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Worapon and Blasi Bring Youth, Ambition, and Big Plans to The Inner Circle 28

57 min ago2 min read
Muay Thai fighters Worapon Lukjaoporongtom and Lenny Blasi face off ahead of The Inner Circle 28
Muay Thai fighters Worapon Lukjaoporongtom and Lenny Blasi face off ahead of The Inner Circle 28ONE Championship

Thai star Worapon Lukjaoporongtom and Italian striker Lenny Blasi have both spoken ahead of their main event clash at The Inner Circle 28.

The two will headline The Inner Circle 28, live on Friday, August 28. The show streams exclusively on live.onefc.com from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Worapon enters the bantamweight Muay Thai contest with serious momentum. The 23-year-old Thai has won seven of his last eight bouts and carries 71 career wins into the main event. A clean knockout finish could deliver the US$100,000 main roster contract he has been building toward.

Blasi brings a 31-8 striking record into the tilt, arriving on a two-fight winning streak and with the confidence of a young Italian who has been competing at the highest level since his promotional debut three years ago.

Worapon Rates Blasi as Dangerous for His Versatility

Worapon acknowledges his advantage in competitive experience while refusing to dismiss a 22-year-old opponent who has already proven himself against quality opposition inside the ring.

"I believe I hold the edge in fight experience and ring maturity, but he's still a dangerous opponent because of his versatility. Unlike some foreign fighters who rely solely on boxing, he brings knees and kicks into the mix," Worapon said.

The versatility Worapon identified is precisely what gives Blasi his best chance against a Thai veteran with 71 career wins. A foreign striker who commits to the clinch and uses elbows, knees, and kicks alongside his boxing presents a more complex problem than a pure puncher.

Blasi Has a Specific Plan for Worapon's Clinch, Plans to Go for the Knockout

Blasi has done his own homework and arrived at a clear read on the Thai fighter's most dangerous attributes. The Italian has identified the areas he must control and backed himself to handle them with the experience accumulated across around 40 professional fights.

"His biggest strength for sure is the clinch. And his left kick is fast and is good. All my career, I've faced southpaws, so it's not a new deal for me. But overall, I will use my instinct, and I will try to go for the KO for sure," he explained.

Blasi's 31-8 career record reflect a rising star who is operating well above his age bracket, and the explicit intention to hunt a knockout against a Thai veteran who has won seven of his last eight bouts is a bold statement of intent from a fighter whose instincts have served him well so far.

Worapon Has One Eye on the US$100,000 Contract at The Inner Circle 28

Worapon has a very specific professional target attached to August 28. The Thai has laid out plainly what a dominant performance could do for his career and has accepted the challenge of making it happen in real time.

"Securing that ONE contract is definitely the goal, and it all comes down to performance. If I deliver an impressive performance and land a clean finish, the opportunity is right there," Worapon said.

Watch The Inner Circle 28 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.

ABOUT THE AUTHORKriel IbarrolaStaff Writer

Kriel Ibarrola is a combat sports journalist and Staff Writer at MMA Sucka.

ONE ChampionshipMuay Thai

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