From Belarus to Bangkok: Antar Kacem’s Path to ONE Championship
Antar Kacem represents a new breed of Muay Thai fighter—one forged across borders, cultures, and fighting traditions. Born in Belarus with French nationality, the 183cm striker has made Thailand his base, immersing himself in the sport’s heartland while competing on its biggest global stage: ONE Championship.
Training under the renowned Team Mehdi Zatout, Kacem has developed an aggressive, pressure-forward style that thrives inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. His professional record of 8 wins and 5 losses tells only part of the story. Four of those victories have come by knockout or TKO, establishing him as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers.
What separates Kacem from many European fighters attempting to break into Asian promotions is his commitment to living and training full-time in Thailand. This isn’t a fighter who flies in for camps—he has embedded himself in the ecosystem that produces the sport’s greatest champions.
The Victory That Changed Everything: Defeating Muangthai
Every fighter’s career has defining moments. For Antar Kacem, that moment arrived at ONE Friday Fights 126 when he faced Muangthai PK Saenchai, a ranked contender with deep credentials in Thai fighting circles.
Muangthai entered as the favorite. He carried the pedigree of training at the legendary PK Saenchai gym and had compiled an impressive record against quality opposition. Kacem was expected to provide a test, not a statement.
Instead, Kacem delivered a third-round TKO that announced his arrival among the elite. The finish wasn’t a flash knockout—it was the culmination of sustained pressure, calculated aggression, and the kind of fight IQ that only develops through years of high-level competition.
This victory moved Kacem into serious contention in ONE Championship’s stacked 65kg Muay Thai division, a weight class featuring some of the most technical strikers in the world.
Building Momentum: A Run of Devastating Finishes
The Muangthai victory didn’t emerge from nowhere. Kacem had been building toward that breakthrough with a string of impressive performances throughout 2024 and 2025.
In December 2024, at ONE Friday Fights 90, he knocked out Kongklai Sor Sommai in the second round. Seven months later, at ONE Friday Fights 116 in July 2025, he stopped Thai veteran Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree by knockout. He also holds a finish victory over Rafi Bohic, a respected veteran on the European Muay Thai circuit.
This sequence of finishes reveals a fighter who has refined his ability to hurt opponents and close fights. Early in his ONE Championship tenure, Kacem showed promise but sometimes came up short in close decisions. Now he’s eliminating doubt by eliminating opponents before the scorecards come into play.
The ONE Championship Platform and Muay Thai’s Global Reach
ONE Championship has transformed how Muay Thai reaches international audiences. By staging events at Lumpinee Stadium—the sport’s most sacred venue—while broadcasting globally, the promotion has created a pathway for fighters from outside Thailand to compete at the highest level without sacrificing authenticity.
For a Belarusian-French fighter like Kacem, this platform is essential. A decade ago, his options would have been limited to European promotions or the difficult process of building a reputation fight-by-fight in Thailand’s domestic scene. Today, he can test himself against Thai stadium champions while building an international profile.
The ONE Friday Fights series, where Kacem has compiled most of his recent victories, serves as both proving ground and showcase. Fights take place at Lumpinee under traditional Muay Thai rules, but they’re produced for global streaming audiences. Success here translates directly into opportunities on ONE Championship’s main event cards.
Fighting Style: Pressure, Power, and Precision
Kacem’s fighting style reflects his hybrid background. He brings European boxing fundamentals—clean combinations, head movement, and footwork—but has layered Thai techniques on top through years of training in Bangkok.
At 65kg, he’s a large, physical presence. Standing 183cm, he uses his reach effectively to establish distance with his jab before closing to land power shots. Unlike some European fighters who struggle with the clinch-heavy exchanges favored in Thai stadiums, Kacem has adapted his game to include effective neck wrestling and inside fighting.
His knockout power comes primarily from his hands, particularly a sharp right cross that he sets up with feints and level changes. But he’s also shown the ability to finish fights with knees in the clinch, demonstrating the well-rounded skill set required to compete against Thailand’s best.
What Comes Next for Kacem
The victory over Muangthai positions Kacem for bigger opportunities in ONE Championship’s Muay Thai rankings. The 65kg division features established names and emerging talents from Thailand, Japan, and across Southeast Asia. Breaking into title contention requires stringing together victories against increasingly difficult opposition.
Kacem has shown he belongs at this level. The question now is whether he can maintain the momentum and continue improving against fighters who will study his tendencies and prepare specifically for his pressure style.
His age and experience suggest he’s entering his prime years as a fighter. The technical foundation is solid, the power is proven, and the competitive fire is evident in every performance. All the ingredients exist for a serious run at championship relevance.
Following the Fight Journey
Combat sports fans can track Antar Kacem’s career through Peaxel, where athletes across dozens of sports connect with supporters through digital athlete cards and fantasy competition. His profile offers a window into the dedication required to compete at ONE Championship’s highest levels.
For those who appreciate Muay Thai’s technical beauty and brutal effectiveness, Kacem represents exactly what makes the sport compelling in 2026: a fighter willing to relocate across continents, train among the best, and test himself against ranked opposition with everything on the line.