time, I'm going back to kicking like I used to, and I've got some tricks ready to close the show," Superlek concluded.
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