When ONE Championship premieres ONE: NextGen III, a previously recorded event, on Friday, November 26, it will be co-headlined by a bantamweight Muay Thai bout between two fan favorites.
Former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov and Pongsiri PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym meet face-to-face to see who can establish themselves in the official ONE athlete rankings at the close of 2021.
Ramazanov is currently ranked as the #5 contender in the division, but following the loss of his kickboxing crown, “Babyface Killer” is returning to his preferred Muay Thai ruleset to get back in the win column.
He has already shown what he can do under the bright lights with previous wins over Zhang Chenglong and Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy, the reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion. Ramazanov knows he can compete and beat the elite. His bout at ONE: Winter Warriors is about building momentum for another shot at gold.
The Russian’s bid for contendership is also a bid for a little bit of history. If Ramazanov moves his way to the top of the division to meet Nong-O Gaiyanghado, he could add his name to the list of two-sport champions.
But Pongsiri wants to derail all of those thoughts as he tries to usurp the #5 spot from Ramazanov.
Although the Thai warrior got off to a rough start on the global stage, he was competing at featherweight. Against the larger men, he had trouble finding sustained success. However, in his bantamweight debut against Sean Clancy, Pongsiri put together a brilliant three-round performance to acclimate himself to the bantamweight ranks in a big way.
If the Thai star is able to upset Ramazanov, he will make his case to enter the official ONE athlete rankings and begin his trek toward the top of the division. Finding his home in the bantamweight division has put him on the right track as he competes against the elite.
Although Nong-O stands strong on the top of the bantamweight mountain, nobody is unbeatable. If they can be the one to unseat the icon, they will help bolster their own legacy in the sport.
The former Lumpinee Stadium Champion and former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion offer fans another high-profile, high-stakes matchup in ONE Super Series action in one of the most stacked divisions in the sport. And their stylistic matchup should ensure a thrilling result.
ONE: NextGen III airs on Bleacher Report on Friday, November 26, at 7:30 a.m. EST/4:30 a.m. PST.
