Illustration of Buakaw Banchamek (AI-generated art).
Buakaw Banchamek fights are some of the best Muay Thai and Kickboxing you can watch. Buakaw Banchamek is one of the most famous Muay Thai fighters in the world. He became a world star by winning the K-1 World MAX title in 2004. He won it again in 2006.
He is known for hard Round Kicks, Sharp Knees, a tight defense and great conditioning. Along the way, he showed millions of Kickboxing fans what traditional Muay Thai looks like.
Buakaw was born on May 8, 1982, in Surin Province, Thailand. He stands about 5-foot-8 and fought most of his career near 154 pounds (70 kilograms).
Below is a look back at his career, followed by 68 of his fights, listed by year with the result of each match.
Want to skip the history? Jump straight to the fights.
Short on time? Watch highlights of his knockouts first.
This highlight reel from Lawrence Kenshin Striking Breakdowns features some of Buakaw’s best knockouts, from his early career through 2019. A big shout-out to Lawrence for putting together such great videos. If you love Muay Thai, his YouTube channel is definitely worth checking out.
Want to watch the full fights? All 68 are listed below.
Find more of his breakdowns on Lawrence Kenshin Striking Breakdowns on YouTube.
In this post:
From Surin to the World Stage
Buakaw was born Sombat Banchamek in Surin Province, in northeastern Thailand. He started training in Muay Thai when he was about eight years old.
At 15, he moved to Chachoengsao to train at the Por. Pramuk Gym. For years he fought under the name Buakaw Por. Pramuk. His ring name, Buakaw, means “White Lotus” in Thai.
He won titles at Omnoi Stadium in two weight classes. In December 2002, he won the Toyota Marathon tournament at 140 pounds at Lumpinee Stadium.
By his early twenties, he had great kicks, deep conditioning and the ability to fight at a fast pace. His biggest chance came when K-1 brought him to Japan.
What Was K-1 World MAX?
K-1 started in Japan in 1993. Its main tournament, the K-1 World Grand Prix, was open to fighters of any weight, so heavyweights like Peter Aerts and Ernesto Hoost ruled it.
In 2002, K-1 started World MAX, a separate tournament for fighters at about 70 kilograms (154 pounds). Dutch kickboxer Albert Kraus won the first one, and Japanese star Masato won it in 2003.
The Grand Prix was about the biggest men in Kickboxing. World MAX was about the faster, lighter fighters, and it brought in the best ones from Thailand, the Netherlands, Japan and around the world.
For lighter-weight kickboxers, there was no bigger prize than the K-1 World MAX championship. Winning the tournament meant being recognized as one of the best kickboxers in the world.
His First K-1 World MAX Title in 2004
K-1’s rules favored Kickboxing and limited the clinch, so Buakaw had to change how he fought.
On July 7, 2004, he entered the K-1 World MAX final tournament in Tokyo. To win it, he had to win three fights in one night.
Quarterfinal: He faced John Wayne Parr, an Australian who had spent years fighting in Thailand. Buakaw won a split decision after an extra round.
Semifinal: He stopped Japanese kickboxer Takayuki Kohiruimaki with Knees in the second round.
Final: Masato was a major star in Japan and the defending champion. Buakaw used his kicks, Knees and pressure, and won a unanimous decision after an extra round.
At 22, Buakaw was the 2004 K-1 World MAX Champion, and that night made him famous outside Thailand.
Andy Souwer and a Second K-1 Title
In 2005, Buakaw went back to the final tournament in Tokyo. He beat Jadamba Narantungalag and Albert Kraus to reach the final against Dutch kickboxer Andy Souwer.
Souwer was known for his Boxing, his Low Kicks and his aggressive Dutch style. Their fight went two extra rounds, and Souwer won a split decision.
They met again in the 2006 final, and this time Buakaw took over with his punches. He knocked Souwer down three times, and the referee stopped it in the second round.
That win made Buakaw the first fighter to win the K-1 World MAX title twice. He did it while utilizing the main weapons of his Muay Thai.
