What’s At Stake For The Heroes Of ONE: FOR HONOR?

The ONE Championship Circle returns to Jakarta, Indonesia next Friday, 3 May for ONE: FOR HONOR with yet another event full of career-defining match-ups for the heroes of The Home Of Martial Arts.

There is a ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title bout, a legend’s debut with welterweight contendership implications, a contest that could bring a former World Champion back into contention for the belt, and many more match-ups that could make or break the athletes’ records.

Ahead of another stacked bout card in the Istora Senayan, check out what is at stake for the superstars on the bill.

A Muay Thai World Title On The Line

Jonathan “The General” Haggerty will face the biggest test – and biggest opportunity – of his young career in the night’s main event when he steps up to challenge Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao for the ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.

The Englishman’s ONE Super Series debut saw him produce an outstanding display to defeat fellow World Champion Joseph “Hurricane” Lasiri and book a shot at the gold, but he will have to put on the performance of his life to dethrone an icon of “the art of eight limbs.”

Sam-A has had 421 professional bouts compared to his challenger’s 15, during which he has beaten a who’s who of the sport, and won a collection of belts – including the top prize on the global stage for martial arts.

It would be a massive upset for the 21-year-old phenom from the United Kingdom to upset the Thai legend, but he will reach the pinnacle of his sport and become a global sensation if he can.

A Legend And A Rising Star Aim High

James Nakashima pushed his claims for a World Title shot in the welterweight division with a victory over Luis “Sapo” Santos at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, and now two more contenders will face off to make their own case for a shot at the gold.

Kiamrian Abbasov made an outstanding statement in his last outing as he dismantled longtime contender Agilan “Alligator” Thani at ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS in December, and he could solidify his claim to be the top contender with a win against a legend of mixed martial arts.

The Kyrgyz warrior will face ONE debutant Yushin “Thunder” Okami, who will aim to use his size, strength, and all-around mixed martial arts know-how to jump to the front of the queue.

Whoever gets their hand raised, if they can do it in style, they could leapfrog the undefeated Nakashima and book their shot against Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam.

A Chance To Make A Statement At Bantamweight

With the fourth bout between World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon in the works for later this year, there is a big window for a bantamweight contender to break from the pack and push themselves to the front of the queue to face the winner.

ONE: FOR HONOR will feature two bouts in this wide-open weight class, with an all-Indonesian clash between Paul “The Great King” Lumihi and “The Terminator” Sunoto, as well as a match-up between South Korean contender “Ottogi” Dae Hwan Kim and China’s Ayideng Jumayi.

However, the leading name in the running after 3 May could be Yusup Saadulaev. The 34-year-old is on a five-bout winning streak and was one of the top contenders in the division before he took more than a year off from action.

Even though he will return in a featherweight match-up against Thanh Le, the well-rounded Russian believes a win could set him up for a World Title tilt when he drops back down later in 2019.

A Top-Tier Featherweight Clash

Jakarta will also play host to a pivotal featherweight clash as a pair of seasoned contenders face off in a battle that will see the winner step further toward a chance to face reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen.

Tetsuya “MMA Fantasista” Yamada will arrive into the event in top form after finishing both Eric Kelly and Rafael Nunes in his last two outings. The Japanese contender has 26 career victories to his name, and will look to improve that tally with victory over a former ONE World Champion.

That man is Russian star Marat “Cobra” Gafurov – a man who is determined to bounce back to form with an impressive display against Yamada, and get his hands on the man that took the World Title away from him.