‘The Most Dangerous Guys In The World’ – Kiamran Nabati Sizes Up The Stacked ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Division
In the loaded ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai division, few fighters blend the ruthless instincts of a finisher with the sharp, calculated mind of a tactical surgeon quite like Kiamran Nabati.
The Russian powerhouse was set to return against Nontachai Jitmuangnon in a crucial bantamweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 46 this past August 14. However, the bout was unfortunately called off after his opponent withdrew due to illness at the eleventh hour.
While he patiently awaits his next challenge, the Archangel Michel representative keeps a close watch on one of the most talent-loaded weight classes in “the art of eight limbs.”
Kiamran Nabati Breaks Down The Fiercely Competitive World Title Race
The ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai division stands apart as an unforgiving shark tank. Every contender possesses explosive knockout power, blistering speed, and the killer instinct to produce jaw-dropping finishes on any given night.
Nabati sits comfortably among the division’s most dangerous names. The Dagestani phenom boasts a stellar 22-1 professional slate built on four extraordinary ONE victories, highlighted by a coveted US$100,000 main roster contract-winning knockout of Suablack Tor Pran49 and a commanding decision over living legend Nong-O Hama.
Now, his sights remain firmly locked on the summit currently ruled by the reigning king, ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon.
The reigning king puts his 26 pounds of gold on the line for the first time against Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri in the highly anticipated main event of The Inner Circle 30. The all-important spectacular emanates live from Bangkok on Friday, September 11, exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Evaluating the upcoming World Title tilt with a purely analytical mind, Nabati firmly believes a new king will claim the throne.
He said:
“Our division now has the most dangerous guys in the world. Rambolek is going to fight Yod-IQ, and in my opinion, I think Yod-IQ beats him.
“Yod-IQ is younger and smarter, and I think he will win. Let’s see what happens.”
Meanwhile, the queue of hungry contenders waiting to challenge the winner grows increasingly difficult to ignore. Surging Thai star Suakim Pongsuphan PK dramatically announced himself as next in line with a stunning upset over former divisional titleholder Nabil Anane in their pivotal World Title eliminator at The Inner Circle 25.
Never one to shy away from candid analysis, Nabati watched Anane drop a closely contested split decision. The Russian believes the verdict should have gone the other way, despite an expertly timed sequence from Suakim that shifted the tide and left the Algerian-Thai former titleholder trailing on the judges’ scorecards.
He offered:
“I don’t think Suakim won that fight against Nabil Anane. He got one knockdown, yes. But after that knockdown, Nabil was in control. But I guess that we just have to trust that the judges made the right call. Let’s see.”
Nabati carries his own unfinished business into this period of reflection. The split-decision defeat to Yod-IQ at ONE Friday Fights 155 this past May marked the first professional loss of his career, and the Russian has absolutely no intention of letting it stand as the final word between them.
Still, the belt remains his primary obsession. With the division’s elite tier stacked as deeply as it has ever been, Nabati knows a remarkable performance is the only currency that buys him a seat at the top table.
He declared:
“I think I need to make a statement in my next fight and win by KO, especially if I want to fight for the title. Now, our division has so many dangerous guys.”
Kiamran Nabati On Brotherhood And The Fight He Wants Most
For Kiamran Nabati, not every athlete in this perilous landscape represents a bitter adversary. Some personal bonds run far deeper than divisional rivalry.
The 31-year-old shares an unbreakable connection with fellow Russian knockout artist Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev, who significantly elevated his standing with back-to-back victories over pound-for-pound great and reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek.
While their parallel ascents could theoretically create competitive friction, Nabati takes immense pride in watching his close friend valiantly thrive on the global stage.
He shared:
“He’s a top contender now. I was so happy when he beat Superlek. Abdulla is my little brother. I was so nervous watching his fight.
“I’m so happy for him, and I’m glad he won. He’s also a very dangerous guy. He’s likely next in line, but I don’t know.”
The camaraderie, however, only goes so far. Nabati has already zeroed in on the most compelling potential step up the World Championship ladder, and the towering Nabil Anane is the name he keeps circling back to.
Having studied the rangy striking sensation carefully, the Russian believes he has already identified exactly where the vulnerabilities lie in a potential showdown.
He stated:
“I think this fight will soon come. It’s such an exciting fight for me, because he’s an interesting matchup. He’s so tall, and he has a long reach.
“But in his last fight, we saw how he doesn’t really like getting hit. He reacts badly when a punch lands on him. Suakim just hit him once, and he got knocked down. But don’t get me wrong, Nabil is a great fighter for this division.”
