ONE Championship

A decisive win this week could set up the rematch Kiamran Nabati has wanted since May.

The Russian standout returns to the main event of The Inner Circle 31 against Nontachai Jitmuangnon in a pivotal bantamweight Muay Thai clash, streaming live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, September 18. The matchup was originally scheduled for ONE Fight Night 46 last month before a failed hydration test and Nontachai’s illness pulled it from the card entirely.

Nabati’s true target sits one weight class above Friday’s opponent. Newly crowned ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri is the only man to hand Nabati a professional defeat, edging him by split decision this past May before claiming the title against Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon in a five-round war at The Inner Circle 30.

“I want to congratulate Yod-IQ. It was a good fight, and he won all five rounds against Rambolek. When I saw his fight, I knew that I could beat this guy because our fight was so close and I thought I was winning,” Nabati said.

Kiamran Nabati wants a five-round war with Yod-IQ

Every ambition beyond Friday means nothing if Nabati does not handle his business against Nontachai first, and he has made peace with treating this fight as the only one that currently matters, even as the bigger picture stays close at hand.

Still, the rematch he wants sits clearly on his mind as fight week arrives, and he has already begun planning his pitch to the matchmakers.

“For now, I want to beat Nontachai – that’s my target. After that, I will try to ask the matchmakers to give me a rematch because it’s gonna be five rounds and it will be a war.

“We will go there to win or die.”

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