https://www.scmp.com/rss/524073/feed Nabil Anane: Known for his exceptional talent and towering presence in Muay Thai, he began training at 11, joining Venum Training Camp at 14. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest-ever WBC World Muay Thai Champion. Currently, he is the interim ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, showcasing a professional record of 40 wins. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw ONE Championship Thailand president Jitinat “Plai” Asdamongkol has said the promotion’s renewed partnership with Lumpinee Stadium was a major signal of intent, with Thailand set to remain the company’s global engine room as it targeted further domestic and international growth. Speaking after the Royal Thai Army confirmed a two-year extension with ONE, Plai said the collaboration had already reshaped the landscape of Muay Thai. “Lumpinee and the Royal Thai Army invited ONE Championship about... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3334899/one-championship-thailand-chief-outlines-bold-expansion-plans-after-lumpinee-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3334899/one-championship-thailand-chief-outlines-bold-expansion-plans-after-lumpinee-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:21:57 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Nabil Anane was ready to defend his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title against Jonathan Haggerty at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on Sunday – a dream match-up between two of the most exciting strikers in the sport. But when Haggerty withdrew through injury, the plan changed overnight. Instead, the 21-year-old Thai-Algerian phenom will now face Japan’s Hiromi Wajima under kickboxing rules at featherweight at ONE 173: Superbon vs Noiri. It is a major test for Anane, who stands 1.93 metres tall (six... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3332699/one-championship-nabil-anane-face-hiromi-wajima-one-173-after-injury-pull-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3332699/one-championship-nabil-anane-face-hiromi-wajima-one-173-after-injury-pull-out?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:32:13 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Abdulla Dayakaev believes destiny is calling ahead of his clash with Thailand’s Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon at ONE Fight Night 37 on Friday. The Dagestani knockout machine has torn through the bantamweight Muay Thai ranks and now stands on the brink of title contention. Now he sees himself with one simple mission: win in style and position himself for Jonathan Haggerty. Dayakaev will ride some serious momentum into the bout. The 23-year-old has finished four straight opponents inside the distance,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3331886/dayakaev-ready-face-destiny-one-fight-night-37-wants-jonathan-haggerty-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3331886/dayakaev-ready-face-destiny-one-fight-night-37-wants-jonathan-haggerty-next?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 05:37:28 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Kana “Krusher Queen” Morimoto is targeting a statement finish when she faces Stamp Fairtex at ONE 173 in Tokyo – and she believes stopping a former title-holder with a reputation for elbows and showmanship is the perfect way to restore the meaning behind her nickname. The former K-1 flyweight kickboxing champion meets Stamp in a three-round atomweight kickboxing bout on November 16 at Ariake Arena. The Thai star, a fan favourite in Asia, has held ONE world titles across three sports and is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3329055/one-championship-krusher-queen-aiming-statement-win-over-stamp-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3329055/one-championship-krusher-queen-aiming-statement-win-over-stamp-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 02:53:52 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Kana “Krusher Queen” Morimoto is targeting a statement finish when she faces Stamp Fairtex at ONE 173 in Tokyo – and she believes stopping a former title-holder with a reputation for elbows and showmanship is the perfect way to restore the meaning behind her nickname. The former K-1 flyweight kickboxing champion meets Stamp in a three-round atomweight kickboxing bout on November 16 at Ariake Arena. The Thai star, a fan favourite in Asia, has held ONE world titles across three sports and is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3328963/one-championship-kana-morimoto-guns-career-first-ko-against-popular-stamp-fairtex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3328963/one-championship-kana-morimoto-guns-career-first-ko-against-popular-stamp-fairtex?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:15:47 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Kickboxer Nico Carrillo got married in June and is done waiting: after a career-defining move to featherweight and a knockout win over one of the sport’s icons, the Scot is desperate to stay active and keep stopping opponents as he pushes towards a ONE Championship title shot. Carrillo faces American Luke Lessei at ONE Fight Night 37 in Bangkok next month, and while he expects an entertaining contest, he is more focused on momentum and making a statement. “I’m just buzzing to be fighting again,”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3328685/one-championship-wedding-done-next-list-kickboxer-nico-carrillo-title-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3328685/one-championship-wedding-done-next-list-kickboxer-nico-carrillo-title-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 06:50:05 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Nabil Anane’s first step into kickboxing under the ONE Championship banner ended in frustration, but he still took plenty of positives from his clash with former flyweight king Ilias Ennahachi. Already the bantamweight Muay Thai world champion, Anane looked sharp and composed in front of a packed Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on Friday. The 6ft 4in 20-year-old used his reach to full effect, scoring an early knockdown and even mixing in spinning taekwondo attacks, before he accidentally kicked his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3327086/nabil-ananes-kickboxing-debut-cut-short-haggerty-super-fight-beckons-one-173?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3327086/nabil-ananes-kickboxing-debut-cut-short-haggerty-super-fight-beckons-one-173?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 07:44:31 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw The collision course is set: Jonathan Haggerty, ONE Championship’s bantamweight kickboxing world champion, is convinced he is the man who will end Nabil Anane’s rise. Anane, already the bantamweight Muay Thai world champion at just 20 years old, is about to test himself under kickboxing rules for the first time when he meets former champion Ilias Ennahachi this Friday at ONE Friday Fights 126 in Bangkok. For Haggerty, there is little doubt that the bout is the final hurdle before he and the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3326792/one-championship-jonathan-haggerty-says-he-will-stop-rise-thai-phenom-nabil-anane?