Suriyanlek Por Yenying returns to action in the flyweight Muay Thai main event of The Inner Circle 34 on Friday, October 9, taking on undefeated Russian sensation Rustam Yunusov, broadcasting exclusively via live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 30-year-old's road back to the ring has been eventful to say the least. In August, he was struck by a van during a morning run, an accident that would have derailed many fighters entirely. Suriyanlek refused to let it define his campaign, and he arrives on October 9 with the same burning ambition that has made him the most decorated performer on the ONE Friday Fights circuit since 2023.
His most recent outing ended in a unanimous decision loss to Lebanese sensation Ramadan Ondash, a result that Suriyanlek has spent considerable time analysing since.
"The fight against Ramadan was really entertaining, but I made a mistake and got dropped in the second round. I was too fixated on landing my left hook counter, which left me open and a bit sluggish," he said.
Standing across from him is Yunusov, a 19-year-old Russian phenomenon carrying a perfect 17-0 career record and an 8-0 ONE record into the main event. The teenager has been a force since joining ONE Championship in 2024 and sits on the cusp of earning his own six-figure contract.
Social media has painted Suriyanlek as the underdog, but the Thai veteran is having none of it.
"Rustam will definitely need to watch out for my hands because, as everyone knows, power punching is my primary weapon. A lot of people on social media are saying I'm outmatched — that I'm just easy pickings for Rustam. But I want to say that since I took this fight, it means I see a path to victory," he explained.
Beyond silencing the doubters, the US$100,000 ONE main roster contract that a knockout win could unlock remains the ultimate motivator for the Thai star.
"That's definitely the goal. If I beat Rustam, I'm ready for anyone. But my main target remains a ONE roster contract. I'm pushing hard every day to make it happen," he added.
Leave a comment
Please login to leave a comment.