There exists in combat sports a peculiar currency more valuable than any promotional contract — the unvarnished endorsement of champions who’ve walked the path before.
When a fighter earns the confidence of legends, when men who’ve held Muay Thai titles stake their reputations on his readiness, it means something beyond statistics and winning streaks.
On Friday, January 23, 2026, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, twenty-two-year-old Thai sensation Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon will test whether that confidence is justified.
His opponent in this bantamweight Muay Thai main event is Abdulla Dayakaev, a twenty-three-year-old Russian knockout artist from Dagestan who carries his own credentials — an 8-1 promotional record with six finishes and a four-fight winning streak that mirrors Rambolek’s own momentum.
The winner at ONE Fight Night 39 could position himself as the next challenger for ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane. That possibility hovers over this fight like smoke, giving weight to every exchange and consequence to every mistake.
What makes this moment significant isn’t just the opportunity — it’s who believes Rambolek is ready to seize it.
Superbon, the ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion who coaches Rambolek, speaks with the authority of a man who’s faced the sport’s finest and emerged victorious. His assessment carries no hedging, no careful qualifications.
“He’s a total grinder. He trains incredibly hard. What really impresses me is his ‘warrior spirit’. It’s something you can’t just teach. No matter how tough the task, he’s always game. He’s got that perfect mix of natural talent and pure hustle. You can see his progress getting better and better every single day.”
That warrior spirit—the intangible quality that separates the merely skilled from the genuinely dangerous—represents the kind of attribute coaches search careers to find. Technical proficiency can be taught, conditioning can be built, strategy can be drilled. But the willingness to walk through fire, to accept any challenge regardless of difficulty, that either exists in a fighter’s core or it doesn’t.
Superbon’s confidence extends to the specific matchup, acknowledging Dayakaev’s dangerous boxing while suggesting he’s already provided the roadmap to victory.
“It’s going to be a banger. Abdulla is a dangerous guy with scary-good boxing, his hands are sharp and heavy. I’ve already given Rambolek the blueprint on how to handle high-level boxers like that. I’ve faced that style plenty of times, so I know exactly where the openings are. This fight definitely has KO potential for both sides. It’s going to be thrilling,” Superbon said.
The recognition of knockout potential from both sides adds tension to the proposition. This won’t be a chess match decided by points and positioning. It promises to be a violent collision between two young fighters carrying momentum and malicious intent.
But Superbon’s boldest claim addresses what comes next, should Rambolek emerge victorious.
“I’m confident he has world champion potential,” Superbon said. “If he puts on a dominant performance in this fight, he’s ready to challenge Nabil Anane for the title. My goal is to push him all the way to that belt within this year.”
That timeline — championship gold in 2026 — represents aggressive ambition. Most coaches temper expectations, buying time and managing pressure. Superbon does the opposite, publicly declaring his fighter ready for the sport’s highest level.
He’s not alone in that assessment.
Nong-O Hama, the former longtime ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion who trains alongside Rambolek, provides a different perspective colored by years of defending that very title. His evaluation blends praise with honest assessment of remaining gaps.
“Rambolek is naturally gifted. He has sharp weapons, heavy hands, and great ring vision. His personality is similar to [Johan Ghazali] — quiet, stays focused, and just goes home after training,” Nong-O said.
“My main focus with him has been building up his strength, stamina, and defense. Sometimes, when he faces more seasoned or sturdier opponents, he still has some gaps in his defense.”
The acknowledgment of defensive vulnerabilities matters precisely because it comes from a champion who understands what happens when those gaps appear against elite competition.
Yet even with that caveat, Nong-O’s confidence in Rambolek’s potential remains unwavering.
“He’s very confident. Rambolek has made it clear: he wants the belt. His form is peaking, and his skills are already there. We’re just adding that extra boost of confidence and power. I believe he has what it takes to become a champion within 2026 if he puts on a great performance in this upcoming fight,” Nong-O said.
The convergence of assessments — a current champion and a former champion both declaring their teammate ready for title contention — creates pressure of a specific variety. These aren’t promotional talking points or manufactured hype. These are champions staking their credibility on their fighter’s readiness.
Nong-O’s evaluation of a potential Anane matchup carries the weight of experience, acknowledging both the opportunity and the challenge.
“If he wins this fight,” Nong-O continued, “Rambolek definitely earns his spot in that conversation. Facing Nabil right now is a tall order because Nabil is on fire, but in the world of Muay Thai, anything can happen.”
That final clause — “anything can happen” — represents the sport’s fundamental truth. Skills, preparation, momentum, and coaching all matter, but inside the ring, when leather meets flesh and wills collide, certainty dissolves into chaos.
First comes Dayakaev, the Russian with scary-good boxing and his own four-fight winning streak, his own dreams of championship gold, his own belief that January 23 will belong to him.
The Dagestani carries an 8-1 promotional record and six finishes that suggest he’s no stepping stone, no convenient opponent selected to pad Rambolek’s resume.
This is a genuine test, the kind that either validates championship ambitions or exposes them as premature. With Superbon and Nong-O watching, with U.S. primetime audiences tuned in, with potential title implications hanging over every exchange, Rambolek will discover whether his coaches’ confidence is prophecy or optimism.
The answer arrives in Bangkok. By fight’s end, we’ll know if their faith was justified.
