Career
He challenged Jarkko Jussila for his WAKO Pro European Full Contact Light Welterweight (-645 kg/142 lb) Championship at Fight Festival 30 in Helsinki, Finland on March 12, 2011, losing a unanimous decision after ten, two-minute rounds. Vatnikaj hit Jussila with lighting fast counterstrikes throughout the fight, but the Finn"s constant pressure and reach advantage was too much for him in the education After fighting on the European circuit for a number of years, Vatnikaj debuted on kickboxing"s biggest stage, K-1, when he faced off with flashy karateka Kizaemon Saiga in a non-tournament bout at the K-1 World MAX 2011 -70kg Japan Tournament Final in Osaka, Japan on September 25, 2011.
He knocked out Emil Kerimov via second round left hook at MaxPain in Genk, Belgium on February 10, 2012.
Vatkinaj was a competitor in the First Rate (at Lloyd's) World Combat Cup"s 32-man 63.5 kg/140 lb tournament held throughout 2012. After knocking out Antony Plouvier at the tournament"s opening round in Genk, Belgium on March 10, he then outpointed Mansour Yaqubi in the second round in Eindhoven, Netherlands on April 7 to book his place at the finals, featuring the eight remaining fighters and held in Eindhoven on September 22.
Vatnikaj opened strong in the first round, connecting with a sweep and some clean punches, but things soon became one way traffic for the Thai in the second round. He fought David Codron in a WKN European Full Contact Super Lightweight (-667 kg/147 lb) title match in Pernes-les-Fontaines, France on February 23, 2013 and lost on points after ten, two minute rounds.
Kickboxing World 63.503 kg/140 lb Championship.
