Jaosuayai Makes Kickboxing Return After Five Years at The Inner Circle
Thai knockout artist Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi is switching disciplines and settling into a new division. The 24-year-old makes his ONE Championship kickboxing debut against China's Yuan Pengjie in a flyweight matchup at The Inner Circle on Friday, June 5.
The Inner Circle will stream exclusively on live.onefc.com, and the Thai desperately wants to make a statement and recapture his form.
Jaosuayai has spent his entire ONE career in Muay Thai, accumulating eight promotional victories since claiming a US$100,000 main roster contract in 2025. What's more, his shocking 52-second knockout performance over Nakrob Fairtex had critics viewing him as a top-five talent.
However, three consecutive losses have brought his recent momentum to a halt, and the Thai knockout specialist is making two significant changes heading into June 5: a permanent move to flyweight and a return to kickboxing for the first time in five years.
Jaosuayai Identifies the Root of His Struggles
The weight issues that have accompanied Jaosuayai's recent run have been resolved in the most direct way possible. The Thai striker and his team have identified strawweight as the source of his physical struggles.
"My team and I have finally found our answer: strawweight is just not for me. From here on out, I'm planning to focus in the flyweight division for the long haul. I am done with strawweight. Right now, my body has fully recovered, and my weight is completely dialed into the division," Jaosuayai explained.
The physical change alone does not guarantee results, but competing at the correct weight is the foundation every striker needs before any other improvement can follow.
His 60 career victories across Muay Thai competition reflect a fighter with the tools to compete at flyweight, and a body that is no longer being pushed to its limits on the scales gives those tools a better platform to perform.
Thai Star Returns to Kickboxing After Five Years
The discipline switch carries its own backstory. Jaosuayai has not competed in kickboxing for five years, and his return to the sport at The Inner Circle is not a reluctant pivot but a genuinely excited homecoming.
"I am incredibly excited and hyped. This marks my return to kickboxing after five years away. My confidence under this rule set is through the roof. I once beat two elite kickboxers in a single night to secure the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship runner-up spot," he said.
Yuan's 39-4 career record and growing ONE Championship experience make him a credible test for a fighter returning to kickboxing after a lengthy absence. Whether Jaosuayai's five-year gap from the discipline matters inside the ring against a focused young Chinese striker will be one of the central questions of the June 5 contest.
Jaosuayai Says Winning Is the Only Option
The pressure of three straight losses has not broken Jaosuayai's resolve. If anything, it has sharpened it. The Thai striker has set a personal standard that he refuses to let this losing run breach, and his words heading into the kickboxing debut carry the urgency of a fighter who understands exactly what is at stake.
"In my entire career, I have never lost four fights in a row, and I will be damned if I let that happen now. Winning is the only option. I need to restore the fans' faith in me and prove that I still belong on the global stage," he said.
A victory over Yuan on June 5 would do more than stop the losing streak. It would validate the flyweight move, announce his arrival in kickboxing under the ONE banner, and remind the fans who watched him claim his main roster contract that the fighter who earned that spot is still very much present.
Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.
