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Tom Taylor

Nicolas Atkin

Jonathan Haggerty authored one of the greatest upsets in ONE Championship history on Saturday morning in Bangkok, Thailand.
“The General” from the United Kingdom returned to action in the card’s main event, challenging the legendary Nong-O Hama for the promotion’s bantamweight Muay Thai belt.
The Thai had already defended his title seven times heading into the event at Lumpinee Stadium, and was widely expected to do so again. But Haggerty had other plans, and he dropped the champion twice before finally knocking him out cold – all in the first round.
It was a moment Muay Thai fans will be talking about for years to come.

ONE Fight Night 9 was co-headlined by a lightweight MMA clash pitting rising Turkish contender Halil Amir against debut debut Swiss prospect Maurice Abevi. It was a close fight, but Amir ultimately defended his spot in the division’s rankings with a unanimous-decision win.
No 2-ranked men’s strawweight MMA contender Bokang Masunyane also picked up an impressive win on the card, defeating fellow top five fighter Hiroba Minowa by decision, as did No 3-ranked atomweight contender Denice Zamboanga, who beat Julie Mezabarba by decision.
Surging women’s strawweight contender Meng Bo also scored a nice win in Bangkok, defeating Diane Cardoso by decision to assert herself as the next woman in line for champion Xiong Jingnan who, with Nong-O’s loss, now holds the record for most consecutive title defenses in ONE.
Relieve all the ONE Fight Night 9 action as it happened below.


ONE Championship Fight Night 9 results: Jonathan Haggerty knocks out Nong-O, wins bantamweight Muay Thai title

Jonathan Haggerty lands a punch on Nong-O Hama. Photos: ONE Championship

Jonathan Haggerty celebrates winning the bantamweight title against Nong-O Hama.

Sport

Martial Arts

Muay Thai

Mixed Martial Arts

Haggerty posts stunning upset in Saturday’s main event, swiping the belt with a quick knockout of legendary champion Nong-O
MMA contenders Halil Amir, Bokang Masunyane, Denice Zamboanga and Meng Bo were also victorious at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium


Jonathan Haggerty posts stunning upset win in Bangkok, knocking out legendary Nong-O Hama to capture ONE Championship’s bantamweight Muay Thai title.


ONE Championship

Live

ONE Fight Night 9 will begin in about two hours.
The first fight of the night will be contested at bantamweight under MMA rules, with Mark Jhanlo Sangiao of The Philippines taking on Matias Farinelli from Argentina.
Sangiao trains at the famed Team Lakay gym in Baguio City – and is in fact the head coach’s son – and will be looking to make a statement after several prominent fighters parted ways with the team earlier this year. But he will have his hands full with Farinelli who, despite a solid striking background, has won all five of his pro fights by submission.
It looks like a great way to kick things off. Stay tuned.


Two hours to go!

We’re less than 5 minutes out from the beginning of ONE Fight Night 9 in Bangkok.
Stay tuned!


5 minutes to go

Mark Jhanlo Sangiao and Matias Farinelli are about to walk to the ring for the first fight of the night – a catchweight MMA clash. Both men enter the fight with 5-0 pro records.
Round one begins in minutes.


Sangiao vs Farinelli kicking off

The two fighters trade strikes early, and Sangiao lands a nice shot, but they quickly hit the mat.
Sangiao attacks a heel hook, but they’re too close to the edge of the ring, so the referee moves them back to the centre. The reset benefits Sangiao greatly – he yanks on Farinelli’s leg, and gets the tap with a knee bar at the 58-second mark.

Jhanlo Mark Sangiao 🇵🇭 kicks off #ONEFightNight9 with a NASTY kneebar submission of Matias Farinelli! 😬
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉 #ONEFightNight9
🌍 Live TV broadcast in 170+ countries (check… pic.twitter.com/LD22AiHqNn
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

That’s quite a statement from the young Filipino, and a big moment for his gym, Team Lakay.


Sangiao taps Farinelli in 58 seconds

Commentator Mitch Chilson joins Mark Jhanlo Sangiao in the ring for a post-fight interview.

“That wasn’t in the game plan,” he says of his quick submission win. “I was supposed to strike with him, but he got my back, and I rolled with it.”
“I got his knee and I heard a pop.”
Chilson reveals Sangiao has earned a US$50,000 bonus courtesy of ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong – the second of his two-fight career with the promotion.
“ONE Championship, you are building my future,” he says.
Sangiao is now 6-0 overall. Farinelli, who missed weight, is 5-1.


