ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II Preview and Predictions

On Friday, May 2, ONE Championship will showcase the latest instalment of their Amazon Prime Video partnership. ONE Fight Night 31, which goes down inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, features eight fights across three disciplines.

In the main event, Kongthoranee Sor Sommai and Nong-O Hama will clash in an immediate rematch in the flyweight Muay Thai division. They fought in February at ONE Fight Night 28, where Kongthoranee secured a split decision win disputed by Chatri Sityodtong.

As for the co-main event, Tye Ruotolo returns to defend his welterweight submission grappling world title. Ruotolo has been matched up against Dante Leon, a Canadian grappler who extended his ONE record to 2-0 with a win against Tommy Langaker last time out.

ONE Fight Night 30 also features a title shot-clinching opportunity for welterweight contender Zebaztian Kadestam, who looks to take out Isi Fitikefu.

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

Kongthoranee has won all three of his fights since officially signing with ONE Championship; how does he fare against Nong-O after the pair recently went to a split decision?

Kongthoranee, a former three-time Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai champion, became a strong contender in the flyweight division after defeating Tagir Khalilov and Nakrob Fairtex.

The 28-year-old strengthened his presence in the division against the legendary Nong-O, a former eight-time ONE bantamweight champion who officially moved down to flyweight.

At 38 years old, Nong-O relies on his toughness, experience, and fight IQ to overcome his decline in speed and athleticism. The Thai legend allowed Kongthoranee to dictate the pace in their first fight, which ultimately was the difference maker.

Nong-O deserves respect for his legendary career, but his best days are behind him. Kongthoranee has entered his prime and should be able to secure a knockout win at Friday’s main event with increased movement and volume to overwhelm Nong-O.

Tye Ruotolo has not lost a grappling match under the ONE banner; can he retain his title and defeat Dante Leon?

Tye Ruotolo and his twin brother Kade have taken over the ONE Championship submission grappling landscape. Tye’s next test will be more intriguing than most of his previous opponents, as Dante Leon holds a win against him in another promotion.

Ruotolo and Leon have split a two-match series outside of ONE. Leon won the first meeting by decision, while Ruotolo avenged the defeat with a guillotine finish.

Leon showcased why he’s a threat to Ruotolo’s throne when he defeated Tommy Langaker. With that said, Ruotolo has proven to be on a different level than most grapplers worldwide.

Ruotolo’s confidence and composure during a controlled chaos approach have made him nearly unbeatable over the last few years. Leon has the defensive capabilities to prevent himself from being submitted, but the welterweight king should retain his title by unanimous decision.

It will be nearly two years to the day since Zebaztian Kadestam’s last fight when he makes the walk to the cage this weekend; will ring rust have any effect on the Swedish star?

Zebaztian Kadestam has alternated between a three-fight winning streak, a three-fight losing streak, and another three-fight winning streak. The former ONE welterweight MMA world champion plans to break the pattern and secure a title shot at ONE Fight Night 31.

Kadestam hasn’t fought since May 2023, when he knocked out Roberto Soldic. The Swedish fighter shouldn’t have any trouble with ring rust, as his relentless pressure-fighting style should quickly put him back into his comfort level.

Isi Fitikefu has won back-to-back fights with his wrestling-heavy approach. Fitikefu needs to get Kadestam to the ground and keep him there or risk losing by knockout, which Kadestam has done to his last three opponents.

Fitikefu should accomplish early success with his grappling skills and top-heavy pressure. Kadestam will later find an opening and win by second-round knockout.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

The sleeper matchup is a lightweight Muay Thai bout between Abolfazl Alipourandi and Liam Nolan.
In Feb. 2024, Nolan’s promotional Muay Thai record dropped to 4-3 due to a surprising unanimous decision loss against Nauzet Trujillo. Nolan later announced his retirement from fighting until Chatri Sityodtong convinced him to return.

Nolan, aged 27, has the potential to be a superstar in the UK striking landscape. He needs to regain his confidence with a winning streak, which he plans to do against Alipourandi.