Rittidet Sor Sommai is on a hot streak, one that he hopes will stamp his ticket to the ONE Championship main roster.
The Muay Thai star will try and make it three bonuses from three fights when he faces Pompet PK Saenchai at ONE Lumpinee 44 on Friday.
Before he makes the walk at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Dec 8, discover the latest in a long line of talented fighters to emerge from the Sor Sommai Gym in Bangkok.
A young star
Rittidet was born in Sisaket, Thailand. His father was a Muay Thai fighter, so he was, in some ways, destined to head down the fighting path.
He did so at an early age, initially just for fun. But by age 6, the youngster had come around to the idea of competing in the sport and won his first fight by knockout.
While he continued to compete, Rittidet was also a talented footballer, and he could have chosen to pursue football as a potential career.
But Muay Thai offered more income and opportunities for him at an early age, so he decided to dedicate himself to "the art of eight limbs" and eventually made the move to Sor Sommai.
A bonus-winning machine
After a successful career on the regional stadium circuit in Bangkok that saw Rittidet rack up an impressive 83-7 record, the opportunity to test his mettle on the ONE Lumpinee platform emerged in 2023.
His debut didn't go according to the plan as he suffered a first-round knockout defeat to Samingdam Chor Ajalaboon at ONE Lumpinee 7 in March.
But the 26-year-old has since found his groove and has reeled off two highlight-reel knockouts in his last two appearances against America's Jalill Barnes and Thailand's Theptaksin Sor Sornsing.
The pair of crushing victories each earned the ultra-aggressive Rittidet 350,000-baht performance bonuses, courtesy of ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
The money has changed the rising star's life. The first bonus allowed him to complete the construction of his house, while the second gave him the means to be able to build a house for his family.
Grander goal
With ONE Championship at the forefront, there is now unprecedented earning potential in the sport of Muay Thai, and Rittidet has earned his share of the benefits.
But he now has his eye on an even grander goal.
The Thai prospect dreams of emulating the success of ONE world champions and fellow countrymen Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9.
First, he'll need to earn one of the 3.5-million-baht contracts on offer at ONE Lumpinee.
He's riding a wave of momentum that comes with two huge finishes and, if he continues his current trajectory, a contract won't be far away.