Sangiao scores a bonus

Up next is a 149-pound catchweight bout contested under Muay Thai rules, with China’s Han Zihao taking on American Asa Ten Pow in a clash of slick punchers.
Both men missed weight for the fight, but it should be a fun one for as long as it lasts.
Ten Pow is already in the ring, and Han is on his way, so we should be under way in moments.


Muay Thai action up next

Ten Pow lands a kick early, but Han returns several to the leg. Seconds into the fight, it seems like the Chinese fighter is trying to slow his American foe down.
Ten Pow lands a few jabs, and nearly lands a knee in the clinch. He whiffs on a right hand, but moments later eats a cross in return – but it’s mostly blocked.
A body kick lands for Ten Pow, but Han fires back with some elbows and a punch to the body, then a few straight punches. He’s mixing it up nicely.
The round ends and both men’s toros are already reddening.


A fun first round

Ten Pow lands some nice punches to start round two, and fires some slicing elbows that miss. Han leaps in with a knee that misses. Ten Pow pushes back with some straight punches and misses on another elbow. Han fires back with a few punches, including a sizzling left hook. It drops Ten Pow – the first knockdown of the fight.
Ten Pow gets back to his feet and starts firing back with some huge punches. Han is bleeding from the nose now. Han fires back with some punches, but it’s suddenly Ten Pow landing the bigger shots.
Asa Ten Pow fires off some huge punches in the final seconds, and lands a clean spinning kick to the body.
He really came alive in the end of this round, but with the knockdown, he definitely lost the round.


Knockdown for Han

Ten Pow lands a good uppercut to start the final round, but Han eats it and returns fire. The American lands a jab, then another punch that hurts Han badly. He swarms the Chinese rival, and lands a slew of clean punches. Han begins to spit out his mouthguard, the referee jumps in and calls the fight.
Han is is protesting – and it’s possible he deserved a standing count – but it’s hard to fault the referee. The Chinese fighter, who had never been knocked out before, was in big trouble.

Asa Ten Pow 🇺🇸 lands HEAVY shots on Han Zi Hao for the comeback KO! 👊
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉 #ONEFightNight9
🌍 Live TV broadcast in 170+ countries (check local listings)
🌍 Also available on… pic.twitter.com/oPjErOdGHj
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023



Ten Pow scores a comeback TKO!

The official time of Ten Pow’s technical knockout win is 52 seconds into the third round. It’s his first ONE win after he suffered an orbital injury in his promotional debut against Mehdi Zatout.

“I wasn’t really hurt, but he caught me in a bad footwork position,” he says in his post-fight interview with Mitch Chilson, referencing Han’s second-round knockdown. “My corner told me, you got to dig deep, you got to battle back, and I listened.”
“I started landing clean and I started getting more comfortable,” he adds. “I felt like it was time to let loose and fire away. Forget the leg kicks, it’s time to throw these hands.”
He concludes his post-fight interview by laying out plans to move into MMA.


‘It’s time to throw these hands’

Coming up next is a strawweight MMA clash between China’s Meng Bo and Brazil’s Dayane Cardoso. Both women are riding impressive knockout wins – Meng over Jenelyn Olsim and Cardoso over Ayaka Miura – and the winner of their fight could earn a shot at long-reigning strawweight champ Xiong Jingnan.
The stakes are high in this one, and the proven KO power of both women means it could end in a blink.
They will head to the ring moments, and they’ll have three five-minute rounds to work with.


Strawweight title shot up for grabs?

Cardoso starts with a high kick, but Meng blocks it and feints a few jabs. The Chinese fighter is moving well. Cardoso lands a leg kick, and Meng fires back with a right hand that lands. She fires off a few more punches that land without serious consequences, but her boxing is looking great already.
Meng lands a leg kick, and a moment later, lands a beautiful right hand. She pushes forward, and the Brazilian fires back with a hook that lands, then dives in on a takedown.
They briefly hit the mat, but Meng pops back up and eventually forces a separation.

Meng wades in again and lands a nice combo. Cardoso fires back with a left hook, but it misses. The left side of the Brazilian’s face is bruised. She tries a spinning back kick in the final 30 seconds, then tries it again, but Meng avoids both attacks.
Great first round for the Chinese fighter.


