Sam-A Gaiyanghadao

Sam-a began fighting at age 9 after following the career of his uncle and watching Muay Thai on TV. Within a few years he had already had a couple hundred fights and was fighting nearly every week. At 15 he moved to Bangkok and began training at the Petchyindee Muay Thai academy.^[2]

By the turn of the century Sam-A was fighting at both Lumpinee boxing stadium and Rajadamnern boxing stadium. He won his first stadium title in 2004 when he beat Petch T. Bangsean for the super flyweight championship of Lumpinee. Soon after he won the Thailand championship at the same weight.

By 2008 he was one of the biggest stars in Muay Thai and was frequently headlining major shows. At the beginning of the year he beat Petchboonchu FA Group for the vacant Thailand bantamweight title, and shortly after beat him again by a stoppage from an accumulation of kicks. Following a loss to Captainkane Narupai, Sam-A would stop top-tier fighters, Jenrop Sakhomsin, Penek Sitnumnoi, and Rungruanglek Lukprabart all in a row. He closed the year out by capturing the Lumpinee championship with a win over Detnarong Wor. Sangprapai.

Sam-a continued his great run of fighting in 2009 by starring in a classic rivalry with fan favorite, Pornsanae Sitmonchai. Within a 12-month period the two would go on to fight 5 times, with Sam-A winning 4 of those. His single loss would come in 2010 from a controversial knockdown called late in the fight. In this time, he emerged as a "Yodmuay" (super fighter) and became one of the few fighters in Thailand who were making 100,000 baht per fight. In 2010 he split wins over another rival, Rungruanglek Lukprabart. Towards the end of 2010, he would move up to 126 pounds and challenge top fighter Nong-O Sit Or at Lumpinee Stadium. Soon after, he would stay up in weight and again lose to a bigger fighter, Singtongnoi Por.Telakun. The size difference proved to be too much for Sam-A.

In 2011, he came back down to his natural weight and surpassed his 2008 year by going 8-0-1 and winning the Lumpinee Fighter of the Year award. His fight with reigning Fighter of the Year Kongsak Sitboonmee was amongst the biggest and most anticipated of the year. The fight was very close at the end and was ruled a draw. Soon after Sam-A's promoter told him he would buy him a new Toyota pickup truck if he won five straight fights. Sure enough he did, and Sam-A was awarded with a new Toyota pickup valued at over $50,000 after a dominant decision win over Tingtong Chor. Koyahu-Isuzu.^[7] In 2011, he changed his name from Sam-A Thor. Ratonakiat to Sam-A Gaiyanghadaogym. Despite having "gym" in the name, it is nothing more than a sponsor, with "Gaiyanghadao" literally meaning "5-star grilled chicken". For his first fight of 2012, he defeated Rungruanglek Lukprapbart by unanimous decision, and in doing so may have finished a long rivalry between the two with a 4–3 record head-to-head. The only other fighter he has fought 7 times was Yodsaenklai Fairtex.

On May 4, Sam-A fought Penake Sitnumnoi at Lumpinee Stadium with the winner expected to receive the prestigious Fighter of the Year award. Penake dropped Sam-A with an elbow in the fourth round and won by unanimous decision.^[8] During the fight, Sam-A suffered a thigh injury which caused him to stop training Muay Thai and turn to boxing instead.

On July 12, 2012, Sam-A had his first career professional boxing match. He fought Christian Abila and won by 4th-round TKO.

He made his Muay Thai comeback on August 6 and defeated Tong by unanimous decision at Lumpinee Stadium.

He was scheduled to rematch Penake Sitnumnoi on October 4, 2012, at Lumpinee but the fight was postponed when Penake suffered a shoulder injury.^[9][10]

He beat Petpanomrung Wor Sungprapai by decision at Lumpinee Stadium on November 2, 2012.^[11]

Sam-A rematched Pokaew Fonjaenchonburi on February 7, 2013, and the pair fought to a draw.^[12]

He beat Yokwitaya Petsimean on points at Lumpinee Stadium on May 10, 2013.^[13][14]

He TKO'd Phet Utong Or. Kwanmuang in round two at Lumpinee Stadium on June 7, 2013.^[15]

Sam-a beat Superlek Wor Sangrapai on points to win the vacant Thailand super bantamweight title at Lumpinee Stadium on July 12, 2013.^[16]

On October 21, 2014, Sam-A defeated Andrew Doyle by fourth-round KO to win the WBC World 60 kg Title ^[17]

On July 29, 2016, Sam-A fought Japanese kickboxer, Yuya Kono in Japan. He stopped Kono in the third round with an elbow knockout.

Sam-A retired from fighting following the fight and moved to Singapore where he joined Evolve MMA as a Muay Thai instructor.^[2]

Sam-A signed with ONE Championship when the promotion unveiled their new all-striking format: the ONE Super Series.

