Black Panther traded cobras for cats under the leadership of Mehdi Zatout: “Fast attacks and an aggressive attack approach”

Names are very important in martial arts. The right name can become as dangerous as the hunter behind it.

Thai striker Black Panther will take on Colombian-American veteran Diego Paez in flyweight Muay Thai A Fighting Night 40 on Friday, February 13 in Bangkok, the Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand. The event will be broadcast live in US primetime on Amazon Prime Video. The 26-year-old brings a four-fight winning streak into this showdown.

His professional record of 80-17 proves that these skills existed long before ONE Championship came along. Thailand’s brutal stadium circuit forged those abilities over years of brutal competition.

But when legendary coach Mehdi Zatout entered the picture in 2021, everything changed. The coach understood something crucial about modern martial arts. Personal branding is important. A fighter needs a name that crosses boundaries.

“I have always used the name ‘Jong-Ang-Dam’ (Black King Cobra) during my fighting career,” he said. “But when I became a member [Team] Mehdi Zatout suggested in 2021 that I change it to something more international. He wanted me to have a stronger brand identity that foreigners could easily remember, so he gave me the name ‘Black Panther.’

Black Panther embodies the predator mentality in the ring

Black Panther is not just catchy marketing. The name reflects exactly who he is when the bell rings.

Outside the ring he carries himself with quiet dignity. Then the fight starts and everything changes. The predator emerges. Quick. Merciless. Ruthless. His fighting style made the choice of name obvious. Speed ​​defines his offense. Aggression dictates his approach. The ancient cobra identity had a similar meaning. Zatout simply translated it into something that the global audience could immediately latch onto.

His promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 9 in March 2023 did not go to plan. Veteran Tagir Khalilov knocked him out in the first round. Most fighters crumble after that kind of introduction. Black Panther refused to let one bad night define his journey. He scored victories over Mohammad Sadeghi and Suriyanlek Por Yenying. That momentum exploded at ONE Fight Night 23 in July 2024, when he flattened Ali Saldoev with a counter kick. His most recent appearance came at ONE Fight Night 37 last November, when he dropped Johan Estupinan three times before a left hook ended things.

“The reason he chose this name is because of my fighting style: fast attacks and an aggressive attacking approach,” he said. ‘Besides, the meaning doesn’t stray far from my old name, ‘Jong-Ang-Dam.’ I really liked it, so I decided to make the change, and I’ve been using it ever since.”