Meng starts strong

Round two begins and Meng is back to feinting with her jab. Cardoso lands a leg kick, and Meng returns the favour with a few punches to go along with it.
Cardoso lands a big leg kick that spins Meng around. The Chinese fighter responds with some punches, then checks a leg kick. Moments later Meng catches a kick and tips Cardoso over. She chases the Brazilian fighter to the mat, but ends up in bottom position after a scramble.
Cardoso works from top position, but they’re near the end of the ring, so referee Herb Dean moves them back to the centre. The scramble again, and Meng ends up on top. She passes the Brazilian’s guard, and lands an elbow from side control. Cardoso gets back to her feet, and they separate.
There’s a slight clash of heads at the end of the round – and it looks like Meng is already swelling up. We’ll need to keep an eye on that heading into round three.


Meng’s momentum continues

They’re throwing wildly to begin round three, and Cardoso takes advantage of Meng’s aggression with a well-time takedown. Suddenly the Brazilian is attacking a rear-naked choke that looks very deep, but Meng fights her way out of it and they return to their feet.
Cardoso lands a leg kick, and Meng responds with some punches. The Chinese fighter is beginning to look pretty tired, and her slick boxing technique is disintegrating as a result.
Cardoso grabs a body lock and looks for a takedown, but Meng reverses it and presses the Brazilian into the corner.
They begin exchanging wildly again, and Cardoso once again drags the fight to the mat, only to end up on the bottom. Meng lands some ground strikes.
The return to the feet as we enter the final minute. Cardoso attempts a takedown but Meng sprawls on it. They begin striking again, and Meng is looking for a slashing downward elbow, but can’t land it. Cardoso attempts a flying knee that also misses.
The round ends, and both women look exhausted.
To the judges’ scorecards we go.


Leaving it all in the ring

Meng Bo is announced the winner by unanimous decision – a fair verdict based on her success on the feet and in the mat in this fight.
She is joined by commentator Mitch Chilson for a post-fight interview, and immediately sends a challenge to strawweight champ Xiong Jingnan.

Meng Bo wants an all-China showdown with Xiong Jing Nan! 🇨🇳 Did she earn a shot at the ONE Women's Strawweight World Champion after defeating Dayane Cardoso?
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉… pic.twitter.com/eP8QC0fJhJ
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

“I want to say, please boss, give me a title fight,” she says in English.
Meng is now a strong 21-6 overall, and with two wins in the rear-view, might just get her wish.


Meng wins decision, calls for title shot

The fourth fight of the night will pit Isi Fitikefu, representing Tonga and Australia, against Brazil’s Valmir Da Silva.
Fitikefu, a training partner of former UFC champ Robert Whittaker, will be looking to rebound from a split-decision loss to Ruslan Emilbek Uulu in his ONE debut last November.
Da Silva will look to build on the momentum of a submission win over Jin Tae-ho last July.
Da Silva is walking out now, and Fitikefu will soon follow. They have three five-minute rounds to work with.


Welterweight MMA up next

They trade strikes in the centre of the ring, and Fitikefu immediately begins looking for a takedown. Da Silva denies the attempt and pushes his rival into the ropes, then pulls him down to the mat – a bit of a strange choice.
The Brazilian is trying to tie up ‘Doxz’ Fitikefu’s arms so he can’t land any strikes, perhaps trying to force a stand-up form referee Herb Dean. Fitikefu throws some knees to the body, then gets his hands free and lets them fly.
Da Silva tries to squirm out from bottom position, but Fitikefu is all over him. The Australian lands some big shots from half guard – to the head then the body – then briefly looks for a kimura.
The kimura is no good, but Fitikefu quickly latches onto a rear-naked choke, and after a momentary struggle under the ropes, gets the tap.



‘Doxz’ gets it done in one

Commentator Mitch Chilson joins Fitikefu in the ring for an interview, and immediately asks about the game plan.
“That’s all thanks to Gracie fundamentals,” he says of his submission.
Chilson then reveals Fitikefu is the recipient of a US$50,000 bonus from ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong – and the Aussie in his disbelief.
“Is that real? Are you telling the truth? Thank you, Chatri, that’s going to help pay a lot of bills,” he says.
With the win, Fitikefu is now 8-1 as a pro MMA fighter.


