Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai will go toe-to-toe with one of his idols, Nong-O Hama, at ONE Friday Fights 58 on Friday, Apr. 5.
The bantamweight Muay Thai showdown will be part of the stacked lineup inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, and Kulabdam has his chance to enter the race for divisional gold against one of the greatest to ever do it.
“To fight with Nong-O means a lot to me because he’s my idol. I love his style. I respect his discipline and the way he takes care of his body. He is old, but he can still fight. I’m happy to have a chance to fight with my idol,” he told ONE.
While Nong-O has fallen on hard times recently, with losses to Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo in his last two outings, he is still a deadly opponent.
The former bantamweight Muay Thai king’s fierce attacks have Kulabdam on notice ahead of their match in Bangkok.
“All of [Nong-O’s] attacks are dangerous. Every weapon he throws at you can knock you out. For his advantage, he definitely has much more experience than me,” he said.
“I think my advantage over him is that I’m younger. In preparation for him, I still practice according to the same program, but I’ve increased the intensity of training.”
But it isn’t just youth that Kulabdam has on his side. He holds one of the most impressive strikes in the division, which has been strong enough to garner him his nickname – “Left Meteorite.”
With his left hand cocked and ready to do damage, the 25-year-old plans to usurp his idol’s position in the division.
“I feel excited. I’m more than happy to fight a former world champion like Nong-O. But as soon as my foot steps into the ring, I will forget all the excitement because we are professional fighters. There are no brothers or idols in the ring,” Kulabdam stated.
The Sor Jor Piek Uthai star is focused on Nong-O because he knows a win will only lead to greater things for him in ONE. It is the pathway to a brighter future.
While he wants a shot of gold, Kulabdam is adamant he is open to whoever comes next.
“If I can beat Nong-O impressively enough, it shouldn’t be difficult for me to get the title shot with Jonathan Haggerty,” he remarked.
“Who do I want to fight next? It depends on ONE’s matchmakers because I’m not a picky. But it would be great if I could face Haggerty.”
The stakes are high for the Thai star, who has scored wins in his last four bouts in ONE Championship.
Every contender in the bantamweight Muay Thai division has Haggerty in their sights, but Kulabdam feels a win on Friday could put him ahead of the rest.
“Knocking out Nong-O is really important for me because it’ll be a ticket to the title shot,” he said.
ONE Friday Fights 58 airs live at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT on Friday, Apr. 5. The event is available for $24.99 on watch.onefc.com.