June was yet another fruitful month for ONE Championship.
Among the thrilling spectacles over the last 30 days were Anatoly Malykhin‘s dominant showing to unite the ONE heavyweight world champion, Prajanchai PK.Saenchai‘s second-round knockout to claim the interim strawweight muay Thai crown, and two-sport titleholder Regian Eersel‘s successful defense of his lightweight muay Thai strap.
But world title battles weren’t the only highlights in June. The ONE Friday Fight series continued to light up Bangkok every week, and stars across all the sports under ONE’s banner produced finishes again and again to bolster the promotion’s reputation for producing the best martial arts action.
As the calendar moves to July, excitement starts to build for another month of events – and here’s what we’re looking forward to most.
1. Superlek takes next step towards two-sport glory
ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 has had a busy 2023 so far, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
“The Kicking Machine” has appeared three times this year and has won each time.
He returned to muay Thai at ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23 and scored a stifling first-round finish against debutant Nabil Anane to strengthen his claim for a shot at a World Title in the sport.
Superlek will appear in the flyweight muay Thai ranks once again at ONE Fight Night 12 on July 14, opposite dangerous Russian contender Tagir Khalilov, and a win there will surely put him in a good position to go for a second gold strap next.
2. A featherweight showdown with world title implications
A pivotal featherweight mixed martial arts battle will also go down at ONE Fight Night 11.
Former ONE featherweight world title challenger Garry Tonon (7-1) will lock horns with No. 5-ranked contender Shamil Gasanov (13-0) inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and the winner could get the next shot at Tang Kai‘s world title.
After an unsuccessful challenge of then-champion Thanh Le‘s gold last year, Tonon returned to winning ways in MMA against Johnny Nunez in January. He’ll be hoping to continue his charge against a tricky opponent in Gasanov.
The undefeated Russian made a huge impression in his ONE debut last October, making short work of former ranked featherweight Kim Jae Woong, and he is undoubtedly a man to watch in the stacked division.
Fireworks are expected when this blockbuster goes down – as both men fight for a place in the world title conversation.
3. A muay Thai prodigy graduates to the global stage
Muay Thai phenom Phetjeeja made such an impression in her two appearances at ONE’s Friday Fights this year that she was awarded a $100,000 contract and a chance to compete in the promotion’s marquee series.
“The Queen” displayed knockout power that belied her atomweight stature to score knockout wins over Fani Peloumpi and Ines Pilutti at ONE Friday Fights 9 and 14, respectively, and she’ll put that same power to the test in her next outing.
At ONE Fight Night 12, Phetjeeja will face former world title challenger Lara Fernandez in her first outing on ONE’s main roster, and it will be the perfect opportunity for her to make her name known on the global stage.
Despite her upcoming opponent’s intimidating slate, the Thai star should be able to hold her own, and her 204-12 professional record will mean she can tap into an abundance of experience when looking for the win.
