3 Massive Reasons To Watch The Inner Circle 28 on August 28
ONE Championship’s global fan base is in for a treat this Friday, August 28, as The Inner Circle 28 touches down inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, streaming live in Asia primetime exclusively for members at live.onefc.com.
Four Muay Thai bouts and a kickboxing battle round out a lineup built to keep fight fans on the edge of their seats from the opening bell to the final horn.
Without further ado, here are three reasons The Inner Circle 28 deserves a spot on your calendar.
#1 A Main Event That Promises Fireworks
Thai warrior Worapon Lukjaoporongtom and Italian ace Lenny Blasi headline the card, and they will be more than ready to prove just why their bantamweight Muay Thai meeting deserves the spotlight.
The 23-year-old Thai endured a rocky start to his ONE tenure, winning just two of his first six appearances. Since then, however, the Sor Dechapan standout has gone 7-1 across his last eight outings and carries a three-match winning streak into Friday.
That run includes back-to-back first-round knockouts of “Man of Steel” Soe Lin Oo and Arthur “Codjoe” Brossier, finishes that showcased not just his power but a noticeably sharper fight IQ compared to his earlier appearances.
Standing in his way at The Inner Circle 28 is a fighter with his own story of perseverance. Blasi’s promotional debut ended in a knockout loss, hardly the introduction the Italian hoped for, but he has responded by winning three of his last four – one in highlight-reel fashion.
A polished striker comfortable working behind his range, Blasi has also shown he will happily trade in tight quarters when the fight calls for it, and he now looks to extend his current streak to three straight against a red-hot Worapon.
Whatever the result, Friday should go a long way toward answering exactly where each man truly stands in what is arguably the promotion’s most fiercely contested weight brackets.
#2 Someone Could Walk Away With A Six-Figure Deal
Every fighter on this card carries a shot at the coveted US$100,000 main roster contract, but a handful of names stand out as especially motivated heading into Friday.
Worapon’s own case for that deal only strengthens with another statement win in the main event, but elsewhere on the card, a flyweight Muay Thai clash between Isannuea Sor Sasiwat and Ubaid “Bad” Hussain carries similarly high stakes.
Isannuea has built his entire case on devastating finishing ability. Every one of his promotional victories has come by knockout, and his hands have done nearly all the damage.
This year alone, the 22-year-old dropped Sanit Aekmuangnon with a crisp right hook before folding Khunpon Aekmuangnon with a body shot that ended matters early. The two dynamite displays reinforced why not many can survive the full three rounds with him.
Hussain, though, won’t be a walk in the park. The undefeated British-Pakistani star joined the promotion as a 9-0 prospect and has nearly doubled that total. He arrives at The Inner Circle 28 with a perfect 16-0 record, most recently disposing of Sanpet Sor Salacheep in a single round at ONE Friday Fights 160.
Two knockout artists, one massive six-figure contract on the line, and every incentive to make this clash unforgettable for all the right reasons.
#3 Flyweight Muay Thai Takes Center Stage
Beyond that firefight between Isannuea and Hussain, two more flyweight Muay Thai matchups promise to keep the global fan base thoroughly entertained throughout the night. The co-main event pits Rambong Sor Therapat against Chartpayak Saksatoon – veterans with plenty of hardware to show for their careers.
The 29-year-old Rambong brings 84 career wins and an 11-4 record in ONE, while the 28-year-old Chartpayak counters with a 71-18 slate and a 10-2 promotional run in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Both men have delivered their fair share of three-round wars over the years, though neither is a stranger to closing the show early when the opportunity arises.
Rounding out the flyweight action, Basta Abdelmouneme makes his hotly anticipated promotional debut against Fakhriddin Khasanov.
The 26-year-old Algerian arrives with plenty to prove on his first appearance under the promotional spotlight, while the 25-year-old Khasanov, sporting a 23-5 record, is chasing his first win in the promotion after dropping his opening two fights.
Both men bring the kind of skill and hunger that suggests this pairing could easily turn into one of the most entertaining battles at The Inner Circle 28 inside the mecca of Muay Thai on Friday, August 28.
