From Bullied Kid To ONE Championship Debut: Dmitri Ramos Is Ready For The Inner Circle 26
American Muay Thai prospect Dmitri Ramos is ready for the next level.
The 26-year-old from Colorado makes his ONE Championship debut against battle-tested Thai star Gingsanglek Wor Kumchamnarn in the co-main event of The Inner Circle 26 on Friday, August 14.
This bantamweight Muay Thai battle, and the entire card, streams exclusively on live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ramos is not a lifelong Muay Thai fighter. He grew up in Colorado, was bullied as a child, and began his martial arts journey at 15 with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Later, he added wrestling and boxing to his arsenal.
His ambition was always MMA, and Muay Thai entered the picture as a tool to sharpen his striking at the sport's source, bringing him to train in Thailand. His 4-2 striking record includes three finishes, and his boxing foundation gives him a technical profile that differs from most of the Thai strikers he will encounter in the bantamweight division.
Ramos Arrives at His ONE Championship Debut to Experience the Next Level
The mindset Ramos brings to his ONE Championship debut at The Inner Circle 26 is uncluttered. The American has boiled his approach down to the essentials and left no room for overthinking what his first appearance on the global stage requires.
"I'm going into this debut to win, to have fun, to enjoy myself, and to really experience the next level of competition. But first and foremost, I am going in to win. I'm a prizefighter. I want to win. That's why I'm here," Ramos said.
That prizefighter mentality was built across a childhood that forced him to develop resilience before he ever laced up a pair of gloves. The decision to start training BJJ at 15 as a response to being bullied planted the competitive seed that eventually brought him to Lumpinee Stadium.
The American Was Scared Before The Inner Circle 26 but Backs His Ability
The honesty behind Ramos' prefight admission is refreshing for a fighter making his debut on ONE Championship's global stage. He has not projected false bravado ahead of facing a veteran Thai opponent in Bangkok.
"I'm going to be honest, I was so scared the first time. I was really nervous. But I am very good at adapting mentally. I truly believe I can mentally match any obstacle that is put in front of me," he explained.
Gingsanglek, 25, carries a 45-13 career record and four ONE Championship wins into the matchup. He enters The Inner Circle 26 co-main event off a loss that snapped a three-fight winning streak, giving the Thai veteran his own motivation to perform on August 14.
Ramos Plans to Drag Gingsanglek into the Deep Water in Round Three
Having acknowledged the nerves and the challenge ahead, Ramos has arrived at a specific vision for how his match at The Inner Circle 26 unfolds. The American's boxing background and conditioning give him a clear path to victory that he has thought through in detail.
"I know my gas tank is better. I've seen him fight. My boxing, I know I have the technical advantage with my boxing. I'm gonna make him drown. Take him to the deep waters in the third round," he said.
Gingsanglek's three-fight winning streak before his most recent loss suggests a fighter with legitimate stamina and ring IQ, and the claim that Ramos' conditioning outpaces a Thai veteran with more than 50 professional appearances will be tested over three rounds on August 14.
Watch The Inner Circle 26 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.