Fitikefu nabs bonus

No 3 atomweight MMA contender Denice Zamboanga will return to the ring next, taking on Brazil’s Julie Mezabarba.
The 26-year-old Filipino will be looking to build on a decision victory over Chinese kickboxer Lin Heqin last December, while Mezabarba, 30, will look to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Jenelyn Olsim and Stamp Fairtex.


Zamboanga’s return coming up

Mezabarba looks for a leg kick to begin, but Zamboanga responds with some nice punches. Her striking looked much improved in her last fight with Lin Heqin, and it looks good again here.
Zamboanga lands another nice punch that hurts Mezabarba, follows up, then backs away, favouring a patient approach. The Brazilian initiates a tie-up against the ropes, but Zamboanga reverses it.
They trade knees in the clinch for over two minutes. Zamboanga is in control for the bulk of that time, but Mezabarba eventually reverses position, and referee Olivier Coste breaks them up.
They return to the centre. Zamboanga lands a few nice punches. She is looking fast and she’s controlling range well. She initiates a tie-up with 30 seconds left, but is backed into the ropes, where she stays until the round ends.


Zamboanga landing early

Rounds two begins and they get right back to exchanging, with Zamboanga favouring punches and Mezabarba throwing kicks.
Mezabarba lands a left hook, but the Filipino responds with a few straight punches. Mezabarba fires back with some punches that land clean. Zamboanga plants a straight left on the Brazilian’s face – then another that hurts her, and another. This is a big moment.

Denice Zamboanga 🇵🇭 LIGHTS UP Julie Mezabarba en route to a unanimous decision win! 🔥
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉 #ONEFightNight9
🌍 Live TV broadcast in 170+ countries (check local listings)
🌍 Also… pic.twitter.com/z87ZTzrKvu
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

Mezabarba initiates a tie-up, and Zamboanga presses her into the corner. Mezabarba tries a takedown, but it’s denied.
They separate and trade wildly in the centre of the cage. Zamboanga lands a few more punches and Mezabarba dives in on a single leg. She completes it, but the Filipino launches right back up to her feet.
They trade knees and punches in the clinch for the remainder of the round.


Zamboanga in control

The final round begins, and Zamboanga lands with her right hand again. Mezabarba lands a series of leg kicks, and leaps in with an elbow that misses. Zamboanga lands two straight punches, and avoids a front kick to the face. They both land punches in close, and drift apart.
Zamboanga fires a left hook that lands. Mezabarba tries a spinning back fist that misses, then dives in on a takedown, but the Filipino atomweight contender shuts it down.
They scramble, then hit the mat. Mezabarba is attacking a guillotine from bottom position, but the angle isn’t right. Zamboanga explodes out of danger and returns to her feet, leaving her foe on the mat, then referee Olivier Coste stands the Brazilian up.
Zamboanga lands to the body, then denies another late takedown attempt in the final minute. They clinch, and the referee separates them again as the 10-second warning sounds.
The round ends and we go to the judges. It looks like a clear win for Zamboanga, but we’ll see.


We go to the scorecards

As expected, Denice Zamboanga wins a unanimous decision to defend her No 3 atomweight ranking and move onto a two-fight win streak.
She does not get a post-fight interview, but remains one of the top contenders in her division, and one of the top female mixed martial artists in ONE.
ONE Championship rankings: women’s pound for pound MMA


Zamboanga wins unanimous decision

The next bout will see No 1-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Saemapetch Fairtex risk his spot in the division against Brazil’s Felipe Lobo.
Tiger Muay Thai’s Lobo had originally been set to fight Ferrari Fairtex on this card, but accepted a fight with the higher-ranked, more experienced Saemapetch when his original foe suffered an injury.
The Brazilian will be looking to rebound from a short-notice KO loss to bantamweight champ Nong-O at ONE X in March, 2022, while Thailand’s Saemapetch will be looking for a third straight win after defeats of Rittewada Petchyindee and Zhang Chenglong.
Lobo is in the ring, and Saemapetch is one his way. They will have three three-minute rounds to settle it.


Saemapetch defends No 1 spot next

Saemapetch slips early in round one but quickly regains his footing and lands a procession of snapping leg kicks. Lobo returns some kicks of his own, then eats a head kick that he barely blocks.
Lobo throws high kick of his own that also doesn’t land. The Thai throws a kick that misses, then they clinch.
We enter the final minute. Saemapetch lands a snapping kick to his rival’s forearms, then ducks under a high kick. Lobo pushes the Thai down with a push kick – this will look good to the judges.
They trade kicks to end the round, but Lobo’s misses and Saemapetch lands to the leg with a crack.


