Worapon's Toughest Test: Facing 'Man Of Steel' for a Shot at the Big Time

The 23-year-old Thai bantamweight draws Soe Lin Oo in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 139, and the stakes couldn't be clearer – beat a fighter already on ONE Championship's main roster, and that coveted US$100,000 contract comes back into focus. Lose, and the road gets longer. Worapon Lukjaoporongtom felt like he was on the cusp of achieving his dream of receiving a six-figure contract with ONE Championship. The Thai rising star found himself on a four-bout winning streak and felt like he was one highlight-reel victory away from getting the elusive life-changing deal, but that all disappeared when he ran into Brazilian veteran Julio Lobo, who returned to action for the first time in nearly two years in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 135 last November. Worapon found it difficult to deal with Lobo's size advantage and clinch strikes, ultimately leading to a unanimous decision loss, his streak snapped, and his dream further out of sight. The southpaw from Sor Dechapan stayed in the fight until the final bell, but the larger Brazilian controlled the pace and punished him in close quarters. For a fighter who had built momentum through four straight victories, the setback hit hard. "It's a shame I couldn't get that fifth win in a row, and it felt like my dream of a ONE contract hit a roadblock,” Worapon said. “But I learned a lot of lessons from that loss. I'm using those mistakes to fix my game and come back even stronger this year.” It's a new year, and Worapon is ready to kick-start a new winning streak, but the opponents keep getting tougher. Now, he draws Soe Lin Oo in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 139. Soe Lin Oo is a Lethwei Champion who owns a 74-6 professional record. What's more, he is a contracted fighter who keeps moving forward, takes punishment, and throws nonstop punches in search of the knockout. The Myanmar powerhouse earned his roster spot the hard way – by demolishing opponents and collecting performance bonuses along the way. Known as "Man of Steel" for his relentless pressure and granite chin, Soe Lin Oo represents everything dangerous about the bantamweight Muay Thai division. He doesn't back up, he doesn't quit, and he's never been knocked out inside ONE Championship. Also, he is experienced – he has fought the division's top names including "The Man Who Yields To No One" Seksan Or Kwanmuang and reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane. Though he fell to those superstars, it is experience that can't be bought. Soe Lin Oo has seen the division’s elite, survived their best shots, and kept coming forward. That kind of veteran savvy poses serious problems for any contender still chasing a contract. "I'm excited to test myself against a contracted fighter like Soe Lin Oo. He's a top-tier brawler from Myanmar. His biggest strength is his durability, he's incredibly tough and can take a lot of strikes," Worapon said. "He struggled recently in ONE, but that's because he was facing the absolute best in the world. He might still have some holes in his game, but he's still very dangerous." Soe Lin Oo's strengths are obvious – relentless forward pressure, heavy hands, and a chin that has held up against elite competition. But those strengths come with potential weaknesses. The Myanmar brawler's constant aggression can leave him open to counter-strikes, and his willingness to walk through punches means he absorbs significant damage even in victories. Worapon sees those openings, and he's spent the past six weeks preparing to exploit them. The Thai southpaw knows he can't get drawn into a phone booth war with a fighter who thrives in chaos. Instead, he's focusing on range management, variety, and picking his moments to strike. Control the distance, land the clean shots, and avoid getting dragged into the kind of brawl where Soe Lin Oo does his best work. The game plan is clear – stay technical, stay disciplined, and wait for that perfect opening. If that opening presents itself, Worapon isn't planning to let it slip away. A knockout victory over a contracted fighter who's never been stopped inside ONE Championship would send shockwaves through the bantamweight Muay Thai division and put his name right back at the top of the contract conversation. "I'm going to be technical and pick my shots. I won't rush in blindly. I want to control the pace. If I find that perfect opening, I'm going for the finish," Worapon said. "Even though he's known for having an iron chin, everyone has a breaking point. Ending his 'no-KO' streak in ONE would be a massive statement for me."