His Greatest Rivals
Buakaw fought many of the best kickboxers of his time, and several of them more than once.
- Masato: Buakaw won the 2004 final. Masato won their 2007 rematch by unanimous decision.
- Andy Souwer: three fights. Souwer won in 2005 and 2009, and Buakaw won the 2006 final.
- Albert Kraus: four fights, and they split them two each. Kraus won in February 2005 and November 2008.
- Yoshihiro Sato: five fights. Buakaw won four of them. Sato’s only win was a knockout in 2008.
- Giorgio Petrosyan: one fight, a draw in 2007. Both men were great technicians, and it is worth studying.
- John Wayne Parr: two fights. Buakaw won in K-1 in 2004 and again over five rounds in 2009.
A New Name and a New Gym
In March 2012, Buakaw left his longtime gym after a dispute with its management. From then on, he fought under the name Buakaw Banchamek.
He trained at the new Banchamek Gym and kept fighting around the world. He fought in THAI FIGHT, MAX Muay Thai, Kunlun Fight, Wu Lin Feng and other events.
He won the THAI FIGHT 70-kilogram tournament in 2011 and again in 2012. Those wins brought him a whole new group of fans.
The 2014 K-1 Final
In 2014, Buakaw made it back to the K-1 World MAX final, where he faced Germany’s Enriko Kehl.
After three rounds, the judges ruled the fight a draw, meaning they needed an extra round to decide the winner of the K-1 World MAX tournament. But Buakaw left the arena before that round could take place, so Kehl was awarded the victory.
What made this even more controversial was what happened before the fight. Buakaw had reportedly filed a police complaint about online gambling connected to the event. There were also rumors that the fight might have been fixed, although these claims were never proven.
Buakaw later explained that he didn’t want the judges deciding the outcome. He wanted the fans to decide for themselves. K-1 said it was surprised that he left and did not know why.
It remains one of the strangest endings in Buakaw’s career. He officially took the loss, but Kehl never knocked him out or beat him on the judges’ scorecards after three rounds.
Still Fighting in His Forties
While many of the fighters from Buakaw’s K-1 days have long since retired, he’s still stepping into the ring and competing in his forties.
In October 2022, he faced Yoshihiro Sato again, fourteen years after Sato knocked him out. This time Buakaw won by first-round knockout in an exhibition bout.
On November 4, 2023, he faced fellow Thai legend Saenchai in a bare-knuckle Muay Thai fight put on by BKFC. Buakaw won the fight by unanimous decision.
To see Saenchai teach his punches, read my breakdown of Saenchai’s Muay Thai punches.
In March 2024, he knocked out Minoru Kimura at RIZIN Landmark 9 in Japan. That July, he lost to Stoyan Koprivlenski in the K-1 World MAX quarterfinals.
On October 3, 2026, at 44, he beat Meng Gaofeng of China by decision in Pattaya. It was his second win over Meng in 2026.
What Made Buakaw So Dangerous
Illustration of Buakaw throwing a Rear Round Kick (AI-generated art).
Buakaw fights from an Orthodox Stance, with his left foot forward. He mixes traditional Muay Thai with the speed and combinations of Kickboxing.
- Rear Round Kick: his best-known weapon. He turns his support foot, turns his hips and drives his shin through the target. He kicks the body over and over to score, to tire an opponent and to stop his attacks.
Want to learn it? Read How to Throw a Muay Thai Rear Round Kick in Six Steps.
- Low Kicks: he uses the strategy of launching kicks to the thigh that attack an opponent’s base. They slow a fighter down and make it harder to step in and punch Buakaw.
- Teep: a push kick he uses to control distance. It stops an opponent from walking in and breaks up his combinations.
See how he counters Teeps in Seminar Sunday: Buakaw Teaches Teep Counters and Kick Catches.
- Knees: he built strong Knees as a young fighter in Thailand. Under Muay Thai rules, he can hold the clinch and land them. Under K-1 rules, he has to find quicker ways in.