Round one in the books

They trade kicks to begin round two, but nothing of consequence lands. Both men seem very cognisant of the other’s fight-ending knockout power.
Suddenly Saemapetch’s power is on full display: he sends his foe to the mat with a rocket-fuelled uppercut.
Lobo survives the knockdown, but Saemapetch smells blood and isn’t letting his foe recover. The Brazilian survives the onslaught and tries to keep his foe at bay with push kicks and jabs.
Saemapetch lands a hard leg kick that. Lobo is firing back but he isn’t landing clean. The Thai closes the distance and lands some knees and elbows in close. He avoids a round kick by leaning out of the way, then ties up.
Round two ends as the referee separates them.


Saemapetch scores a knockdown

ONE bantamweight MMA champ Fabricio Andrade, who is in Lobo’s corner, tells his fellow Brazilian to tie-up when Saemapetch gets in close. Lobo does just that to begin round two, but they’re quickly separated.

ONE bantamweight MMA champ Fabricio Andrade is here cornering Felipe Lobo against Saemapetch. #onechampionship pic.twitter.com/Gj52VCTwFc
— Nicolas Atkin (@NicoSCMP) April 22, 2023

The Thai dodges a kick, but Lobo is suddenly pressing forward with abandon – and he’s landing. Saemapetch fires back and lands. They’re swinging wildly. Somebody is going to hit the deck here.
Saemapetch eats several clean punches, and suddenly, he’s out on his feet.
The Brazilian swarms him, and moments later, the referee waves it off.
It’s an epic come-from-behind win for the unranked contender, who will rocket into the bantamweight Top 5 as a result.


Lobo with the comeback!

The official time of Felipe Lobo’s incredible KO win over the No 1 bantamweight Muay Thai contender is 1:56 of round three.

DON'T BLINK 👀 Saemapetch strikes first with a short left hook! 💥
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉 #ONEFightNight9
🌍 Live TV broadcast in 170+ countries (check local listings)
🌍 Also available on ONE… pic.twitter.com/po4UwZcew1
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

He embraces with his training partner, ONE bantamweight MMA champ Fabricio Andrade, then joins Mitch Chilson in the centre of the ring for a post-fight interview.
“It was a very hard fight,” he said. “He’s very strong. Second round he landed a very good punch, so I had to come back. I think I had to give everything – and I did.”
“I needed the KO.”
Lobo then calls for a rematch with champion Nong-O, whom he lost to on short-notice last year.
Chilson then reveals that the Brazilian is the recipient of a US$50,000 courtesy of ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong – no surprise there.
“Thank you ONE Championship,” he says with a big grin on his face. “I’m very grateful for what you’re doing for us fighters.


Lobo gets bonus, calls for Nong-O rematch

The next fight will see South Africa’s Bokang Masunyane take on Japan’s Hiroba Minowa in a strawweight MMA clash. Masunyane will enter the ring as the division’s No 2 contender, while Minowa is ranked third.
Champion Jarred Brooks has already beaten both men – and quite recently – but the stakes are high nonetheless, and he will undoubtedly be watching this one closely.
We will be too.
Minowa is on his way to the ring, and Masunyane will meet him there imminently. They will have three five-minute rounds to work with.


Top strawweights on tap

Masunyane is immediately pushing the pace, pressing Minowa backward with punches. Minowa sneaks in a straight punch. Masunyane ties him up and presses the Japanese fighter into the corner of the ring. Unfortunately, one of the knees he attempts in close lands below the belt.
Minowa collapses to the canvas. He is writhing in pain. Thankfully, he gradually regains his composure, and after a few minutes, the action resumes.
Masunyane presses forward and feints with his jab. He shoots in on a double-leg takedown, and gets it. Minowa pops back up to his feet, but the South African strawweight drags him back down.

Masunyane, an experienced wrestler, spends over a minute drifting from on advantageous position to another, and sneaks in some ground knees. The knees start landing clean, and Hiroba clearly doesn’t like them.
With a minute left, Masunyane is still in top position. More knees land, then a few short elbows. His ground assault continues until the first round ends. Great first round from the South African.


