‘They Are The Best’ – Jonathan Di Bella Breaks Down The Massive World Title Fights At The Inner Circle 19
Reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella knows exactly what it takes to perform at the highest level under the global spotlight.
This week, the Italian-Canadian virtuoso will be watching closely as four of the best strikers on the planet collide in a spectacular double-header.
The Inner Circle 19 is set to deliver an unforgettable night of elite martial arts action this Friday, June 19. Broadcasting live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium, the members-only blockbuster event features two high-stakes World Title bouts streaming exclusively for members on live.onefc.com.
In the highly anticipated main event, reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will defend her 26 pounds of gold against the division’s kickboxing titleholder, “The Queen” Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom.
Before that showdown, the co-main event will feature a colossal rematch, as newly crowned ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Samet “The King” Agdeve will put his gold on the line against two-sport, two-division king Roman Kryklia.
For Di Bella, the sheer technical caliber of these two matchups makes the upcoming card an absolute must-watch spectacle.
Di Bella Sees Generational Chess Match In Rodrigues Vs. Phetjeeja
The headline attraction stands as one of the most monumental women’s striking super-fights in recent memory. Di Bella holds an immense amount of respect for both World Champions, but he admits that Phetjeeja possesses a unique technical aura.
Fans previously caught a glimpse of that elite martial arts kinship backstage at ONE 172 in March 2025, where Phetjeeja actively trained alongside Di Bella and his father, Angelo. The Italian-Canadian recalled how naturally the Thai sensation gravitated toward technical evolution following their respective bouts.
He shared:
“She was asking us questions. She saw us go over some of my mistakes in my fight … me and my dad were going over some techniques, and she joined in. She was like, ‘Ok, I’m excited, let’s do some training!’ She wanted to learn everything.
“I think both of us were trying to fix our mistakes after our fights. That’s how we are. We want to learn every time. We’re never satisfied, so after every fight, we always need to keep learning.”
When looking at how the stylistic variables will mesh inside the ring, Di Bella views this bout as a literal clash of the female titans. In his assessment, whoever controls their preferred range will ultimately leave Thailand with the gold.
While acknowledging that Rodrigues brings a quintessential, heavy-kicking Muay Thai style to the table, the Italian-Canadian ace believes Phetjeeja’s flawless boxing could be the deciding factor in the 4-ounce gloves.
He explained:
“I really like them both. I know they are both very offensive. It could be like a 50-50 or 60-40 fight for Phetjeeja just because of her technique. Her technique is very flawless, and she has more of a boxing-based style and very good kicks. She’s very slick, and with those 4-ounce gloves, her boxing could be dangerous.
“Allycia has more of a Muay Thai style, and she is very dangerous, too.”
While Di Bella is leaning toward one side with his prediction, the strawweight kickboxing ruler will be the first to admit that choosing between the two is a really difficult task in itself. Both women possess undeniable strengths, with hardly any weaknesses.
It’s truly a battle of the greatest female strikers on the planet today, and the 29-year-old star can’t wait to see it all unfold in “The Madison Square Garden of the East.”
Di Bella said:
“These are for sure the top pound-for-pound women’s strikers. In my book, Allycia and Phetjeeja are the best women fighters in ONE. Better with the hands, Phetjeeja. With the kicks, I believe Allycia has an edge. But with the hands, it’s Phetjeeja.”
Movement And Pressure Keys In Agdeve Vs. Kryklia Sequel
The co-main event features an equally compelling narrative of redemption and supremacy. At ONE Fight Night 37 last November, Samet Agdeve shocked fans around the globe by snapping Roman Kryklia’s legendary seven-year undefeated streak to claim the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title.
Now running it back in Bangkok, the two gargantuan strikers will look to settle the score. Di Bella, who maintains a friendly social media relationship with Kryklia, laughed about the sheer physical presence of the two heavyweights while marveling at the tactical puzzle ahead of them.
He said:
“Those guys are ginormous! I really like Roman. I never met him, but we message each other on Instagram, and he’s a really cool guy.
“Samet came out of nowhere and upset everybody. He was great. He showed some great kicks, and now Roman has to try to avoid those. It’ll be fun to see.”
To successfully protect his perfect record and retain the World Title, Di Bella believes the undefeated 22-year-old Turkish titleholder must replicate the exact blueprint that brought him his initial success.
Conversely, the 6-foot-7 Ukrainian skyscraper will need to drastically adjust his footwork to avoid getting trapped against the ropes.
Analyzing the heavyweight masterclass, Di Bella concluded:
“I think Samet has to do almost the same thing as he did in his last fight. It’s one of the only ways to beat Roman because he is so big. And Roman has to do a lot of moving, a lot of in-and-out, and set up a counter-punch or counter-kick, or something. He has to counter Samet, for sure.”