- Boxing: his kicks get the attention, but his hands are good too. His Rear Cross finished Souwer in 2006, and many of his later knockouts came from his Lead Hook.
- Defense and Conditioning: he uses a high guard, Leg Checks, distance and footwork. He can keep a high pace and still throw hard kicks late in a fight.
Did Buakaw Change the Rules of Kickboxing?
When Buakaw came to K-1 in 2004, fighters could hold the clinch and throw Knees. He used those Knees to stop Takayuki Kohiruimaki on the night he won his first title.
After that, K-1 put limits on Knees from the clinch. By 2007, the rule allowed only one Knee per clinch. Later K-1 rules banned Knees while holding an opponent altogether.
Many fans believe K-1 changed the rules because Buakaw was so hard to beat in the clinch. It is a popular story, but K-1 never said so. In 2014, Buakaw told The Nation, a Thai newspaper, that he did not know why the rules changed.
Rumor or not, the story shows how big his name was. K-1 was the biggest Kickboxing show in the world, and other leagues followed with similar limits on the clinch.
In January 2025, GLORY changed its rules to allow only one strike in the clinch before fighters must break. ONE Championship’s Kickboxing rules also keep the clinch short and allow it only for attacking.
That style of Kickboxing, with less clinching and more striking from a distance, is what most fans recognize today. Whether or not the story is true, there’s no denying Buakaw’s influence on modern Kickboxing.
His Legacy
Buakaw helped bring Muay Thai to a much bigger audience around the world. His K-1 wins showed that a fighter trained in Thailand could beat the best kickboxers under their own rules.
His career covers stadium Muay Thai, K-1, THAI FIGHT, Kunlun Fight, the Rajadamnern World Series and bare-knuckle Muay Thai. As of October 2026, Wikipedia listed his record as 246 wins (74 by knockout), 25 losses and 14 draws.
Want more K-1 legends?
Watch 68 classic Peter Aerts fights, from 1988 to 2020.
Watch 47 classic Ernesto Hoost fights, from 1992 to 2014.
Watch Buakaw Banchamek Fights
Every fight below has the result and the video, and the list includes wins, losses, draws and special-rules fights. Some older videos are fan copies, not the original broadcast.
Every result below was checked against two separate published fight records.
Jump to a fight:
- 2004: Jordan Tai · John Wayne Parr #1 · Takayuki Kohiruimaki · Masato #1 · Kozo Takeda
- 2005: Albert Kraus #1 · Vasily Shish · Jadamba Narantungalag · Albert Kraus #2 · Andy Souwer #1 · Jean-Charles Skarbowsky
- 2006: Mike Zambidis · Jomhod Kiatadisak · Marco Piqué · Virgil Kalakoda · Yoshihiro Sato #1 · Gago Drago · Andy Souwer #2
- 2007: Tsogto Amara · Dzhabar Askerov #1 · Giorgio Petrosyan · Nieky Holzken #1 · Masato #2
- 2008: Yoshihiro Sato #2 · Joon Kim · Albert Kraus #3 · Yoshihiro Sato #3
- 2009: Andre Dida · John Wayne Parr #2 · Nieky Holzken #2 · Andy Souwer #3
- 2010: Jordan Watson · Hiroki Shishido #2 · Toby Imada
- 2011: Youssef Boughanem · Mickaël Piscitello
- 2012: Dzhabar Askerov #2 · Abdoul Touré · Mauro Serra · Tomoyuki Nishikawa · Vitaly Gurkov
- 2013: David Calvo · Enriko Kehl #1
- 2014: Lee Sung-Hyun · Enriko Kehl #2
- 2015: Yi Long #1 · Khayal Dzhaniev
- 2016: Liu Hainan · Kong Lingfeng #1 · Wang Weihao · Dylan Salvador · Yi Long #2
- 2017: Kong Lingfeng #2 · Azize Hlali · Marouan Toutouh
- 2018: Nayanesh Ayman #1 · Jonay Risco
- 2019: Niclas Larsen · Artem Pashporin #2 · Chris Ngimbi
- 2022: Yoshihiro Sato #5
- 2023: Saenchai · Nayanesh Ayman #2
- 2024: Minoru Kimura · Stoyan Koprivlenski · Han Wenbao
- 2026: Meng Gaofeng #1 · Meng Gaofeng #2
Buakaw Fights in 2004
1. Buakaw vs. Jordan Tai — K-1 World MAX 2004 World Tournament Open, April 7, 2004
Result: Win — unanimous decision. An early K-1 win on his way to the World MAX title.
