For Honor! ‘This Dude Was A Breath Away From Being KTFO’

ONE Championship Founder, Chatri Sityodtong, is not to be trifled with … or so he’ll have you believe.

Sityodtong has always been an advocate of the “martial arts way” and boasted about how ONE isn’t focused on or interested in the brash outspoken nature of fighters that are perhaps more commonly seen in competitor companies. Whenever put in a situation himself, it should come as no surprise that Sityodtong would react appropriately when confronted.

According to the ONE boss on his Facebook account, that’s exactly what happened during his current visit to Thailand.

A tourist meathead challenged me to a fight yesterday at the hotel gym in Hua Hin, Thailand where I was staying for work. He came up into my face for using “his” squat machine. I politely apologized to him, but also told him that it wasn’t his machine and that it was empty when I started using it. Amazingly, he asked me if I had a problem and to step outside with him if I did. It did cross my mind for a split second to step outside to teach this pompous ass a lesson. However, I saw that he was with his girlfriend. So I decided to de-escalate the situation. I politely apologized to him again, wished him well, and walked away.

I can’t say that I am a badass (especially compared to all of the world champion martial artists in ONE), but I can say that I am a lifelong expert martial artist who has been in my fair share of scraps. I still train hard six days a week in both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I could tell immediately that this meathead likely knew nothing about fighting or martial arts just by the way he broke my personal space, the way his stance was weak, and how big his oversized muscles were. Though he outweighed me by 20-30 pounds, I am certain that I would have slept him in under a minute. This dude was a breath away from getting KTFO or choked unconscious in front of his girl. Muscles don’t win fights. Skills, training, and experience do. It never ceases to amaze me how untrained people are always ready to throw down over the slightest thing. The ignorance blows my mind away.

For sure, I am grateful that my martial arts training has given me both confidence and humility. It has given me the confidence that I can handle my business in most self-defense situations, but also the humility to walk away. Most people walk through life without a clue how to defend themselves or their loved ones. If you ask me, I think real-life martial arts training (like Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, MMA, etc) should be a mandatory part of every child’s education from kindergarten until high school graduation. There would be far fewer assholes in the world and definitely far less bullying and/or physical altercations.

As the saying goes, “it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.” OSS!!! #WeAreONE

ONE continues its 2023 campaign this weekend (Fri., Feb. 10, 2023) with ONE Friday Fights 4, featuring a Flyweight Muay Thai main event between Batman Or.Atchariya and Duangsompong Jitmuangnon in Bangkok, Thailand. In May 2023, the promotion is set to finally break ground in the U.S. with ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver, Colorado. The main event will see Demetrious Johnson defending his 135-pound Flyweight crown against Adriano Moraes in a trilogy clash.