3 major factors that allowed Alexis Nicolas to end Regian Eersel's reign

Alexis Nicolas shocked the world at ONE Fight Night 21 last April when he did the unthinkable and ended Regian Eersel's dominant reign as the lightweight kickboxing world champion. The sequel to that epic five-round showdown will take place on Oct. 4, as 'Barboza' will defend his title for the first time against the same man he took it from at ONE Fight Night 25: Nicolas vs Eersel II on Prime Video.

Before these two striking maestros trade bombs at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, let's first break down how Alexis Nicolas bested 'The Immortal' and became the new 170-pound kickboxing kingpin.

#3 Crippling low kicks

Nicolas fully capitalized on his savate background and grounded Eersel through a methodical lower body assault for 15 minutes. The Frenchman patiently chopped down the lanky Surinamese star's legs, which eventually created openings in his guard.

Eersel's lead leg took a ton of damage and even hindered his movement a little bit, which limited his usually high-octane attacks. With 'The Immortal' wary of those kicks, Nicolas was also able to let his hands go and tag the former champion repeatedly.

#2 Destructive right hands

The close chess match eventually came down to the wire and was determined by the slimmest of margins. In the end, 'Barboza' scored the most significant strike of the match - a concussive right cross and left uppercut combo that sent Eersel crashing to the mat in round 2.

Unlike Eersel's past opponents, Alexis Nicolas was able to gain the lightweight Muay Thai champ's respect due to that knockdown. While the Sityodtong Amsterdam product rallied in the championship rounds, he couldn't unload his full arsenal knowing Nicolas could uncork another massive right-hand bomb.

#1 Unwavering confidence

As mentioned, Eersel upped the pace in the final six minutes in a bid to make up for his slow start. However, Nicolas never let his foot off the gas until the final horn. This unrelenting attitude and steadfast self-belief have powered 'Barboza' throughout his career, and he kept the same energy against his toughest adversary yet.

Despite being the underdog, Alexis Nicolas overcame the odds and extended his undefeated record to 24-0. Don't miss the highly-awaited rematch at ONE Fight Night 25, which will air live at U.S. Primetime free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in North America.