3 Biggest Takeaways From ONE Friday Fights 1
ONE Championship returned to the Thai capital to kick off its weekly event series at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with ONE Friday Fights 1 on January 20.
The iconic venue was packed to the rafters with an excited crowd, and they witnessed incredible Muay Thai and MMA action from beginning to end.
With a historic night in the books, here are the three biggest takeaways from ONE Friday Fights 1.
Is Nong-O Unstoppable?
Ever since coming out of retirement and joining ONE Championship in 2018, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao has been unbeatable.
The success, which has only become more dominant with each outing, continued on Friday night as he earned his 10th victory in ONE Championship and defended his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title for the seventh time.
Although Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov made his presence felt in the first round, the Thai legend quickly figured out how to break him down. In the third frame, Nong-O uncorked devastating power shots to the body and head for over two minutes until the Russian could no longer stand. It was a complete dissection by a master of his craft.
Every challenger who has stepped up and dared to dethrone the bantamweight Muay Thai king has failed. No matter his opponent’s height, reach, or style, Nong-O has been near-perfect when donning the 4-ounce gloves.
Following his fifth consecutive knockout finish and a US$50,000 performance bonus, one question remains – is there anyone who can stop Nong-O?
Prajanchai Is Back And Slicker Than Ever
Former ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PK.Saenchai used his three-round unanimous decision victory over Kompetch Sitsarawatsuer to make a loud statement.
And that statement was simply this: he is still at the top of his game.
The young gun tried to put Prajanchai’s feet to the fire in the first stanza, but the PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym representative’s defensive technique was too clean to be caught. Calm, cool, and collected, he had a solid read on his Thai compatriot.
During the final two rounds, Prajanchai utilized his impeccable boxing to separate himself in the eyes of the judges. Try as he might, Kompetch came up short while the 26-year-old answered every call and brought the crowd in Bangkok, Thailand, to their collective feet with his strikes.
The victory put the PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym star back in the win column, and now, he can build some momentum toward a rematch with the man who took his belt, Joseph Lasiri.
Seksan & Harrison Deliver Fight Of The Year Contender
Seksan Or. Kwanmuang and Tyson Harrison have set the bar for 2023 just 20 days into the new year.
The 140-pound catchweight bout featured nine minutes of nonstop Muay Thai action, with neither man backing away from the other. If one fighter landed a shot, the other was quick to respond. At the final bell, the crowd roared in approval.
In the end, “The Man Who Yields To No One” edged past Harrison, with two of the three judges giving him the nod.
While Seksan may have been the birthday boy, the fans were the ones who received a present with this matchup. The Monster Energy Fight of the Night is undoubtedly the leader in the clubhouse for 2023’s Muay Thai Fight of the Year, and it will be an exceptionally high bar to clear.
