ONE Friday Fights 34 is set to blow the doors off Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, September 22nd, with a night of explosive action. ONE Championship is making this the best Friday Fights event to date, and it is headlined by a massive flyweight showdown. ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon meets top-ranked contender Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a long-awaited showdown between the two Thai superstars.
Why ONE Friday Fights 34 is Must Watch Combat Sports
But that is certainly not all that is happening in Bangkok. The 11-bout lineup is full of exciting action from some of the best talent around the world. What should you keep an eye on this weekend? Here are three reasons to get up bright and early for ONE Friday Fights 34.
Rodtang vs. Superlek
The clear reason why every single martial arts fan should watch ONE Friday Fights 34 is the main event. Rodtang vs. Superlek is not just the best Muay Thai matchup of the year. It is perhaps the best combat sports matchup of 2023, period.
Rodtang is a fan favorite who captivates crowds with his intensity, aggression, and charisma. Those have worked to bring him to the top of the flyweight division as the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion. But Superlek is considered by most to be the most talented and tactical flyweight in the world.
This collision of styles heightens the anticipation for the main event. The technical beauty of “The Kicking Machine” goes against the raw ferocity of “The Iron Man”. It has all of the makings of a legendary match.
Muay Thai has had an explosion of interest in 2023. It was reflected when ONE debuted in the United States in May, with Rodtang chants echoing off the rafters in Colorado. Although there is still a lot of time left in the calendar year, this feels like the Match of the Year, and it could deliver on that promise on Friday.
The Most Exciting Weekly Martial Arts Series
Aside from the potentially historic main event, ONE Friday Fights is always a must-watch, regardless of who is competing. There has not been a more exciting weekly event series in 2023. Every Friday, ONE electrifies martial arts fans with incredible performances inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
ONE Friday Fights 34 will be even better with a strong undercard of striking action. ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai competes in kickboxing action, Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai returns for a bantamweight slugfest, and Seksan Or Kwanmuang steps back inside the ring as the most exciting athlete to compete on ONE Friday Fights.
If you are a MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai fan, then this weekly series is for you. Every week, something spectacular happens, and this week promises more of the same with even more stakes at hand. This lineup is stacked and should be banger after banger in Bangkok.
The Return of Thunder Kid
Lito Adiwang burst onto the ONE scene in 2021 with impressive and exciting victories. The Filipino quickly rose the ranks of the strawweight division. However, in 2022, Adiwang suffered a torn ACL in a loss to Jeremy Miado, putting him on the sidelines.
“Thunder Kid” returns on Friday against Adrian Mattheis. It is a near-perfect return for Adiwang. The ever-exciting athlete gets a chance to ignite the crowd from the very first match on a stacked card. He can set the tone. And defeating Mattheis could put him right back in the mix in the ever-changing strawweight division.
Mattheis will be a good test to see where Adiwang stands in his return. He is also seeking a return to the top end of the division. The return of the Filipino star is a great way to kickstart the event, have an exciting matchup, and find out if he’s ready to jump back into the pool’s deep end.
ONE Friday Fights 34 airs live and free from historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The event will air on ONE’s YouTube channel. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.
