ONE Championship The Inner Circle: Jaosuayai Returns After Five Years To Face Yuan Pengjie In Flyweight

Thai striker Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi will face China's Yuan Pengjie in a flyweight kickboxing bout at ONE Championship: The Inner Circle on Friday, 5 June. The event streams on live.onefc.com, as Jaosuayai ends a five-year break from kickboxing competition.

The 24-year-old Thai fighter returns to kickboxing after recent Muay Thai struggles. He has 60 career wins but is on a three-fight losing streak in ONE Muay Thai. The move to kickboxing rules marks a clear change in approach for his career.

Jaosuayai earned eight Muay Thai wins in ONE before the setback run. Those three straight defeats affected his momentum and raised questions. Now he sees kickboxing as a platform to restart. He views this bout as vital for his standing in the promotion.

Speaking about the switch, Jaosuayai said he had waited long. "I am incredibly excited and hyped. This marks my return to kickboxing after five years away. Honestly, I've been wanting to fight under this rule set in ONE for a very long time," he said.

He also stressed his strong belief in his kickboxing skills. Jaosuayai recalled his past K-1 success to show that. "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.

Across the ring, 23-year-old Yuan Pengjie brings a 39-4 professional record. The Chinese striker enters The Inner Circle with that strong mark. His presence adds danger to Jaosuayai's return to the sport. Both athletes have strong records at relatively young ages.

Jaosuayai underlined the stakes around his recent form. "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.

The clash offers a key test for both flyweights under kickboxing rules. Jaosuayai seeks to end his losing run and restart his path. Yuan aims to add a well-known Thai name to his record on 5 June.