ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty Preview and Predictions

On Friday, Apr. 21, ONE Championship takes a trip back to the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium for their ninth event on Amazon Prime Video. The event currently features six MMA bouts and four Muay Thai bouts, with one world championship on the line. Although the fight card is stacked with superstars, several intriguing matchups make it worth tuning in.

In the main event, Nong-O Hama looks to maintain his perfect 10-0 promotional record and defend his bantamweight Muay Thai world championship. Nong-O is looking to take out Jonathan Haggerty, a former flyweight Muay Thai champion moving up to bantamweight.

The co-main event features undefeated lightweight prospects Halil Amir (8-0) and Maurice Abevi (6-0). Amir won his promotional debut against Timofey Nastyukhin in September 2022, while Abevi is a promotional newcomer. Both fighters maintain a 100-percent finish rate.

ONE Fight Night 9 also presents a strawweight MMA bout between Bokang Masunyane, Denice Zamboanga vs. Julie Mezabarba in the atomweight division, the return of Jhanlo Mark Sangiao, Saemapetch vs. Felipe Lobo, and more.

The event airs live on Amazon Prime Video starting at 8 p.m. ET. Let’s take a look at the preview and predictions.

Nong-O Hama looks to defends the bantamweight Muay Thai world title that he has held since its inception; does he continue his title reign and best Jonathan Haggerty?

Nong-O Hama vs. Jonathan Haggerty is a stylistic masterpiece for the bantamweight Muay Thai division. Although Haggerty is a durable warrior, he must be careful against Nong-O, who has secured five consecutive knockouts. It’ll be intriguing to see if “The General” can make a statement in his first official appearance in the ONE bantamweight division.

Nong-O is extremely dangerous for two primary reasons – ruthless aggression and vicious leg kicks. Therefore, Haggerty will need to earn respect early and keep his opponent from moving forward or potentially struggling on his back foot. He is durable and has championship experience, but Nong-O should be able to break him down and secure his sixth consecutive knockout.

Halil Amir needed less than two rounds to earn his first win inside the ONE cage; how does he fare in his sophomore outing against Maurice Abevi?

It’s unlikely that Halil Amir vs. Maurice Abevi goes the distance in the ONE Fight Night 9 co-main event. The lightweight prospects are a combined 14-0, with all wins by finish. The difference is that Amir tends to use his hands more, while Abevi has an equal amount of knockouts and submissions.

Abevi is an intriguing prospect, but he still has plenty to prove. The Tiger Muay Thai fighter hasn’t fought in the third round or faced the level of competition that Amir has faced. With that said, conditioning won’t be an issue if he can win in the first rounds.

Meanwhile, Amir is more calculated and waits for his opponents to make a mistake, which should lead to his second ONE Championship win inside the distance.

Julie Mezabarba has dropped two straight bouts by decision; can she reverse the trend and come away with her tenth career victory?

Denice Zamboanga is a bad stylistic matchup for Julie Mezabarba on paper. Mezabarba has dangerous power for the women’s atomweight division, but she doesn’t use it enough. The Brazilian tends to rely on counter-striking to a fault, giving her opponents the ability to control the pace of the fight.

On the contrary, Zamboanga goes after her opponents relentlessly. With that said, she sometimes makes mistakes by rushing in and getting caught, which could be a path to victory for Mezabarba. Nonetheless, Zamboanga should be able to overwhelm her opponent and secure a decision win.

Which fight is the sleeper matchup on this card?

The sleeper matchup is a bantamweight Muay Thai bout between Saemapetch Fairtex and Felipe Lobo. Saemapetch is one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the bantamweight Muay Thai division. The Thai fighter’s last four fights have ended inside the distance, with his hand getting raised twice.

Lobo is a former Brazilian Muay Thai world champion who isn’t afraid to engage in a war. He last fought in Mar. 2022, losing against Nong-O Hama with a valiant effort. Saemapetch is looking to secure a title shot, and Lobo hopes to get back on track, which should lead to an action-packed matchup at ONE Fight Night 9.