An unmissable night of martial arts action is coming up, headlined by Jonathan Haggerty and Liam Harrison. Here’s why you shouldn’t miss this weekend’s ONE Championship event.
What’s Happening?
Denver will host a major combat sports event on September 7 at ONE: 168. The event features Jonathan Haggerty defending his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title against Superlek Kiatmoo9, the ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion. Also, Muay Thai legends Liam Harrison and Seksan Or Kwanmuang will face off in a highly anticipated bout.
What is ONE Championship?
ONE Championship is recognized as the world’s largest martial arts organization. Their events showcase various disciplines including mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and Muay Thai, with world titles contested in each sport.
Chatri Sityodtong, founder and CEO of ONE, describes it as ‘the Olympics of martial arts’. He explains that like the Olympics, ONE Championship features multiple sports and disciplines, drawing global attention to the highest level of competition in martial arts.
Who is Jonathan Haggerty?
Jonathan Haggerty, a British combat sports star from South London, currently holds world titles in two different martial arts disciplines.
He is a two-division world champion, having moved up from flyweight to bantamweight. Haggerty has defeated some of Muay Thai’s biggest names to win his world titles.
Victories over Nong-O Hama and Fabricio Andrade earned him the Muay Thai and kickboxing world titles. Most recently, he won a thrilling fight against Felipe Lobo, ending in a knockout.
Who is Liam Harrison?
Liam Harrison, at 38 years old, is considered one of the UK’s greatest kickboxers. Known for his aggressive and exciting fighting style, Harrison consistently delivers memorable battles. His bout with Muangthai PK Saenchai is often cited as one of the most thrilling rounds in the sport’s history.
Harrison is making a comeback after an injury stoppage against Nong-O Hama, which put his career in jeopardy.
Who Are They Fighting?
Haggerty is seeking revenge in his match against Superlek, who is considered among the best pound-for-pound strikers globally.
Superlek defeated Haggerty in 2018 and is moving up in weight from flyweight kickboxing world champion for this rematch.
Nicknamed ‘The Kicking Machine’, Superlek demonstrated his powerful leg kicks in a recent fight against Japanese star Takeru.
Seksan is renowned as one of Muay Thai’s most formidable athletes. His nickname, ‘The Man Who Yields to No One,’ reflects his relentless, never-give-up fighting style. His long-awaited fight with Harrison is expected to be an explosive encounter.
Where to Watch
The ONE: 168 event, including Haggerty vs Superlek and Harrison vs Seksan, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Mix on Saturday, September 7.
Marcus Bellamy