ONE Championship

A former ruler and a red-hot contender collide with the next title shot on the line.

Nabil Anane meets Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin in a ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title eliminator at The Inner Circle 25 this Friday, August 7, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

Anane authored one of the finest seasons in the sport last year. He stopped Nico Carrillo for interim gold in January, avenged a loss to Superlek two months later, and was elevated to undisputed champion in June. He then dropped a competitive five-round decision to Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon this past March, losing the belt.

Anane stands 6-foot-4 and remains technically elite. History suggests defeats have only sharpened his focus heading into fights that matter most. A win over Suakim would put him right back in the thick of the title conversation he dominated for the better part of a year.

Nabil Anane chases a second crack at gold at The Inner Circle 25

Suakim represents the toughest possible measuring stick for a man aiming to reclaim his throne. The three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion endured a difficult start to his ONE run before turning it around completely. He has not lost since April 2024, riding a seven-fight winning streak that includes four knockouts.

He has already secured his six-figure ONE contract, and a win over a former divisional king would be the signature performance of his career.

Elsewhere on the card, Abdulla Dayakaev and Superlek run it back in a bantamweight Muay Thai rematch after a contentious split decision this past May. The bout saw Dayakaev drop the Thai star early before surviving a furious two-round comeback. Superlek, who was stripped of his bantamweight Muay Thai gold, beaten by Anane, and outclassed by Yuki Yoza in kickboxing, is in need of a decisive result this time around.

Marat Grigorian also meets Mamuka Usubyan in a ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament quarterfinal. The winner earns a shot at Superbon’s world title. Three genuinely distinct storylines, all chasing the same prize, headline a stacked night at Lumpinee Stadium.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM