‘It’s My Time’ – Ubaid Hussain Ready To Seize Life-Changing Opportunity At The Inner Circle 28
Undefeated British-Pakistani slugger Ubaid “Bad” Hussain has built one of the most impressive runs in ONE Championship, and he hopes to cap off that journey at The Inner Circle 28.
The 20-year-old takes on Thai standout Isannuea Sor Sasiwat in a pivotal flyweight Muay Thai matchup at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The highly anticipated event streams live in Asia primetime this Friday, August 28, exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com.
His road to this point reads like a dream. The Leeds warrior joined the promotion with a perfect 9-0 record and has since gone seven-for-seven — securing two concussive knockouts — in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
That consistency has positioned him as a genuine favorite to land the coveted US$100,000 main roster contract, and an eighth straight win could finally make it official.
Hussain will be ready to claim what he has worked toward. That said, if the timing does not line up just yet, he is prepared to keep building toward his dream one step at a time.
He said:
“I believe I’m quite close to getting the contract. But there’s no rush for me. There have been guys who have gotten the contract quickly, but when they go on to the big shows, they’re being defeated and getting exposed. I’d like to avoid that.
“My team and I want to do it slowly. But yeah, a big win here would get me that contract. So, it won’t really be a surprise. I think it’s my time.”
That measured mindset carried directly into how Hussain approached this training camp across Kiatphontip’s outlets from Leeds, England, to Bangkok.
The bulk of his preparation took place at home before making the trip to Thailand, where he has since wrapped things up with that same intensity intact.
He told onefc.com:
“This entire fight camp has been quite the same as my previous fight camps. We’ve done the hard work out in Leeds, and we started things here in Thailand at the same intensity. We’re just cutting down on the volume as the fight approaches.
“In terms of what we’ve been working on, again, it’s the usual. Nothing fancy. My game plan always works with any opponent. I’ve won seven fights already, and I’m looking to do the same in this fight.”
With preparation squared away, Hussain has already mapped out exactly how he envisions this contest unfolding at The Inner Circle 28.
Isannuea brings his own finishing ability to the matchup, and the young gun has studied the contrast between their two styles closely enough to form a confident read.
Hussain continued:
“I’m more durable, and I have a bigger volume. I can pick my shots correctly and precisely when compared to him because he sometimes misses his shots, which takes a lot of energy out of you.
“I think that’s gonna work in my favour. I can get this done with a knockout either in round two or round three with an elbow, or a spinning elbow.”
How ONE Sharpened Hussain Into A Complete Fighter
Confident as that prediction sounds, Ubaid Hussain is not biting off more than he can chew heading into The Inner Circle 28.
Seven fights under the promotional banner have shaped him into a sharper, more complete version of himself, and he believes that growth will serve him well against increasingly difficult competition.
The Leeds star reflected:
“My normal style just focuses on aggression and my boxing. But over the years, I’ve faced a lot of different guys here, and I’ve picked up better skills to switch it up on the fly.
“Even outside of camp, I constantly work on different things equally. So being complete…it gives me confidence. I think I’m the most balanced fighter in ONE. Most fighters have one style, but I can switch it up on them, and I’ve done that in my last few fights.”
That unpredictability makes Hussain a difficult puzzle to solve, and his unblemished 16-0 record stands as clear evidence of it.
Heading into this fight, he has no intention of simply relying on what has already worked. Instead, “Bad” is looking to add new layers to an already varied arsenal.
The 20-year-old added:
“I’m always showing something new with every passing fight. For this one, specifically, I want to try some spinning attacks – spinning punches, back kicks, and elbows. Maybe even an axe kick.
“I also want to show that even though I’m a foreign fighter, I do have really good traditional Muay Thai fundamentals, such as clinching and attacks in the clinch, because we do a lot of that in Leeds. I’m not your typical foreign fighter who’s only good at striking.”
