Yod-IQ Calls Nabati His Elevator to 'World-Class Level' Ahead of The Inner Circle Main Event

The 24-year-old faces undefeated Russian powerhouse Kiamran Nabati in a bantamweight Muay Thai main event at The Inner Circle, streaming exclusively on live.onefc.com.

Yod-IQ enters the ring in Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium as one of the most consistent performers at ONE Friday Fights. The PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym product carries an 11-1 ONE record and rides a nine-fight winning streak, building his reputation across a 126-36 pro career.

Nabati, 31, is a different kind of challenge. The Russian carries a perfect 22-0 pro record and has gone four for four in ONE Championship against world-class Thai opponents, earning a reputation as one of the most explosive and dangerous bantamweights outside the World Title picture. Yod-IQ accepted the fight without hesitation.

Yod-IQ Accepted the Challenge Quickly, Already Has a Plan

Rather than shy away from the toughest opponent of his ONE Championship career, Yod-IQ ran toward it. The Thai striker revealed he had a game plan mapped out before he even agreed to the matchup, built around flipping the dynamic of how Nabati likes to operate.

"Even though it's a massive challenge, I accepted the fight immediately because I want to test my level. I've already got a plan to handle his punches, but I'll have to force him to be the one walking into me so I don't play into his game," Yod-IQ said.

Making the undefeated Russian walk onto his shots rather than absorbing Nabati's explosive combinations will be the central challenge of the main event. Nabati's four ONE victories over top Thai opposition, which includes a win over former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama, suggest he knows exactly how to handle fighters from the country that produces the best bantamweight Muay Thai athletes in the world.

Thai Star Admits He Was Shocked by Nabati

Yod-IQ has not arrived at this fight with a dismissive attitude toward the man across from him. The Thai striker's assessment of Nabati is the most honest acknowledgment of an opponent's quality he has ever delivered ahead of a contest.

"I'll admit, when I heard his name, I was a bit shocked. Kiamran is incredibly talented and highly skilled. He's probably the toughest Russian fighter I've ever faced. His lead hook is lightning fast, and his combinations are terrifying. I can barely see any weaknesses in his game," he explained.

Nabati's unbeaten record and four ONE victories over world-class Thai opposition validate every word of that assessment.

A fighter who has never lost professionally and has spent his career defeating the kind of opponents Yod-IQ has been building toward represents a genuine unknown for the Thai striker. That combination of respect and competitive fire is precisely what makes the May 22 main event compelling.

Yod-IQ Tells Nabati He Is the ‘Russian Slayer'

Yod-IQ saved his most memorable words for a direct address to the Russian ahead of their main event clash. The message balanced genuine respect for Nabati's standing in the sport with an unmistakable declaration of intent that only a fighter supremely confident in his own abilities could deliver.

"To Kiamran, I've always respected you as an idol and a teacher in this sport. But now that we're meeting in the ring, I will treat you as an elevator, I'm definitely not going to be a walkover. I am the 'Russian Slayer,' and for this fight, I'd like to ask you to be the elevator that takes me to the world-class level!" he said.

A win over the undefeated Nabati would be the defining result of Yod-IQ's ONE career and the clearest possible signal that he is ready to compete for the biggest prizes the bantamweight division has to offer.

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