‘A Full Five-Round War’ – Regian Eersel Breaks Down World Title Clash With Rungrawee At The Inner Circle On April 10
Prepared for yet another legacy-defining moment in his historic run at the pinnacle of ONE Championship, Regian “The Immortal” Eersel is locked in and ready for battle.
The 10-time ONE World Champion is slated to face Thai striking powerhouse Rungrawee “Legatron” Sitsongpeenong for the vacant ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title. This monumental clash will headline The Inner Circle on April 10, broadcasting live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium.
Fans can tune in to the exclusive members-only extravaganza via live.onefc.com.
Now, the reigning ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Champion has the ultimate opportunity to once again cement his status as a two-sport king.
The 33-year-old Sityodtong Amsterdam representative has built his menacing reputation on surgical precision, ironclad durability, and a relentless, suffocating pace that routinely overwhelms opponents across five rounds.
However, this time, he faces an incredibly complex stylistic challenge in the form of a dangerous southpaw globally renowned for his devastating kicking arsenal.
Eersel said:
“I anticipate everything. Leg kicks, calf kicks, kicks on my right leg because he stands southpaw, kicks on the inside leg. So I’m training for everything.
“I think he’s going to kick a lot. I think he’s going to use a mix – one punch, one kick, two punches, one kick, two kicks, stuff like that.”
“Legatron’s” game is fundamentally built on punishing kicks, razor-sharp combinations, and the uncanny ability to completely disrupt his opponent’s rhythm. Most recently at ONE Fight Night 34, the Thai standout delivered a striking masterclass over three grueling rounds to earn a dominant unanimous decision victory over Youssef Assouik.
Anticipating a highly layered and tactical battle, the Surinamese-Dutch striker knows the matchup will require a balance between sharp defensive awareness and crushing offensive pressure. For a martial artist who thrives in high-paced, highly technical contests, the ultimate key to victory lies in perfectly managing the distance while imposing his own rhythm.
“The Immortal” said:
“For my part, I have to move, avoid the kicks, counter, and also attack. So I think it will be a very technical but also hard fight. I’m definitely going to absorb some kicks if we fight five rounds, that’s for sure.
“But the thing is, I’m not going to absorb every kick. As you saw with [George] Jarvis, I absorbed the left kick and I countered immediately. So we will see.”
In his most recent outing last August, Eersel defended his ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Title with surgical precision against British challenger George Jarvis. He needed less than 90 seconds to drop “G-Unit” twice, abruptly closing the show en route to a thrilling first-round knockout victory.
That predatory instinct perfectly reflects the unyielding mindset that has carried Eersel through years of unprecedented dominance across ONE’s stacked lightweight division. Regardless of the opponent or the specific circumstance, he meticulously prepares for the most physically demanding version of the fight imaginable.
Eersel offered:
“In my mind, I always think we’re going to fight five rounds. Always. I’m not going to think, ‘Oh, I’m going to beat him in the first round or the second round.’ No.
“If I see the opening, I will go for it, of course. But I don’t expect a knockout. I expect a full five-round war, a technical war between me and Rungrawee.”
Eersel Seeks To Reclaim What Was Never Lost
For Regian Eersel, this blockbuster clash with Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong at The Inner Circle on April 10 serves as a deeply personal mission to reclaim the exact belt that defined the early stages of his legendary reign in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Capturing the lightweight kickboxing crown as his very first piece of gold on the global stage back in 2019, it remains one of the most profoundly meaningful achievements of his entire career.
The 33-year-old said:
“I hope I get my baby back, my first baby, my first title in ONE Championship. I won it in 2019. So yeah, in 2026 I hope I reclaim it, win it again, and become a double champ again.
“It has a special place. It was my first title, and I also held it the longest.”
Eersel’s kickboxing reign recently came to an unusual and deeply frustrating end entirely outside of the ring.
Even after emphatically defeating Alexis “Barboza” Nicolas in their trilogy bout at ONE Fight Night 30, the Surinamese-Dutch striker was unfortunately stripped of the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title after failing to make weight while hydrated for the World Title showdown. It was a rare, bitter conclusion to an otherwise flawlessly dominant reign.
Now, with the 26 pounds of gold sitting vacant, Eersel possesses a crystal-clear path to reclaim what he feels he never truly lost and violently reestablish himself as a two-sport king.
Despite his staggering list of accolades and years of undisputed dominance, Eersel firmly believes new challengers continue to underestimate him. It is a dangerous miscalculation that has consistently worked in his favor throughout his storied career.
Standing at a towering 6-foot-2 with a deceptively lean frame, he may not visually fit the traditional mold of a one-punch heavy hitter. But the moment the cage door locks, that physical illusion instantly and painfully disappears.
Eersel concluded:
“I think a lot of fighters underestimate me a little bit. They see a tall, skinny guy and think he cannot punch that hard or kick that hard. Then the moment they feel it, I see the frustration in their eyes, like, ‘What is this? I didn’t expect this.’
“It’s going to be very explosive, and you’re going to watch me reclaim my kickboxing title back. Then I’m going to say: the king is back.”
