‘I Can Knock Him Out’ – Diego Paez Plans To Shut Down Johan Ghazali In Rematch At The Inner Circle 35
Colombian-American slugger Diego Paez has lit up the global stage with three fiery battles that went down to the wire, but he intends to change that narrative at The Inner Circle 35 on Friday, October 16.
The 32-year-old faces Johan “Jojo” Ghazali in a flyweight Muay Thai rematch on the Asia primetime spectacle, which streams exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Getting back to this point has been anything but smooth for him. The bumpy road traces back to ONE Fight Night 40 in February when he was set to face Black Panther, but his opponent was forced to withdraw from the contest due to illness just hours before showtime.
The bout was, fortunately, rescheduled for ONE Fight Night 42 this past April, but event week brought a fresh scare when Paez came up short on his hydration sample. Then, when the two finally met inside the ring, the Thai emerged with the victory by a razor-close split decision.
A stretch like that tends to leave a mark, and the Southern California native spent the next few months working through it.
Paez told onefc.com:
“It is what it is. When we did fight again once it was rebooked, I got to show my discipline. I got to show my chin. I got to show my composure, but things didn’t go my way.
“However, that makes me a stronger individual, and I’m that much hungrier to go out there and put a stamp on this next one.”
That hunger now has a target, and it is a familiar one. Ghazali is the man Paez narrowly defeated at ONE Fight Night 32 in June 2025.
Two of the three judges at ringside gave the Southern California-based striker the nod after he weathered the young Malaysian-American’s pressure with a crafty blend of counters, footwork, and unorthodox strikes.
That split-decision win marked the first triumph of his tenure in the world’s largest martial arts organization. This time around, however, he is motivated to produce a more dominant outcome.
He added:
“He’s a very tough kid. He’s got a good pressure style, and he’s one of those fighters where, when you hit, you ignite him too. But I’m going out there to perform and put a stamp on it.
“I don’t want no more split decisions. I’m tired of the nods going the opposite way, so I’m going to go out there and do what I have to do to make it definite. I’ve prepared for it.”
Saying it is one thing, but doing it is another.
With a ninth career win on the line, the Classic Fight Team representative has been working on the edges of his game, which could turn a close night into a clear one, and he is confident it will show.
Paez predicted:
“I think I can knock him out. I’ve really tapped in on being more aggressive when it comes to hunting and going for the kill, as opposed to playing the scoring game and knowing when I’m ahead.
“Now, it’s [not only] about staying ahead, but seeing the finishing opportunities and going for it 100 percent. That’s what I’m going to show in this fight.”
Paez Thrives With Everything On The Line
Diego Paez’s urge to hunt for the spectacular has a reason behind it. A clear victory at this stage would mean more than a number in the win column, and the rematch lands at a crossroads for both men.
The Colombian-American is coming off the split-decision loss to Black Panther, while Ghazali is on a two-bout skid after recent setbacks to #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Shimon Yoshinari and #5-ranked Ramadan “The Scorpion” Ondash.
With both men looking to get back on track, there is plenty riding on their rematch at The Inner Circle 35, and Paez has his own read on how that shapes the night.
The Southern California resident explained:
“I don’t think he wants to lose again, and we both are in a position where we can’t afford another loss. Losing is the worst feeling in the world, and I know he feels pressure because he’s coming off of a couple of losses, too.”
Should he get his hand raised, Paez has one simple request.
The 2026-2027 ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix features eight of the division’s best strikers, among them Black Panther and Ondash, and a convincing win would give him a case worth making.
Paez offered:
“I would like to have a dominant win, and I’d like to take the mic and ask Chatri [Sityodtong, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO] to be a replacement in that tournament. It would be really cool to be a backup for that because that’s in November.
“You know, things can happen. People can miss weight or get injured. So, it would be really awesome to be in the mix for that because I’d already be at weight and physically ready.”