2. Buakaw vs. John Wayne Parr #1 — K-1 World MAX 2004 Quarterfinal, July 7, 2004
Result: Win — split decision after an extra round. Two Muay Thai fighters meet under K-1 rules.
3. Buakaw vs. Takayuki Kohiruimaki — K-1 World MAX 2004 Semifinal, July 7, 2004
Result: Win — KO (Knees), Round 2. Buakaw finishes the fight to reach the final.
4. Buakaw vs. Masato #1 — K-1 World MAX 2004 Final, July 7, 2004
Result: Win — unanimous decision after an extra round. Buakaw beats the defending champion to win his first K-1 World MAX title.
5. Buakaw vs. Kozo Takeda — K-1 World MAX 2004 Champions’ Challenge, October 13, 2004
Result: Win — unanimous decision after two extra rounds. A long, close fight with a Japanese veteran.
Buakaw Fights in 2005
6. Buakaw vs. Albert Kraus #1 — K-1 World MAX 2005 Japan Tournament, February 23, 2005
Result: Loss — split decision after an extra round. Kraus wins the first of their four fights.
7. Buakaw vs. Vasily Shish — K-1 World MAX 2005 World Tournament Open, May 4, 2005
Result: Win — unanimous decision. This fight is posted in three parts, one for each round.
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
8. Buakaw vs. Jadamba Narantungalag — K-1 World MAX 2005 Quarterfinal, July 20, 2005
Result: Win — majority decision. The first of three fights Buakaw had that night.
9. Buakaw vs. Albert Kraus #2 — K-1 World MAX 2005 Semifinal, July 20, 2005
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Buakaw wins the rematch to reach his second straight final.
10. Buakaw vs. Andy Souwer #1 — K-1 World MAX 2005 Final, July 20, 2005
Result: Loss — split decision after two extra rounds. Souwer wins the title after five rounds.
11. Buakaw vs. Jean-Charles Skarbowsky — Xplosion Hong Kong, September 9, 2005
Result: Win — unanimous decision. A five-round Muay Thai fight against the French veteran.
Buakaw Fights in 2006
12. Buakaw vs. Mike Zambidis — K-1 World MAX 2006 Japan Tournament, February 4, 2006
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Buakaw’s kicks go up against the hard punching of “Iron Mike” Zambidis.
13. Buakaw vs. Jomhod Kiatadisak — WMC Explosion III, February 18, 2006
Result: Win — KO (Right Hook to the body), Round 2. Two Thai fighters meet in a WMC title fight.
14. Buakaw vs. Marco Piqué — SLAMM “Nederland vs Thailand,” March 19, 2006
Result: Win — unanimous decision. A five-round fight with the Dutch-Surinamese kickboxer.
15. Buakaw vs. Virgil Kalakoda — K-1 World MAX 2006 World Tournament Open, April 5, 2006
Result: Win — split decision after an extra round. Kalakoda’s Boxing makes this one close.
16. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #1 — K-1 World MAX 2006 Quarterfinal, June 30, 2006
Result: Win — KO (Lead Hook), Round 2. The first of their five fights.
17. Buakaw vs. Gago Drago — K-1 World MAX 2006 Semifinal, June 30, 2006
Result: Win — unanimous decision. A win over the aggressive Dutch-Armenian kickboxer.
18. Buakaw vs. Andy Souwer #2 — K-1 World MAX 2006 Final, June 30, 2006
Result: Win — TKO (Rear Cross, three knockdowns), Round 2. Buakaw becomes the first two-time K-1 World MAX Champion.
