3 Reasons Why You Cannot Miss The Inner Circle 35 On October 16
Martial arts excellence returns to Bangkok’s hallowed Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, October 16, as The Inner Circle 35 delivers a lineup rich in compelling storylines. Streaming live in Asia primetime exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com, the card pairs world-class striking with plenty of high-stakes drama.
This week’s bill is anchored by two career-defining comebacks, a long-overdue rematch, and a boiling teenage feud about to spill over into the ring.
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Here are three reasons Friday’s showcase is must-see viewing.
#1 Prajanchai And Wang Make Long-Awaited Returns In The Main Event
After a grueling road back from injury, reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai Pongsuphan PK steps through the ropes once more to headline against former ONE World Title challenger “Golden Boy” Wang Junguang, whose own return to the global stage has been nearly six years in the making.
Prajanchai’s resume stands among the deepest in striking history, anchored by a staggering 344-53 record. While ruling the promotion’s 125-pound Muay Thai division with an iron fist, he added the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in 2024 by defeating Jonathan Di Bella to crown himself a two-sport king.
However, that short-lived reign ended at ONE Fight Night 36, when the Canadian-Italian reclaimed the belt in their five-round sequel. With their epic series leveled at 1-1, the Thai superstar underwent surgery and spent the following year rebuilding his body. A statement win here could put Prajanchai right back on track for two-sport supremacy and a potential blockbuster trilogy with Di Bella.
Wang, meanwhile, burst onto the scene in 2019, stopping Federico “The Little Big Man” Roma by first-round TKO. That win fast-tracked the former Enfusion World Champion into the inaugural ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title fight, where he fell short over five hard rounds against former two-sport and two-division ONE World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao at ONE: Mark of Greatness.
After a close split-decision loss to Aslanbek Zikreev in 2020, the Henan native stepped away and quietly stacked victories abroad, gathering ammunition for his eventual return. With both men eager to make up for lost time, Wang’s boxing-heavy pressure perfectly meets Prajanchai’s surgical precision.
The PK Saenchai Muaythaigym ace wants to prove injury has not dulled his edge, while Wang looks to seize his second chance and pursue the gold that once slipped through his fingers.
#2 A Muay Thai Rematch You Can’t Miss
Flyweight Muay Thai takes center stage as teenage sensation Johan “Jojo” Ghazali runs it back with gritty Colombian-American standout Diego Paez. Their first meeting at ONE Fight Night 32 ended in a split decision for Paez, earned by the slimmest of margins. The razor-thin result immediately sent fans clamoring for a clearer verdict.
Paez enters the rematch severely battle-tested by three straight down-to-the-wire contests in ONE. Each one ended in a split decision, including a narrow loss to Black Panther at ONE Fight Night 42 this past April.
This time, the Classic Fight Team product wants a result nobody can debate. A decisive finish over Ghazali would put him 2-0 in their rivalry and completely erase any lingering doubts from their initial encounter.
On the other side, Ghazali arrives determined to set the record straight and prove he is the superior striker. Since that loss, the Superbon Training Camp and Rentap Muaythai Gym representative has scored a blistering first-round TKO of Zakaria El Jamari and a commanding decision over Ye Yint Naung.
However, setbacks against Shimon Yoshinari and Ramadan “The Scorpion” Ondash followed, leaving him on a tough two-fight skid. Still, the 19-year-old remains one of the most dangerous finishers at flyweight, armed with five highlight-reel knockouts on the global stage.
Avenging his loss to Paez would put the Malaysian-American back in the win column and launch a fresh run toward the stacked division’s top five.
#3 Teenage Muay Thai Prodigies Meet In Heated Fight
Two 16-year-old phenoms — Olivia “Diamond” Bahsous and Malia Weaver — have been violently trading shots for months. Just not with gloves on. Their rivalry played out on social media until fans finally got their wish and the bout was made official.
Putting pen to paper has not cooled the intensity. Taunts have kept flying from both sides, with Weaver vowing to humble the Canadian when they finally share the ring.
Bahsous, meanwhile, is hellbent on backing up her words, and her early run on the weekly circuit has done plenty to fuel her confidence. The three-time IFMA Junior World Champion stopped Phontip Khlongtoeiyouthcenter and Nonglek Krudamgym inside a combined 5:17 of fight time, lifting her stellar record to 17-1.
As for Weaver, she makes her debut in the world’s largest martial arts organization boasting a 14-1 record and a 2024 TBA Classic title. The American has aggressively sharpened her skills with stints at the renowned Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya and comes fully prepared for the biggest fight of her young career.
On October 16, the talking officially stops when the opening bell sounds. Only one of them will leave Bangkok with bragging rights and the final word.