Masunyane starts strong

Masunyane starts round two with a huge slam, and lands some big punches from top position. But Minowa begins complaining about a foul, and referee Herb Dean, who seems to have noticed the incident, stops the fight again.
It seems to be another low blow.
Minowa spends a moment on the ground, clutching his groin and grimacing in pain, but eventually returns to his feet, and the action resumes.
Masunyane gets back to his original strategy – pushing forward with punches. Then Minowa lands a low blow. Masunyane recoils, but doesn’t need a break. They trade punches in the centre of the cage.
Masunyane lands a takedown in the corner of the ring. He spends a moment in top position, then finds himself locked up in a deep guillotine choke. The South African is in big trouble, but he eventually slips out and lands in top position with a minute left.
He spends the rest of the round in top position, sneaking in ground strikes.


Masunyane still in control

Minowa lands a right hand to start the final round but is promptly taken down. He escapes to his feet, but Masunyane is glued to his back. They struggle for position, and the South African eventually slams his foe to the ground.
Minowa gets back to his feet and yelps in pain, suggesting there’s been another low blow, but referee Herb Dean isn’t buying it this time.
“That was to the butt,” he says.
Masunyane lands another deftly timed takedown. He spends a minute in top position, but soon Minowa is attacking a kimura – a submission he has used to end fights before.
Masunyane escapes the kimura and throws strikes from top position. With a minute left, Dean calls for action. The South African finishes the fight with some big shots from top position.
We go to the judges.


Finishing strong

As expected, “Little Giant” Masunyane wins a clear-cut unanimous decision, rebounding from a submission loss to Jarred Brooks in the process.
While he is unlikely to earn a rematch with the champion just yet, his No 2 spot in the division’s Top 5 is safe for the time being.
He does not get a post-fight interview.



Big win for the ‘Little Giant’

We’ve reached the ONE Fight Night 9 co-main event: a lightweight MMA clash pitting Turkey’s Halil Amir against Switzerland’s Maurice Abevi.
Amir debuted in ONE last year, becoming an instant lightweight contender with a second-round knockout of former title challenger Timofey Nastyukhin.
He will enter the ring with an 8-0 record, while his debuting foe will do so with a 6-0 record.


Co-main event up next

Maurice Abevi starts with a procession of leg kicks, but is quickly dropped by a punch. Abevi survives, but dives in on a takedown, and finds himself locked up in a choke. He fights his way out of the submission attempt, but winds up in bottom position.

Halil Amir 🇹🇷 sits down Maurice Abevi in Round 1! 🪑
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch LIVE on Prime 👉 https://t.co/pzfih39JuJ
🧑‍💻 Join the conversation 👉 #ONEFightNight9
🌍 Live TV broadcast in 170+ countries (check local listings)
🌍 Also available on ONE YouTube and ONE… pic.twitter.com/23U1ue2VDR
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

Amir throws some big shots from top position, then they return to their feet. Abevi throws a spinning back kick but it’s no good. The Swiss fighter ties his foe up against the ropes, and they tumble to the mat.
They return to the feet and Amir pushes his rival away. Abevi lands a straight punch but eats a good one in return. The Swiss fighter throws a high kick but it’s blocked. He throws a punch and eats a sizzling counter, and crashes to the mat.
Amir dives into top position and lands some ground strikes, and they return to the feet again.
Abevi pushes forward and fakes a knee, then misses a kick. He doesn’t look like has completely recovered. Amir lands a high kick. The Swiss fighter eats it and waves his foe on.
With less than a minute left Abevi lands a takedown, but Amir is back to his feet right away.
With seconds left Amir slips and Abevi misses on a spin and a flying knee.


Amir lands early

Amir is pushing the action to start round two. He lands some punches, and then Abevi ties up in pursuit of a takedown. Amir reverses the attempt and slams his foe down to the mat. They explode back to the feet and trade wildly.
They separate. Abevi throws a head kick, and Amir blocks it. Abevi misses on another kick. Amir lands a knee to the body, then lands a takedown.
Abevi attacks a kimura from bottom position, but it’s no good. Amir lands a clean punch from the top. The Turkish striker returns to his feet, and Abevi follows him.
We pass the half-way mark, and Abevi’s mouth is hanging open. Amir lands a straight punch, then suffers a low blow, and the action is paused.
The action resumes. Abevi dives in on a single-leg takedown, but Amir shrugs him off. The Swiss fighter then goes for another takedown, and this time it’s good.
He spends a prolonged period period in top position, sneaking into ground strikes, and with less than 30 seconds left, rolls into a calf-slicer submission.
Amir gives the thumbs up as the 10-second warning sounds, and the round ends.