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3326792/one-championship-jonathan-haggerty-says-he-will-stop-rise-thai-phenom-nabil-anane?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:04:29 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw When Suablack Tor Pran49 steps into Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on September 26, he will be across the ring from the fighter he once idolised. For years, Seksan Or Kwanmuang has been one of Muay Thai’s most beloved warriors, famous for his relentless style and his ability to march forward no matter the punishment. Now Suablack will try to hand that same man a defeat at ONE Friday Fights 126. “It is bittersweet for me,” Suablack told the Post. “I have loved Seksan since I was about 17 years old. I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3323600/one-championship-suablack-out-beat-idol-seskan-friday-fights-126?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3323600/one-championship-suablack-out-beat-idol-seskan-friday-fights-126?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 05:37:14 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw ONE Friday Fights 126 is one of the promotion’s tentpole events, stacked with elite talent and championship implications across multiple divisions. Featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai steps into kickboxing against China’s Liu Mengyang as he looks to rebound from a loss to interim champion Masaaki Noiri. That result set up a unification bout with Superbon Singha Mawynn at ONE 173, adding extra intrigue to Friday’s clash. Bantamweight Muay Thai champion Nabil Anane is also on the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3323067/titles-not-significant-one-championship-cult-hero-seskan-wants-wow-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3323067/titles-not-significant-one-championship-cult-hero-seskan-wants-wow-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:20:46 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Former K-1 champion Yuki Yoza arrived in ONE Championship with a reputation as one of the most dangerous kickboxers in the world, and the 27-year-old has quickly lived up to it. On his debut, Yoza outpointed the previously undefeated Elbrus “The Samurai” Osmanov, before returning less than two months later to score a unanimous decision win over former bantamweight kickboxing champion Petchtanong Petchfergus. Those two statement victories have earned the Japanese star a blockbuster showdown with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3322961/one-championship-yoza-out-take-superleks-kicking-machine-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3322961/one-championship-yoza-out-take-superleks-kicking-machine-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:52:24 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Superlek Kiatmoo9 has been persuaded to return to the ring and will face Yuki Yoza in a bantamweight kickboxing clash at ONE 173 on November 16. Earlier this month, the Muay Thai legend told the Post he was unlikely to fight again in 2025. However, after he was called out by Yoza on social media, Superlek took the opportunity to get back in the ring and will fight his Japanese opponent in Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. “You said you were giving me nightmares. But when I defeat you, it’s not a nightmare,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3320114/one-championship-superlek-lured-back-ring-fight-japanese-kickboxer-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3320114/one-championship-superlek-lured-back-ring-fight-japanese-kickboxer-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:16:22 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw It has been a golden spell for Mehdi Zatout and his fighters at Venom Training Camp. From Bangkok to Tokyo, the gym has produced world champions, viral knockouts, and a growing sense that something special is happening. “We work different,” Zatout told the Post. “We train hard, but we also train smart. “We’re a team. We help each other, we push each other, but always with respect.” Zatout, a former world champion, now leads one of Asia’s top camps. His stable includes Bampara “Bambi” Kouyate,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3318103/meet-one-championship-trainer-coaching-some-hottest-talent-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3318103/meet-one-championship-trainer-coaching-some-hottest-talent-game?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 05:23:32 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Newly crowned ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane said he was ready for a superfight with Jonathan Haggerty – and his coach wanted it to happen as soon as September. The 21-year-old was handed the belt inside the ring at ONE Friday Fights 114 late last month, after Superlek Kiatmoo9 failed to make weight for their rematch back in March. It marked an unusual coronation for one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars, but Anane took it in his stride. “I didn’t know it was going to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3317705/surprised-one-muay-thai-belt-holder-nabil-anane-keen-jonathan-haggerty-superfight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3317705/surprised-one-muay-thai-belt-holder-nabil-anane-keen-jonathan-haggerty-superfight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:42:59 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Muay Thai legend Superlek Kiatmoo9 said he did not expect to fight again this year, but had his sights set on three belts when he does finally return to the ring. Speaking during a visit to Hong Kong, the 29-year-old ended speculation he could feature at the star-studded ONE 173 event in Tokyo in November, saying his next bout could be “maybe by the start of next year”. While the current ONE Championship flyweight kickboxing title holder said he was more focused on that discipline for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3317493/one-championship-superlek-eyes-3-title-shots-says-he-wont-fight-again-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kickboxing/article/3317493/one-championship-superlek-eyes-3-title-shots-says-he-wont-fight-again-year?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw Algerian Muay Thai stand-out Younes Rabah knows that victory over Shadow Singha Mawynn in the co-main event at ONE Fight Night 33 on July 12 in Bangkok will all but guarantee him a place in the featherweight Muay Thai top five – where the Thai star currently sits after a surging five-fight winning streak. “I just feel excited for this new challenge for me,” Rabah told the Post. “I feel like I’m taking one more step towards achieving my goal.” Shadow, who is ranked third after his winning run,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3315930/one-championship-younes-rabah-hopes-seal-top-5-spot-against-shadow-singha-mawynn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3315930/one-championship-younes-rabah-hopes-seal-top-5-spot-against-shadow-singha-mawynn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:43:42 +0000