Buakaw Fights in 2007
19. Buakaw vs. Tsogto Amara — K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan Tournament, February 5, 2007
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
20. Buakaw vs. Dzhabar Askerov #1 — K-1 East Europe MAX 2007, March 17, 2007
Result: Win — unanimous decision. The first of two fights with the Russian kickboxer.
21. Buakaw vs. Giorgio Petrosyan — K-1 Scandinavia Grand Prix 2007, May 19, 2007
Result: Draw — decision. Two of the best technical strikers of their time. Watch their defense, timing and distance control.
22. Buakaw vs. Nieky Holzken #1 — K-1 World MAX 2007 Final Elimination, June 28, 2007
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Buakaw defeated Dutch kickboxer Nieky Holzken, who would later go on to win multiple world titles.
23. Buakaw vs. Masato #2 — K-1 World MAX 2007 Quarterfinal, October 3, 2007
Result: Loss — unanimous decision. Masato knocks Buakaw down in the first round and goes on to win a convincing decision, avenging his loss to Buakaw in 2004.
Buakaw Fights in 2008
24. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #2 — K-1 World MAX 2008 Japan Tournament, February 2, 2008
Result: Win — split decision after an extra round.
25. Buakaw vs. Joon Kim — K-1 Asia MAX 2008 in Seoul, February 24, 2008
Result: Win — KO (Rear Cross), Round 2.
26. Buakaw vs. Albert Kraus #3 — K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 16, April 9, 2008
Result: Win — unanimous decision after an extra round. Another close fight between two former K-1 World MAX champions.
27. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #3 — K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 8, July 7, 2008
Result: Loss — KO (Sato’s Rear Cross), Round 3. Sato scores a big upset. It is the only time Sato beat him.
Buakaw Fights in 2009
28. Buakaw vs. Andre Dida — K-1 World MAX 2009 Final 16, April 21, 2009
Result: Win — unanimous decision after an extra round.
29. Buakaw vs. John Wayne Parr #2 — Champions of Champions 2, June 26, 2009
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Their second fight, this time over five rounds.
30. Buakaw vs. Nieky Holzken #2 — K-1 World MAX 2009 Final 8, July 13, 2009
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
31. Buakaw vs. Andy Souwer #3 — K-1 World MAX 2009 Semifinal, October 26, 2009
Result: Loss — split decision after an extra round. Their third fight ends with Souwer moving on.
Buakaw Fights in 2010
32. Buakaw vs. Jordan Watson — MSA Muaythai Premier League, May 29, 2010
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
Part 1:
Part 2:
33. Buakaw vs. Hiroki Shishido #2 — Shoot Boxing World Tournament 2010 Quarterfinal, November 23, 2010
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Their second fight, four years after Buakaw knocked him out in 15 seconds. It was the first of his three fights that night.
34. Buakaw vs. Toby Imada — Shoot Boxing World Tournament 2010 Final, November 23, 2010
Result: Win — TKO (three knockdowns from Rear Low Kicks), Round 2. Buakaw wins the S-Cup, his third fight of the night. The video’s title says 2012, but they fought in 2010.
Buakaw Fights in 2011
35. Buakaw vs. Youssef Boughanem — La Nuit des Titans 6, February 12, 2011
Result: Win — TKO (dislocated shoulder), Round 1. The fight ends early when Boughanem hurts his shoulder.
36. Buakaw vs. Mickaël Piscitello — THAI FIGHT 2011 Semifinal, November 27, 2011
Result: Win — KO (Rear Horizontal Elbow), Round 3. Buakaw beat Frank Giorgi in the final on December 18 to win the tournament.
Buakaw Fights in 2012
37. Buakaw vs. Dzhabar Askerov #2 — Yokkao Extreme 2012, Milan, January 21, 2012
Result: Win — decision. Their rematch against the Russian kickboxer took place in front of a large crowd.
38. Buakaw vs. Abdoul Touré — THAI FIGHT Extreme 2012, England, August 17, 2012
Result: Win — TKO (Rear Diagonal Knee to the body), Round 2.
