For years, fans said they wanted to turn off the TV when he fought. Then he landed a head kick on Alexey Balyko, earned a six-figure contract on the spot, and the conversation changed overnight.
Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri faces undefeated Russian knockout specialist Kiamran Nabati in the bantamweight Muay Thai main event of The Inner Circle, streaming live for members at live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, May 22.
The 24-year-old PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym standout carries a 126-36 professional record and an 11-1 promotional slate into the fight, with nine straight wins heading into what he describes as the biggest test of his career.
Nabati arrives with a 22-0 professional record, four consecutive ONE Championship wins over world-class Thai opposition, but a year’s absence from competition. Yod-IQ sees that gap as his edge.
The head kick that knocked out Balyko at ONE Friday Fights 137 last December did more than avenge his only promotional loss. It delivered something years of winning had not managed to produce.
“In my last fight against Alexey, I was so happy to close the show with that head kick. It wasn’t just about the thrill of the win; it was about unlocking everything. He was the only person who had left a stain on my record,” he said.
“Getting that knockout win back felt like I finally cleared my history and have a clean slate again.”
Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri respects Nabati but plans to use him as a stepping stone
Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri does not pretend the Nabati matchup is anything other than what it is. He watched the tape, saw very few weaknesses, and said so without hesitation. Then he accepted the fight immediately anyway.
His strategy is built around one central idea: force Nabati to walk into him rather than the other way around. Stay fresher, move faster, use every weapon available, and make the unbeaten Russian earn every exchange.
“Even though it’s a massive challenge, I accepted the fight immediately because I want to test my level. I’ve already got a plan to handle his punches, but I’ll have to force him to be the one walking into me so I don’t play into his game,” he said.
“My only real advantage is that I’m ‘fresher’ — he’s been out for a year, while I’ve been fighting consistently. I should be faster, and I’m going to throw every Muay Thai weapon in the book at him.”
