All-action brawlers Thongpoon PK Saenchai and “Mini T” Danial Williams are set to throw down in the opening bout of ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video in a strawweight Muay Thai contest that promises fireworks for as long as it lasts.
Set to air live in U.S. primetime on Friday, December 6, that matchup will take place in front of a packed house at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Both men have cemented themselves as global fan favorites who are beloved for their fearless approach to combat, savage finishing instincts, and willingness to trade blows until one fighter falls.
Before they go toe-to-toe next week, the hard-hitting strikers spoke to onefc.com about their battle.
Thongpoon: ‘My Back Is Against The Wall’
After reeling off a trio of highlight-reel victories at ONE Friday Fights, Thongpoon earned a coveted six-figure contract and a spot on ONE’s global roster.
Since then, the Thai has struggled to win consistently in his U.S. primetime appearances and will come into this bout following back-to-back decision losses against top-flight competition.
He said that he’s determined to get back in the win column at ONE Fight Night 26:
“For this fight, I am hungry for victory because if I lose again, it will affect my future in ONE. In other words, my back is against the wall right now.
“I have to push myself, be more determined, train harder, and be more sharp-witted in the fight. I have to change my mindset completely to regain my faith.”
Knowing what’s at stake in his next clash, Thongpoon promises to keep his trademark ultra-aggressive style but also plans to make some adjustments and tighten up his fight IQ.
He explained:
“For this fight, I will still use my aggressive style but fight smarter. I’ve learned from the mistakes I made last time, and I’m dialed in in for this fight. Especially when solving problems in the heat of the moment, I have to think faster.”
It’s clear that Thongpoon is open to changing tactics mid-fight if needed.
He also has plenty of respect for “Mini T,” who has competed against the best of the best across three different combat sports disciplines in ONE.
The key to victory on December 6, the Thai added, will be an intelligent yet physical approach:
“Needless to say, [Williams] has experience in all disciplines, whether it’s MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai. He’s fast. He has kickboxing footwork. If I was fighting him with my old style, I wouldn’t have a chance. I had to change my fighting style. I’m going to try to force him into the corner and hurt him.”
Williams: ‘One Of Us Is Getting Put Away’
For his part, Danial Williams is entering this fight fresh off an MMA victory over Chinese sensation Banma Duoji in October at ONE Fight Night 25.
He’s excited about his return to Muay Thai, thanks in large part to his opponent’s penchant for brawling.
“I’m a fan of [Thongpoon]. I like his style. I think we’ll make a good fight because we’re both risk-takers. So it’s gonna be a lot of entertainment for this fight.”
“Mini T” knows that his foe has talked of taking a more conservative approach this time out, but he ultimately thinks the Thai will revert to his all-action, somewhat reckless style.
At the same time, Williams believes that it’s Thongpoon’s heavy-handed brawling that makes him such a supremely dangerous opponent:
“When he does throw, he takes quite a few risks with some big, big punching strikes. So he’s got some advantage there if we go into a dogfight. It becomes a 50-50, you know, first person to land.
“I’m well aware of that, and I feel like one of us is getting put away because we both meet in the middle.”
Just like Thongpoon, Williams knows he can’t say no to a firefight.
He aims to meet the Thai head-on and start throwing until he scores the knockout – and if it comes early in the battle, that’s even better:
“The ideal way would be finishing him in the first round. I don’t wanna take too much damage, but I know my style. I do wanna stand in the middle, and I feel that’s how I’ve trained so, yeah, I just want to get it done as quick as possible. If I can get it done in the first 10 seconds, that’ll be awesome.”
