Tomyamkoong Bhumjaithai has been knocked out twice, written off by critics, and pushed to the edge of his confidence. But the 21-year-old is still standing, and this Friday, he headlines ONE Friday Fights 149 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium against Moldovan debutant Bejenuta Maximus with back-to-back wins and the hunger of a fighter who has nothing left to prove and everything left to earn.

Rebuilt From The Ground Up

The early days were brutal. Tomyamkoong arrived at ONE Friday Fights and was stopped twice in quick succession, both results landing in front of his own people on the sport's biggest weekly stage. The critics were not quiet about it. For a young fighter still finding his footing, it could have been the end of the road.

For his sake, it was not. His family never wavered, and his teammates at PK Saenchai Muaythaigym refused to let him sink. The Thai went back to the drawing board, rebuilt his game from the ground up, and came back swinging in 2025. That led him to two straight victories, the last of them a knockout that shut every doubter up.

"After losing my first two fights, there were some critics saying I wouldn't make it in this promotion. But I had amazing support from my family and my teammates at PK Saenchai Muaythaigym. They've been behind me the whole way, which is why I never even thought about giving up," Tomyamkoong said.

"Following those two losses, I went back and completely overhauled my game. I focused heavily on my defense and sharpening my weapons, and it paid off with two back-to-back wins."

A New Test

Riding that momentum into the main event of ONE Friday Fights 149, Tomyamkoong now faces his most daunting challenge yet.

Bejenuta Maximus is a 24-year-old Moldovan bulldozer out of Team Mehdi Zatout who brings a 14-3 record, six finishes, crafty footwork, and sharp combinations that have caused problems for everyone he has shared the ring with. He is a kickboxing stylist with dangerous hands, and for Tomyamkoong, this is truly uncharted territory.

The 21-year-old Thai has never faced a foreign opponent before. But instead of nerves, he feels excitement.

"I'm stoked to finally get a crack at an international fighter. I've wanted to test myself against one for a long time," Tomyamkoong said. "Even though this is the first time in my life facing a non-Thai, I'm surprisingly not nervous at all. I've prepared well and I know I have a major edge under Muay Thai rules."

The Plan Is Simple: Walk Him Down

Tomyamkoong has done his homework on Maximus and identified exactly where the fight can be won. The Moldovan wants to work from range, use his footwork to control distance, and punish opponents who give him space.

So, Tomyamkoong is not giving him any. His gameplan centers on relentless forward pressure – cutting off the ring, taking the fight inside, and grinding Maximus down with a full Muay Thai arsenal until the tank runs dry.

If the plan holds, he believes a finish is inevitable. And in his first-ever main event appearance, a knockout of a foreign opponent would do more than earn a win. It would change the conversation around his name entirely.

"It's going to be an absolute war because I'll be the one moving forward the whole time," he said. "My goal isn't just to win; I want to finish him and make it two KOs in a row. Since this is my first time headlining a ONE Friday Fights card, knocking out a foreign opponent would really put my name on the map. It'll help me get those consistent fights I'm aiming for."

Don't miss Tomyamkoong in action at One Friday Fights 149 on beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS CONNECT (selected territories only). Click here to subscribe now!