3 Takeaways From ONE Friday Fights 6
On February 24, ONE Championship’s thrilling weekly martial arts spectacle in Bangkok, Thailand, picked up right where it left off.
ONE Friday Fights 6 went down at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and featured 11 MMA, kickboxing, and Muay Thai bouts that left ONE’s global fan base begging for more.
Before The Home of Martial Arts returns to the iconic arena this Friday for ONE Friday Fights 7, we break down what we learned after another exciting display of combat sports action.
Ilias Ennahachi Could Be Bantamweight Kickboxing Division’s New Destroyer
Just a few months ago, former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Ilias Ennahachi surprised the world by announcing his departure from the division he once ruled.
On Friday, Ennahachi further wowed supporters when he debuted at bantamweight and floored Aliasghar Ghodratisaraskan with a second-round knockout, forcing the audience at Lumpinee Stadium to glow with delight.
If his performance this past weekend is any indication of what’s to come, ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus should start preparing now, because it’s clear that the Moroccan-Dutch star has found a new division – and he intends to take it over.
Bogdan Shumarov Emerges As Lightweight Threat
Most Netherlands-based fighters are bona fide strikers, and Bogdan Shumarov is no different. Hailing from SB Gym in Utrecht, Shumarov has been mentored by some of the best coaches in the world — and the apprenticeship showed at ONE Friday Fights 6.
In his ONE debut, Shumarov climbed into the ring to face Tunisian striker Marwen Houli in a lightweight kickboxing affair. In the first round, the 26-year-old connected on Houli with a perfectly placed overhand right that dropped his opponent for good.
Hailing from the same gym as Ennahachi, Shumarov could be the next man to shake up the lightweight kickboxing division that is currently ruled by Regian Eersel.
Next Generation Of ONE Strikers Has Arrived
While the card was filled with experienced athletes, two young strikers stole the spotlight and gave fans a glimpse of ONE’s future.
First, 16-year-old Malaysian-American Johan “Jojo” Ghazali needed just 16 seconds and a single right hook to finish Padetsuk Fairtex in their flyweight Muay Thai battle.
Later in the show, 17-year-old Khunsueklek Boomdeksean also made a statement with his thrilling split-decision victory over Koko Sor Sommai in their atomweight Muay Thai fight.
This was Khunsueklek’s second win in the organization, and if he keeps competing with such ferocity, we may see him become the next big thing in ONE Championship.
