Legendary Muay Thai striker Nong-O Hama is not ready to give up on nabbing ONE Championship gold again. In pursuit of greatness, Nong-O Hama will tackle a new challenge on Friday, February 7. The 38-year-old moves down to flyweight to face #4-ranked contender Kongthoranee Sor Sommai at ONE Fight Night 28 on Prime Video.
Nong-O Hama Takes Steps to Drop Pounds Ahead of Training Camp
“I’ve been preparing for this fight for about three months. I knew that I had to lose weight, so I tried to control my diet and tried to train so that my body could fight properly at this weight. There shouldn’t be any problems in terms of my physical condition or stamina. I’ll definitely go all-out because I’ve been preparing for this for a long time,” Nong-O Hama said to ONE.
Locked in ✅ Will Nong-O’s flyweight Muay Thai debut end in victory or will Kongthoranee steal the show at ONE Fight Night 28 on @primevideo?#ONEFightNight28 | Feb 7 at 8PM ET
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🌍 Live TV broadcast in 190+ countries… pic.twitter.com/GT5krQUStN— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 6, 2025
Nong-O Hama Looking Lean and Mean Ahead of ONE Fight Night 28
The drop to flyweight is putting Nong-O in his best physical shape in years. The former bantamweight king noted how he feels quicker and more explosive ahead of the high-stakes entry into flyweight Muay Thai. Ahead of his return to Lumpinee Stadium, Nong-O Hama is on weight and ready to show the world he has a lot left in the tank.
“Since I’ve reduced my weight to fight in the 135-pound division, I think I look more agile, faster, and fitter,” the 38-year-old stated.
The flyweight Muay Thai division may be the deepest in all of martial arts. Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9 have long headlined the division, but there is a deep roster of KO artists climbing the mountain. Nong-O believes his legendary power will be retained in his new home and he plans to show that in U.S. primetime.
“Coming down to this division, the power will be even more. I may not have much of an advantage, but I have fought some big guys before. So, I take it as my advantage,” the Thai legend said.
Nong-O Hama on Kongthoranee and the Challenge He Presents
Kongthoranee has posted back-to-back wins since losing a decision to Superlek. If he can oust Nong-O, the Thai star will get a massive boost in his chase for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title. Nong-O credits his upcoming opponent’s confidence but says he will use his experience to notch another W on the global stage.
EPIC battle 🔥 Former longtime ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O moves down to flyweight to face fourth-ranked contender Kongthoranee on February 7 at ONE Fight Night 28 on @primevideo! Will the legend pass the torch to a new Thai star? pic.twitter.com/5oPGrj8Nr7
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) January 14, 2025
“His strengths are his speed, youth, and good timing. And he is confident in himself, but I will not be careless. Don’t forget that I have experience fighting some big guys at bantamweight. So I don’t think I’m at a disadvantage in terms of power. And another advantage for me is that I have more experience in ONE than him,” Nong-O Hama commented.
Nong-O Hama Ready to Put Flyweight Division on Notice This Year
With Nong-O nearing 40, the Thai star knows he has to push for the title chase at every opportunity. For that reason, he is thrilled that Kongthoranee has a number beside his name. At ONE Fight Night 28, Nong-O is grateful to have another chance to prove his greatness against the world’s best and perhaps crash the flyweight rankings in 2025.
“It’s good that ONE sent a ranked fighter to fight me. It gives me a chance to get closer to the World Title shot. If I win against Kongthoranee, I should be able to enter the rankings,” Nong-O Hama said.
ONE Fight Night 28 airs live on Friday, February 7, on Prime Video. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free to all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.