Huge Muay Thai Bantamweight Clash Added as the Co-main Event at ONE: HEAVY HITTERS

Published 01/12/2022, 8:30 AM EST

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ONE: HEAVY HITTERS is on Friday, 14 January, and there are some major changes to the fight card.

The biggest change in the fight card is in the co-main event. Earlier, Murat Aygun was slated to fight and challenge Roman Kryklia for the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing title. However, ‘The Butcher’ had to withdraw from the fight because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Because of the challenger backing out, the champion, Kryklia, will also not compete on the card.

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The fight has been removed and now the co-main event will feature a bantamweight Muay Thai clash between Saemapetch and Tawanchai. Saemapetch is the number 1 ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender. Both men are coming off losses in their previous fight and would look to bounce back. They were originally booked to fight at ONE Championship: Battleground 3. However, Saemapatch had to withdraw from the fight because his cornerman tested positive for COVID-19.

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Several other fighters had to withdraw from the card because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Khabib Nurmagomedov will be at ONE: HEAVY HITTERS

Undefeated MMA fighter and former UFC lightweight champion will be at ONE Championship’s first event of 2022. Nurmagomedov will be there in the corner of his teammate and protege, Saygid Izagakhmaev. The Russian fighter will take on James Nakashima in an exciting bout. Both men are known for their grappling abilities and it will be interesting to see who gets the upper hand.

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The Dagestan native will make his debut in the promotion and is in for a tough fight. However, he is confident going into the fight and expects to use all his skills. He is currently 19-2 in his MMA career and is on a two-fight win streak. Given that Nakashima also has a wrestling background, Izagakhmaev is going to use his other skills.

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He said, “Since my opponent is a wrestling lover too, I think I will have to use my striking skills as well. I can use my elbows, legs, and boxing as needed. Even if I can’t take him down, I won’t fixate on something. I will beat him standing up.”

With Nurmagomedov also present at the event, fighters will try to put their best performances in.

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Written by:

Arunaditya Aima

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Arunaditya is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Post Graduate Diploma in Multimedia Journalism from IIJNM, Arunaditya aspires to be an important voice in the world of MMA and interview the likes of Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, and other such superstars of the sport. He has followed the sport for over a decade and is an ardent fan of Georges St-Pierre, who he believes is the greatest of all time.
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