39. Buakaw vs. Mauro Serra — THAI FIGHT 2012 Quarterfinal, October 23, 2012
Result: Win — TKO (Rear Knee to the body), Round 3.
40. Buakaw vs. Tomoyuki Nishikawa — THAI FIGHT 2012 Semifinal, November 25, 2012
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
41. Buakaw vs. Vitaly Gurkov — THAI FIGHT 2012 Final, December 16, 2012
Result: Win — decision. Buakaw beats the fighter from Belarus to win the 2012 THAI FIGHT tournament.
Buakaw Fights in 2013
42. Buakaw vs. David Calvo — K-1 World MAX 2013 Final 16, September 14, 2013
Result: Win — KO (Lead Hook to the body), Round 1. His return to K-1, in Mallorca, Spain.
43. Buakaw vs. Enriko Kehl #1 — MAX Muay Thai 5, December 10, 2013
Result: Win — decision. Their first fight, ten months before the K-1 final.
Buakaw Fights in 2014
44. Buakaw vs. Lee Sung-Hyun — K-1 World MAX Final 4, Baku, February 23, 2014
Result: Win — unanimous decision. This semifinal win put Buakaw in the K-1 final.
45. Buakaw vs. Enriko Kehl #2 — K-1 World MAX 2014 Final, Pattaya, October 2014
Result: Loss — Buakaw left before the extra round. The three rounds ended in a draw. Buakaw did not come out for the extra round, so Kehl won the title.
Buakaw Fights in 2015
46. Buakaw vs. Yi Long #1 — Wu Lin Feng, June 6, 2015
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Their first fight, a big event in China.
47. Buakaw vs. Khayal Dzhaniev — Topking World Series 4 Semifinal, July 28, 2015
Result: Loss — decision. A close, bloody fight. Buakaw was cut by Elbows, and Dzhaniev broke his ribs and could not fight in the final.
Buakaw Fights in 2016
48. Buakaw vs. Liu Hainan — Kunlun Fight 36, January 9, 2016
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
49. Buakaw vs. Kong Lingfeng #1 — Kunlun Fight 39, March 20, 2016
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
50. Buakaw vs. Wang Weihao — Kunlun Fight 45, June 5, 2016
Result: Win — TKO (Rear High Round Kick), Round 1.
51. Buakaw vs. Dylan Salvador — Kunlun Fight 53, September 24, 2016
Result: Win — decision.
52. Buakaw vs. Yi Long #2 — Wu Lin Feng 2016, November 5, 2016
Result: Loss — unanimous decision. Yi Long wins the rematch, so each man has one win over the other.
Buakaw Fights in 2017
53. Buakaw vs. Kong Lingfeng #2 — Kunlun Fight 62, Bangkok, June 10, 2017
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
54. Buakaw vs. Azize Hlali — All Star Fight, Bangkok, August 20, 2017
Result: Win — KO (Lead Hook), Round 1. A punching finish from a fighter best known for his kicks.
55. Buakaw vs. Marouan Toutouh — Kunlun Fight 67, November 12, 2017
Result: Win — KO (Lead Hook), Round 2.
Buakaw Fights in 2018
56. Buakaw vs. Nayanesh Ayman #1 — Kunlun Fight 69, February 4, 2018
Result: Win — KO (Lead Hook), Round 1.
57. Buakaw vs. Jonay Risco — Enfusion 63, Abu Dhabi, March 5, 2018
Result: Loss — unanimous decision. A tough five-round title fight with the Spanish kickboxer.
Buakaw Fights in 2019
58. Buakaw vs. Niclas Larsen — All Star Fight 7, Phuket, January 27, 2019
Result: Win — TKO, Round 3.
59. Buakaw vs. Artem Pashporin #2 — All Star Fight: World Soldier, Bangkok, March 9, 2019
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Their second fight. Buakaw also beat him in 2015.
