Stamp Fairtex, Superlek Kiatmoo9 to step up in weight for world championship super fights at ONE 168 in Denver
- Stamp will battle MMA strawweight champion Xiong Jing Nan, while Superlek challenges Jonathan Haggerty for the bantamweight Muay Thai crown
- ONE Championship is returning to Denver on September 6, with the event taking place in Ball Arena
ONE Championship seems intent on making a bang in the US this year, after announcing two super fights to co-headline its event in Denver this September.
A women’s MMA battle for the strawweight title will pit China’s Xiong Jing Nan against Stamp Fairtex, while Superlek Kiatmoo9 is expected to face Jonathan Haggerty for the British fighter’s bantamweight Muay Thai title.
Both Stamp and Superlek, who are champions in their own right, will step up in weight for the highly anticipated encounters at ONE 168 on September 6.
Xiong (18-2) is the only female mixed martial artist to hold the promotion’s strawweight title, and famously faced Angela Lee three times, winning twice.
And while the Chinese fighter’s past four MMA bouts have all gone the distance, opening her up to accusations she is boring in the ring, the 36-year-old is unbeaten in nine fights in the strawweight division.
Stamp (11-2) currently holds the atomweight MMA title, but will be putting it on the line against Denice Zamboanga at ONE 166 in June, meaning there is no guarantee the Thai will still be a champion when she gets to Denver.
The first three-sport world champion in ONE history, Stamp previously held the atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing titles, and is looking to become a two-division title holder.
Last year’s Denver event, ONE Fight Night 10, took place at the 1stBank Centre, but this year’s will be in the much larger Ball Arena, home of the Denver Nuggets.
In the co-main event, reigning flyweight kickboxing champion Superlek will go into the fight against Haggerty on a fantastic run of form.
At ONE 165, he beat Takeru in Tokyo to defend that belt, elevating his status as one of the best stand-up fighters around.
Haggerty is also coming off a very good year. He stopped long-term champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao to win the bantamweight Muay Thai title and then added the vacant kickboxing belt to his collection by beating Fabricio Andrade.
Earlier this year, he got off the canvass to finish Felipe Lobo and defend his Muay Thai title. Superlek has won 11 fights in a row while Haggerty’s winning streak stands at seven, meaning both men have a lot of momentum heading into this rematch.
The pair’s previous only match was at the start of Haggerty’s career in 2018, when they clashed in England, with Superlek winning by stoppage after cutting his opponent.
