Suriyanlek Returns from Van Accident, Vows to Stop Rustam Yunusov's Unbeaten Run

The 30-year-old faces undefeated Russian prospect Rustam Yunusov in the flyweight Muay Thai main event of The Inner Circle 34 on Friday, October 9. The show streams exclusively via live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

In August, Suriyanlek was struck by a van during a morning running session. The impact left him with a head wound requiring 17 stitches and bruises across his body, forcing him to withdraw from a previous booking.

He has since made a full recovery and is returning to the ONE Friday Fights stage he has called home since 2023, where his 11 promotional wins and the highest number of performance bonuses in the weekly series reflect the most experienced and battle-hardened fighter the circuit has produced.

Suriyanlek Reveals He Was Hit by a Van, Needed 17 Stitches

The accident that forced Suriyanlek's withdrawal from his previous fight was more severe than many outside his camp may have realized. The Thai slugger has shared the full details of what happened during what should have been a routine morning run.

"I'd been training consistently after having to pull out of my last fight due to an accident. I was hit by a car, which left me with a head wound requiring 17 stitches and bruises all over my body. But everything's completely healed now. I honestly don't remember the moment I got hit – I passed out cold," Suriyanlek explained.

A head wound requiring 17 stitches sustained on a morning run is the kind of setback that would derail most fighters' seasons entirely. Suriyanlek's return to the main event of The Inner Circle 34 is the latest example of the never-back-down attitude that has made him one of ONE Friday Fights' most beloved and recognizable figures since his arrival in 2023.

Suriyanlek Backs His Power Punching to Stop Yunusov at The Inner Circle 34

The skepticism surrounding Suriyanlek's chances against an undefeated 19-year-old has not gone unnoticed. The Thai entertainer has read the social media commentary and has a response ready for everyone who has written him off before October 9.

"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. I'm going to use my power to stop him right in his tracks," he said.

Yunusov's 8-0 ONE Championship record and the momentum of a teenager dominating flyweight Muay Thai since his 2024 arrival have made him the clear favorite heading into the main event.

Suriyanlek's 86-32 career striking record and the fearless, aggressive pressure that has produced multiple ONE Friday Fights performance bonuses are the tools he is backing to change the narrative on October 9.

Suriyanlek Refuses to Be a Stepping Stone for the Young Star

The framing of the matchup as a contract-securing opportunity for the young Russian has not sat well with Suriyanlek. The Thai veteran is making clear that whatever path Yunusov is on, it does not pass through him without a genuine fight.

"People view me as a stepping stone for him to secure a contract, but I don't think it's going to be that easy for him. Passing this fight won't be a walk in the park. If I haven't secured a contract yet, he shouldn't get one either. I'm going to do everything I can to halt his momentum," he said.

Suriyanlek has been chasing the US$100,000 life-changing contract throughout his ONE Friday Fights career, and the prospect of an unbeaten teenage prospect receiving it before him while using the Thai veteran as a stepping stone has lit a fire that a van accident could not extinguish.

Watch The Inner Circle 34 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.