Aliff Sor Dechapan has never known a life without martial arts.
The 20-year-old Malaysian-Thai striker – who will return against Walter “Iron Hands” Goncalves at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug in U.S. primetime on November 8 – was born with combat in his veins.
Spurred on by his fighting family, Aliff committed himself to success from a young age, and that’s why, at just 20 years of age, he looks set for a long and prosperous career on the global stage.
Find out how Aliff was bred for success growing up, ahead of his strawweight Muay Thai clash at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Learning The Family Trade Early
Aliff’s father was an experienced Muay Thai competitor in his youth, which explains why martial arts was such an important part of the Sor Dechapan athlete’s upbringing.
Originally from the Thai province of Narathiwat, his father then relocated to Kota Bharu, Malaysia, which is in the far northeast of the country, close to Thailand’s southern border.
There, Aliff’s father became a naturalized Malaysian citizen and soon met his mother. The two started a family, and Aliff was born not long after.
Speaking of his childhood, Aliff told onefc.com:
“I started martial arts because my father was a former fighter. He is a Malaysian national boxer. He once fought in the SEA Games final against Somjit Jongjohor.
“But [when I was young], I didn’t really like it because it meant I didn’t have time to play with my friends because I had to train after school. So, I didn’t have many friends.”
(@aliff_rakib)Aliff credits his father’s influence – and even insistence – for fueling his early career.
As a result of his tireless dedication to success, the 20-year-old now finds himself in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and he has his father to thank:
“My father took me to fight in various places. In fact, we spent more money on travel than the fight money we received. Overall, my parents supported me financially.
“My father is my idol. He supported me in everything. He wanted me to be more successful than him, which I succeeded in doing because I was able to win a gold medal at the SEA Games, which my father could not.”
An Abrupt Start To Competitive Life
Although it seemed inevitable that the young Aliff would have a competitive career in martial arts, his actual entry point was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
He started training Muay Thai under his father’s tutelage at home at age 7, and after going to watch one of his brothers compete, he jumped in at the deep end:
“I went to watch my brother fight and then I felt like I wanted to try it too. And they just put me in to fight that day without any training.
“I was excited and had fun. The result was a draw because it was a fight for kids where they don’t focus on winning or losing.”
Although his father’s love for combat was the catalyst, it was another family member who gave Aliff the motivation to put everything into his training.
The 20-year-old’s younger brother was a member of the Malaysian national taekwondo team, but when injury dashed his sibling’s dreams, Aliff knew he had to go all-in to achieve greatness for both of them:
“When I was a kid, I was close to my younger brother. He was a pretty famous athlete, but he had an accident and was forced to stop fighting. So, I decided to fight in his place.”
A Hard Road In A New Home
If he wanted to succeed in Muay Thai, Aliff knew he had to make some sacrifices.
Doubling down on his decision to pursue a career in “the art of eight limbs,” he moved to the sport’s spiritual home of Bangkok at the age of 14, originally accompanied by his father.
It still wasn’t easy, but with time and perseverance, the young star finally settled in.
He explained:
“When I first came to Thailand, I couldn’t speak Thai at all. Life was very difficult. I had to rely on my father a lot. I also had problems adjusting to food and eating.
“When I went back to my hometown, I would cry every time I had to go back to Thailand again. But my father encouraged me to be a man.
“As time passed, I gradually adjusted to living there little by little. Until I could speak Thai more fluently.”
Reaching The Global Stage
After embedding himself in his new home of Bangkok, Aliff was forged in the fire of the city’s elite stadium circuit.
There, he built an impressive record of 53-7 and signed to compete in ONE Friday Fights. This step up was a huge move for Aliff and showed him that he could make a living from his sport:
“I was very happy to join ONE. Before, I fought for fun, but now it’s a career. I could earn money.”
The burgeoning striker posted a perfect 4-0 slate with three knockouts at ONE’s weekly Asia primetime show to earn a spot on the global roster.
Aliff has already started to secure a future for himself now that he competes among the best of the best, and this has stoked the flames for a bigger dream that would make all of his sacrifices worthwhile.
He said:
“My life has changed. I have more acquaintances and I have my own savings.
“This is a world-class event, broadcast live all over the world, which means people all over the world know me.
“My goal in ONE is to become a World Champion.”
