Superbon Out, Liu Mengyang To Face Gabriel Pereira At The Inner Circle On May 22

The ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title showdown between reigning divisional king Superbon and Chinese sensation “Spirit Dragon” Liu Mengyang has been postponed following an injury suffered by the Thai superstar.

The highly anticipated clash was originally scheduled to headline The Inner Circle on May 22, which broadcasts exclusively for subscribers on live.onefc.com from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

Although the World Title fight is off for now, Liu remains on the card and now faces dangerous Venezuelan striker Gabriel Pereira in a high-stakes featherweight kickboxing matchup that could shake up the division’s pecking order.

Meanwhile, the headline attraction will now feature a bantamweight Muay Thai firefight between surging Thai sensation Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri and undefeated Russian knockout artist Kiamran Nabati.

Liu’s rise through the featherweight ranks has been nothing short of explosive.

The 23-year-old Shunyuan Fight Club representative first announced himself to the global fan base at ONE Friday Fights 92 in December 2024, when he dropped future interim featherweight kickboxing king Masaaki Noiri with a thunderous right hook just 20 seconds into the opening round before earning a unanimous decision victory.

Four months later, “Spirit Dragon” suffered a narrow split-decision defeat to Mohammad Siasarani, but the Chinese standout quickly rebounded at ONE Friday Fights 126 with an impressive performance against Shadow Mavinn. Liu dropped the decorated Thai striker with a crushing left hook in the second round en route to a unanimous decision victory.

That win elevated his status as one of kickboxing’s most dangerous young contenders, but he delivered an even bigger statement at ONE Friday Fights 137 on December 19, 2025.

In just 52 seconds, Liu demolished ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai with a devastating calf kick knockout that instantly shook the striking world.

Now, another dangerous test awaits him in the form of Pereira.

The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been flawless since arriving in ONE Championship, extending his professional record to 40-1 with back-to-back victories.

Representing Eagle Muay Thai, Pereira debuted with a unanimous decision victory over TAKU at ONE Friday Fights 131 before edging out Hiroki Suzuki by majority decision at ONE Friday Fights 139 this past January.

Now, the Venezuelan standout has the opportunity to catapult himself into the featherweight World Title picture by defeating one of the division’s brightest stars.

While the main event has changed, fans can still expect fireworks when Yod-IQ and Nabati collide in a pivotal bantamweight Muay Thai showdown.

Yod-IQ has been on a sensational run through the weekly spectacle, compiling 11 victories in the organization and emerging as one of Thailand’s brightest young talents.

His breakthrough moment came at ONE Friday Fights 137, where he scored a life-changing knockout victory over Alexey Balyko to earn a coveted six-figure contract and spot on ONE’s global roster.

The 24-year-old switched off Balyko’s lights with a spectacular first-round head kick, further improving his remarkable 126-36 professional record. But he now faces perhaps the toughest challenge of his career.

Nabati enters the contest with a pristine 22-0 professional slate and a reputation as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers.

Representing Archangel Michael, the Russian wrecking machine burst onto the scene with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Suablack Tor Pran49 that earned him a six-figure contract to compete in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

He followed that performance with a unanimous decision win over former longtime ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama, cementing himself as a legitimate threat in the stacked division.

After his bout against Ferrari Fairtex at ONE Friday Fights 95 in January 2025 was ruled a no contest, Nabati now returns determined to push himself even closer to World Title contention.

With elite contenders looking to shake up two stacked striking divisions, The Inner Circle on May 22 promises another unforgettable night of action.