Say my name: Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke (Photo : Cheryl Tay)
SINGAPORE -- Last May, former Lumpinee stadium champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke (5-0) shared the cage with Filipino Roy Doliguez in a memorable war of attrition that turned out to be one of the most intense battles in ONE.
The victory earned Dejdamrong the ONE Strawweight World Championship belt, and cemented his place among ONE's elite, but more importantly, it gave the Thai veteran confidence in his ability to tough it out in a gruelling fight.
"My last fight [against Roy Doliguez] was as tough of a fight as it can get inside the cage," said the champion.
"I am grateful for the experience, thankful for the opportunity. My hard work paid off, and I am proud to be called champion."
With the belt strapped around his waist, Dejdamrong is scheduled to return to the cage to face a new opponent. He is set to do battle against Brazil's Yago Bryan, as a co-main event to the highly-anticipated Ben Askren - Luis Santos welterweight rematch next month at ONE: PRIDE OF LIONS in Singapore.
Bryan comes all the way from Rio De Janeiro and poses a different challenge to Dejdamrong than the one before.
"I know my next opponent will be looking to take the belt away from me, but I won't let that happen. I am training like I'm still hungry for a world title, nothing has changed," said Dejdamrong.
"As a martial artist, the moment you stop learning and become stagnant, that's when complacency kicks in and you lose your edge. You have to stay sharp and be on the top of your game if you want to remain the champ."
At Evolve MMA, Dejdamrong trains with a slew of world-class fighters who specialize in different fighting disciplines. The state-of-the-art training facilities of Singapore's largest MMA gym are truly above standard and has helped Dejdamrong in cultivating his talents, particularly in the ground game.
"My grappling is just as potent as my striking, because of the level of training I get at Evolve with my teammates," said Dejdamrong.
"I don't look at it like I am their superior. In the gym, we are all brothers helping each other towards the same goal -- to evolve as mixed martial artists, to be the best we can be," he added.
But skill isn't the only thing that keeps fighters on their feet. Doliguez showed Dejdamrong that having just the right amount of heart is also invaluable to a fighter.
Doliguez, who went five intense rounds with Dejdamrong last May, overcame adversity and found a way to hang tough with the Thai standout. He is the only man to have lasted more than two rounds against Dejdamrong, and at times, it seemed as if the only thing that kept Doliguez on his feet was pure heart and determination.
"I learned a lot from my last opponent. I learned that it doesn't take just skill to get victory, a fighter also needs heart and determination," said Dejdamrong.
"I fight for my family, I fight to give them a better life and to be the best that I can for my country and for my supporters. It is truly an honor to be called ONE Strawweight World Champion, but I consider it more of an honor to be in the company of people who surround me with positivity and motivation," he added.
"They are the reason I can withstand any punch or kick that lands. You can expect the best of me in my next fight. I will show the world what a true champion is. I will give it my all, and I expect nothing less of myself."
Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke defends his ONE Strawweight World Championship for the first time in front of his adoptive hometown crowd this 13 November, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for ONE: PRIDE OF LIONS.
