‘I Believe I’m Next In Line’ – Anastasia Nikolakakos Stakes World Title Claim After Gritty Win Over Jihin Radzuan
Anastasia “Anniemale” Nikolakakos left Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium with her flawless professional record fully intact, but she had to walk through absolute fire to keep it that way.
The surging Canadian improved to a perfect 7-0 with a hard-fought, split-decision victory over Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan in a high-stakes atomweight MMA showdown at ONE Fight Night 45: Lessei vs. Rabah on Prime Video, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime on Friday, July 17.
After announcing herself to the global fanbase with a blistering first-round knockout against Victoria “Vick” Souza this past March, the Gracie Humaita Bolton representative arrived entirely prepared for another grueling test. This sophomore outing demanded vastly more from her, but the 36-year-old contender walked away deeply satisfied with the ultimate result.
She told onefc.com:
“We were prepared everywhere. There are always things that you want to improve on during a fight, things you want to do more, wish that you did…but all in all, I’m very blessed, I’m very grateful, and I’m happy with the outcome.
“We got the win. I think we deserved it. And that’s it. I feel good, and I’m happy to be back. It’s a great opportunity [to be] on this platform.”
The matchup absolutely lived up to its billing as a genuine, back-and-forth thriller. Nikolakakos dictated the pace early, utilizing her elite ground game to control the narrative and drag the 27-year-old Malaysian star into deep waters.
However, Jihin masterfully found her rhythm on the feet and worked effectively from the clinch to level the competitive playing field in the second stanza. It all came down to a decisive final five minutes, where the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt relied heavily on her superior takedowns, in the end doing just enough to edge out the judges’ scorecards.
Given how closely contested the battle unfolded, “Anniemale” remained her own toughest critic when grading her performance.
She continued:
“I felt that I won unanimously. But when they said split decision, I think it was just from maybe my eye being puffy. As for my performance, I’d give myself a seven [out of ten].
“I wanted to do more damage to her on the ground, in the stand-up, and just move a little bit. But I’m happy with it. Now we get to go back home and fix some things, prepare for the next opponent, and sharpen some things up a little bit.”
Anastasia Nikolakakos Credits Jihin, Eyes World Title Gold
That exact same honesty extended to how Anastasia Nikolakakos assessed the veteran across the ring from her.
Jihin Radzuan brought exactly the kind of relentless stand-up pressure the Canadian and her coaching staff had meticulously anticipated heading into fight week, and none of it caught her off guard once the bell sounded inside the mecca of Muay Thai.
That said, the undefeated athlete firmly believes the fight was always going to be won or lost based entirely on her own tactical execution.
“Anniemale” pointed out:
“She was strong. We expected her to be good at stand-up [with] good movement. So, yeah, nothing really surprised me. We knew what she was coming with. Otherwise, I don’t really know much about her.
“I don’t pay much attention to anybody else, to be honest. I didn’t even know her name going into this, and that’s the truth. Because I don’t focus on anybody. I just stay focused on myself, and whatever my coaches tell me. They do the studying, and I just go.”
With two massive promotional victories now secured and a flawless 7-0 overall record, the Toronto resident has made her ultimate ambition crystal clear. The now-vacant ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship is exactly the prize she is relentlessly chasing on the global stage.
Whether that golden opportunity arrives next, or she has to continue aggressively climbing the ranks to earn it, Nikolakakos insists she is fully prepared for the journey.
The atomweight star reflected:
“It doesn’t matter who else [I have to face], or whoever’s next. God willing, we’d win, and we’d get that belt. That’s why everybody’s here on this platform. Everybody is here for one reason: to be the best.
“So I don’t expect anything to be easy, and neither should the opponents, whoever they may be. I believe I’m next in line, and whoever it is, I will try my best to get that belt.”