On January 26, 2018, he faced Joseph Lasiri at ONE Championship: Global Superheroes in the promotion's first-ever Muay Thai contest, defeating the Italian via second-round TKO.^[18]

He followed that up with a KO victory over Sergio Wielzen on May 18, 2018, to claim ONE's inaugural ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE Championship: Unstoppable Dreams.^[19]

In his first title defense on May 4, 2019, he lost the title in upset fashion to England's Jonathan Haggerty by unanimous decision at ONE Championship: For Honor.^[20]

Following his title loss, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao moved down to strawweight and eventually made his return to ONE Championship on October 13, 2019, at Tokyo. He faced Darren Rolland in Part 1 of ONE Championship: Century, where he knocked out the Frenchman in the second round.^[21]

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao then faced Wang Junguang for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Championship: Mark Of Greatness on December 6, 2019.^[22] Sam-A defeated Wang Junguang by unanimous decision to become the first ONE Kickboxing Strawweight World Champion, as well as the second two-sport World Champion in ONE Championship.^[23]

Next, Sam-A was looking to win a second title as he faced Rocky Ogden for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE Championship: King of the Jungle on February 28, 2020.^[24] After dominating the entire fight, Sam-A would go on to win by unanimous decision and become the first ONE Muay Thai Strawweight World Champion, becoming ONE Championship's second two-sport world champion in the process.^[25]

Sam-A was then scheduled to make his first defense of the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship against Josh Tonna, who was coming off a two straight wins. The two faced at ONE Championship: Reign of Dynasties on October 9, 2020. Coming into the fight as a huge favorite, Sam-A defeated Tonna via second-round TKO after delivering three knockdowns to retain the title.^[26]

Sam-A made his second defense of the ONE Muay Thai Strawweight Championship against fellow countryman and ONE promotional newcomer Prajanchai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym at ONE Championship: Battleground on July 30, 2021.^[27] After five hard-fought rounds, he ultimately lost the title by majority decision.^[28]

In February 2022, it was reported that Sam-A had retired from international competition after returning to Thailand from Singapore, where he had coached at Evolve MMA.^[3] On February 10, 2023, Nuttadaj Vachirarattanawong promoter of Petchyindee Academy announced Sam-A has not retired due to arm injury and want to return to Thailand for treatment, but the ONE team fired them back and released the news that Sam-A had retired.^[29] Chitinat Asadamongkol, president of ONE Championship Thailand, stating that organization has never released news that Sam-A will retired and Sam-A himself is still in the contract, but who went back to fight with Petchyindee battle earlier, because Nuttadaj contacted him to negotiate and there is a discussion which organization allows, with matters of this nature having to be discussed on a case-by-case basis.^[30]

After won Tongnoi Lukbanyai and Samingdam Chor.Ajalaboon at Petchyindee in Rajadamnern Stadium, Sam-A faced Ryan Sheehan on March 17, 2023, at ONE Friday Fights 9.^[31] He won the fight via knockout in the second round.^[32]

Sam-A faced Prajanchai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym in a rematch at ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23, 2023, for the interim ONE Muay Thai Strawweight Championship.^[33] He was knocked out with a right elbow in the second round.^[34]

Sam-A and his wife have two daughters and they live in Buriram, Thailand.^[35]

• Lumpinee Stadium
  • 2004 Lumpinee Stadium Super Flyweight Champion (52 kg / 115 lb)
  • 2007 Lumpinee Stadium Super Flyweight Champion (52 kg / 115 lb) (2 defenses)
  • 2008 Lumpinee Stadium Bantamweight Champion (55 kg / 122 lb) (4 defenses)
  • 2011 Lumpinee Stadium Fighter of the Year
• Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (PAT)
  • 2004 Thailand Super Flyweight Champion (52 kg / 115 lb)
  • 2006 Thailand Bantamweight Champion (53.5 kg / 118 lb)
  • 2009 Thailand Super Bantamweight Champion (55 kg / 122 lb) (3 defenses)
  • 2014 Thailand Featherweight Champion (57 kg / 126 lb)
• WBC Muaythai
  • 2014 WBC Muaythai International Super Featherweight Champion (60 kg / 132 lb)
• Toyota Marathon Muay Thai
  • 2015 Toyota Marathon Tournament Featherweight Champion (57 kg / 126 lb)
• Sports Authority of Thailand
  • 2011 Sports Authority of Thailand Fighter of the Year
• ONE Championship
  • 2018 ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion (61.2 kg / 135 lb)
  • 2020 ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion (56.7 kg / 125 lb) (1 Defense)
• Petchyindee True4U
  • 2022 True4U 126lb Champion.

• ONE Championship
  • 2019 ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion (56.7 kg / 125 lb)