Nong-O To Return Against Vladimir Kuzmin At ONE 166: Qatar

Another thrilling battle has been added to ONE 166: Qatar, with Thai legend Nong-O Hama booked to face Russian sensation Vladimir Kuzmin in a bantamweight Muay Thai showdown.  

Former longtime ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O will face Kuzmin at the Lusail Sports Arena when ONE visits the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar for the first time on Friday, March 1.  

One of the greatest Muay Thai competitors of all time, Nong-O initially posted 10 straight victories in ONE Championship, including eight consecutive World Title wins.  

The 37-year-old knocked out his last five challengers during that streak before losing his gold to current two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty. Nong-O then suffered another defeat to Nico Carrillo in his last outing, and he knows a victory is crucial if he wants to make another run toward the top.  

Still ranked #2 in the bantamweight Muay Thai division, the iconic veteran is hoping to prove that he still has what it takes to beat the current crop of young, elite strikers.  

However, Nong-O will face a serious threat against Kuzmin, a relentless striker who will bring a high pace to their battle. And while the Russian is just 2-2 in ONE, those numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Kuzmin pushed both Haggerty and Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Muangthai PK Saenchai to their limits, losing a majority decision and a split decision, respectively, so he’s certainly able to hang with the top dogs.

Given Nong-O’s high ranking and legendary reputation, the hungry 26-year-old has a lot to gain on March 1.

This pivotal Muay Thai clash adds to an enormous lineup in Qatar, which features a bevy of World Championship action, including the main event rematch between Reinier de Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE Middleweight MMA World Title. 

Stay tuned to onefc.com for more updates on the ONE 166: Qatar card.