Abevi surges back

Abevi lands another takedown to start round three. After a tough first round, he seems to be taking control of this lightweight matchup.
Then Amir hits a slick reversal and ends up in top position – he needed this. The Turkish fighter sneaks into back mount, and begins hunting for a choke.
He gives up on the choke and attacks what looks like a Suloev Stretch – one of the rarest submission attacks in MMA. Abevi fights out of it, but Amir ends up back on top.

SULOEV STRETCH 😱
LIVE NOW | #ONEFightNight9
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— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

Referee Herb Dean moves the two lightweights from the edge of the ring to the centre, and Amir gets back to work from top position. He lands a clean hammer fist, then another.
With less than a minute left, Amir climbs back onto his foe’s back.
With 10 seconds left, he attacks a rear-naked choke, but there’s no time. We go to the judges, and they have a tough decision on their hands.


A close one in the books

Halil Amir wins a well-deserved unanimous decision after a strong first and third round against Abevi.

The 28-year-old, now 9-0 as a pro and 2-0 in ONE, joins Mitch Chilson for a post-fight interview.
“I was never going to give up,” he says. “He needed to kill me if he wanted to win.”
He concludes his post-fight interview by welcoming match-ups with whomever ONE sees fit.
His opponent Abevi will leave Thailand with his first taste of defeat, but at 23, has plenty of time to turn things around.


Amir stays unbeaten

It’s time for the final fight of the night, and the one that fans have most been looking forward to: a bantamweight Muay Thai title fight pitting dominant champ Nong-O Hama against crafty challenger Jonathan Haggerty.
Nong-O has already defended his belt seven times – tied for the most consecutive title defences in ONE history.
ONE: Haggerty ‘more of a monster’ than Nong-O, promises ‘surprise’
Haggerty, a former flyweight champion who recently debuted at bantamweight with a decision win over Vladimir Kuzmin, will enter the ring as the underdog, but certainly has the tools to pull off the upset.
The fighters will walk to the ring momentarily. They have five three-minute rounds to work with – though it is hard to imagine this one going the distance.


Time for the main event

Here we go. This is going to be good.
Champion and challenger touch gloves to give things started. They trade low kicks, and Haggerty lands one that stumbles Nong-O. The Briton kicks to the body, then to the leg again. Nong-O returns to the favour.
Haggerty is light on his feet, switching stances effortlessly. Nong-O lands a nice kick then a punch, then Haggerty catches a kick and dumps the champion onto the canvas.
Haggerty fires off some straight punches. Nong-O fires back with low kicks. Then it’s Haggerty’s turn again, as he lands a string of hard punches.
The continue to strike and suddenly Haggerty lands a hard punch that drops the champion. This is huge.

"The General" is dropping BOMBS on Nong-O! 💣💣💣#ONEFightNight9 pic.twitter.com/j4nNGe8atl
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 22, 2023

Nong-O survives the knockdown, and Haggerty drops him again. That’s two knockdowns, and a third will end the fight.
Seconds later, Haggerty lands again, and Nong-O crashes face-first onto the canvas.
This one is over. We have a new champion. Unbelievable.


Haggerty destroys Nong-O

Haggerty is coronated as the new ONE bantamweight Muay Thai king by announcer Dom Lau. He collapses to the ground with the belt in his arms, grinning from ear-to-eat, and nearly disappears in a storm of gold confetti.
Then it’s time for a post-fight interview with commentator Mitch Chilson.
“Thank you everyone out here,” he said, addressing the crowd in Bangkok. “This is great man. To beat Nong-O... He’s a legend, I grew up watching him.”
“I walked so hard for this. I visualized this.”
“And new. I’m buzzing.”

Jonathan Haggerty receives a double bonus - US$100,000 - for his stunning KO of Nong O.#Onechampionship pic.twitter.com/oAATeTHCjP
— Nicolas Atkin (@NicoSCMP) April 22, 2023

Chilson then reveals that Haggerty is the recipient of two US$50,000 bonuses.
Not bad for a few minutes of work.