60. Buakaw vs. Chris Ngimbi — MAS Fight, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, October 27, 2019
Result: Win — TKO at 4:10. This fight followed MAS Fight’s special rules, featuring one continuous nine-minute round instead of the usual three or five rounds. Buakaw stopped Ngimbi just over four minutes into the fight.
Buakaw Fights in 2022
61. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #5 — Rajadamnern World Series, October 28, 2022
Result: Win — KO (Rear Cross), Round 1. An exhibition bout. Fourteen years after Sato knocked him out in K-1, Buakaw returns the favor.
Buakaw Fights in 2023
62. Buakaw vs. Saenchai — BKFC Thailand 5: Legends of Siam, Pattaya, November 4, 2023
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Two longtime friends and Muay Thai legends faced off under special bare-knuckle rules, with five two-minute rounds. Although they agreed to fight at 68.5 kilograms (151 pounds), Buakaw was naturally the bigger fighter, giving him a size and strength advantage over Saenchai.
63. Buakaw vs. Nayanesh Ayman #2 — Legend of Rajadamnern: The Revenge, December 2, 2023
Result: Win — unanimous decision. Buakaw beats Ayman again, five years after their first fight.
Buakaw Fights in 2024
64. Buakaw vs. Minoru Kimura — RIZIN Landmark 9, Kobe, March 23, 2024
Result: Win — KO (Rear Cross), Round 2. Buakaw has a rough first round, then wins with his hands in Japan.
65. Buakaw vs. Stoyan Koprivlenski — K-1 World MAX 2024 Quarterfinal, July 7, 2024
Result: Loss — unanimous decision. Twenty years to the day after winning his first K-1 World MAX title, Buakaw returned to the tournament at age 42. He lost to Koprivlenski, who went on to win the 2024 championship.
66. Buakaw vs. Han Wenbao — Rajadamnern World Series, December 21, 2024
Result: Win — unanimous decision.
Buakaw Fights in 2026
67. Buakaw vs. Meng Gaofeng #1 — T Fight All Star, Kuala Lumpur, April 24, 2026
Result: Win — unanimous decision. At 43, Buakaw beats the younger Chinese fighter in Malaysia.
68. Buakaw vs. Meng Gaofeng #2 — Pattaya, Thailand, October 3, 2026
Result: Win — decision. At 44, Buakaw beats Meng a second time, over three rounds.
The Best Buakaw Fights to Watch First
New to Buakaw? Start with these five fights before you dig into the rest of the list.
1. Buakaw vs. Masato #1 (2004): watch him use Muay Thai weapons to beat a top Japanese kickboxer for his first title. Watch it.
2. Buakaw vs. Andy Souwer #2 (2006): a great look at his sharper Boxing and his finishing power. Watch it.
3. Buakaw vs. Giorgio Petrosyan (2007): two skilled fighters using defense, timing and distance. Watch it.
4. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #3 (2008): a hard loss that shows how even great fighters can get caught. Watch it.
5. Buakaw vs. Yoshihiro Sato #5 (2022): their rivalry comes full circle fourteen years later. Watch it.
What His Fights Teach a Muay Thai Student
Buakaw’s success came from mastering the fundamentals of Muay Thai. He spent years developing the techniques that would eventually make him one of the most successful kickboxers in the world.
His powerful Round Kicks were built on proper technique, strong hip rotation, good balance, and precise timing.
He knew how to use his Teep to control distance, when to close the gap with punches, and how to turn his opponent’s attacks into opportunities to counter.
He also knew how to adjust his fighting style to different rules. Under traditional Muay Thai rules, he could use the Clinch, Knees, and Elbows. In K-1, where these techniques were restricted or prohibited, he adapted his approach while keeping his Muay Thai foundation.
Want to learn his strategies? Watch the seminar where Buakaw teaches Teep counters and kick catches.
Watch these fights in order, and you see the same basic skills work for more than twenty years.
Those basics are what I teach in my Muay Thai private lessons in Portland, Oregon, one on one.
If you’re in the Portland, Oregon area, reach out to me when you’re ready. Use the contact form on TrainWithSean.com.
