Liam Harrison Out, Nontachai Faces Shinji Suzuki In Bantamweight Muay Thai Clash At ONE Fight Night 38
A new striking battle has been made for the promotion’s final U.S. primetime event of the year, ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video.
British legend Liam “Hitman” Harrison was slated to face Japanese veteran Shinji Suzuki in a bantamweight kickboxing tilt, but the icon was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Now, Thai wrecking ball Nontachai Jitmuangnon has stepped in to replace him, and the bantamweight matchup will be contested under Muay Thai rules. It broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from the world-famous Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, December 5.
It may be on short notice, but the 26-year-old from Jitmuangnon Gym has a chance to make some serious noise in the bantamweight Muay Thai division.
With 51 career victories, Nontachai has built his reputation as a close-range threat. His intense clinch work and suffocating inside game have left countless opponents broken in his wake.
After winning the 2023 Road to ONE: Thailand tournament, the Thai striker raced off to a 3-0 start in ONE Championship.
Nontachai announced his arrival with a dominant decision victory over Alessio Malatesta in July 2024, and then he turned heads with a knockout of Dmitrii “The Silent Assassin” Kovtun four months later. Both catchweight Muay Thai bouts were contested at 150 pounds.
His momentum continued when he joined the featherweight division. In March, the Jitmuangnon Gym product enjoyed a successful U.S. primetime debut, beating Arian “The Destroyer” Esparza via unanimous decision.
But that streak was shattered this past July, when Abdulla Dayakaev caught him with a left hook just 24 seconds into round one. The heartbreaking knockout exposed defensive gaps Nontachai couldn’t ignore. His response, however, revealed his true character.
This past October, Nontachai dropped to the bantamweight division to face Soner Sen. The Thai striker looked lighter on his feet and flashed his improved defense, bouncing back to win via majority decision.
Now, he looks to showcase more of his potential in the weight class, but his rival is determined to extinguish his fire.
Suzuki brings two decades of experience in “the art of eight limbs.” The 40-year-old from Tokyo’s Fujimakick Muay Thai Gym earned his contract by winning the 2022 Road to ONE: Japan tournament with back-to-back knockouts.
Suzuki, however, did not have the ideal promotional debut. Suablack Tor Pran49 served him a harsh welcome, knocking him out in September 2023.
The Japanese warrior responded with grit in March 2024, displaying fast hands and crisp combinations to floor former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao en route to a unanimous decision victory.
That momentum would be short-lived, though. This past February in his battle with Jake “The One” Peacock, Suzuki controlled the early exchanges. But the English-Canadian dynamo’s body attack broke through in round three, leading to three knockdowns and a TKO stoppage.
Now, Suzuki faces a defining moment. A statement win over Nontachai would prove that he can still compete with the division’s most dangerous rising stars and instantly put him back on the winning track.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video.
