Five Facts About Moroccan Muay Thai Star Elmehdi El Jamari

Morocco World

21-05-2025

Morocco's Elmehdi El Jamari hopes to cement his status as a world-class Muay Thai fighter and a serious contender in ONE Championship's strawweight division in his second promotional bout.
El Jamari is set to face Thailand's rising star Aliff Sor Dechapan in a Strawweight Muay Thai contest that could decide the next challenger to Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 32 which kicks off at 2 a.m. (WET) on Saturday, June 7.
Before El Jamari returns to Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium, we look at five facts about the 27-year-old Moroccan. Muay Thai changed his life
El Jamari was born and raised in the Taqaddoum neighborhood in Morocco's capital city of Rabat where he watched many of his peers sink into drug addiction and a life of crime.
However, Elmehdi found martial arts as a welcome gateway to a healthy lifestyle. 'I would say martial arts saved me from so many things. I grew up in a tough neighborhood with a high crime rate. It was a difficult neighborhood. Most of the young men used to do drugs. Martial arts saved me. By practicing martial arts, I stayed away from bad friends and drugs,' he said.
Elmehdi's older brother and fellow ONE athlete Zakaria inspired him to attend Muay Thai training sessions. Elmehdi joined a local gym when he was eight years old – and he instantly found his passion in Muay Thai.
Their eldest brother Mohammad had led the way for both into Muay Thai, but unlike his younger brothers, he never turned professional due to an injury he suffered early on in training. He is a proven Muay Thai champion
After showcasing his immense talent in more than 120 amateur Muay Thai bouts, El Jamari turned professional where he has amassed a 27-1. Most recently, the Moroccan star picked up an impressive debut victory in ONE Championship over Thai counterpart Thongpoon PK Saenchai via a first-round knockout.
Before joining ONE, El Jamari had already proven his credentials as a top Muay Thai fighter, winning the Moroccan Muay Thai championship seven times, the Arab Muay Thai championship twice, and the African Muay Thai championship twice as well as Muay Thai titles at K-1 and the World Boxing Council (WBC). He has fought around the world
After dominating the Muay Thai national and regional circuits, El Jamari traveled to the UAE and then to Barcelona where he started working under his manager Hamza Ostoura.
In the following years, The Sniper rose to his nickname picked up impressive wins as he fought in UAE, Spain, Belgium, France, and Thailand. He recently revealed that he was especially thrilled to fight inside the Lumpinee Stadium and highlighted it as 'a dream come true'. He is aiming to become a ONE World Champion
With a wealth of experience and an impressive overall record, El Jamari knows he could be one win away from challenging for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai world title.
Despite focusing on his preparations for his fight against the talented Aliff, the Moroccan already has one eye on two-sport world champion Prajanchai's Muay Thai belt.
'I think Prajanchai is a very experienced fighter. But his time is up. He is aging and this is the time for a new generation of fighters. I hope I will defeat Aliff first and then Prajanchai, too,' El Jamari said. Tags: El Jamarifightingmuay thaiONE Champion