Former bantamweight Muay Thai king Nong-O admits victory over Kulabdam 'boosted' his confidence ahead of return

Nong-O Hama believes his triumph over Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai has given him added confidence heading into his second fight of the year at ONE Friday Fights 81 on Sept. 27.

The former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion and third-ranked contender meets Russian standout Kiamrian Nabati in a bantamweight Muay Thai joust inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nong-O credits his fine display over his fellow Thai striker at ONE Friday Fights 58 this past April as a factor that has positively influenced his mindset.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, he shared:

"I think the fight against Kulabdam has boosted my confidence. I think it's more of all the timing."

Watch the full interview here:

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Nong-O says Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo defeats are part and parcel of fighting

Having suffered back-to-back defeats to Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo heading into 2024, many questioned the multi-time world champion's ability to hang at the pinnacle of the striking discipline. For his part, the 37-year-old admits there were mistakes on his end that led to his first pair of losses on the global stage.

In the same interview, Nong-O continued:

"I think it's the nature of the sport. Sometimes, when you make mistakes and get punched, get knocked out, I think it's normal. And I think they just have their weapons at the very right time."

Despite having his back against the wall, the striking specialist turned back the clock and put out a stellar nine-minute striking clinic to see off 'Left Meteorite' without much fuss.

With a rematch against either Haggery or Carrillo in the offing if he clears Nabati at ONE Friday Fights 81 in a couple of weeks, the ex-divisional king remains confident of flipping the script if he's granted another opportunity.

ONE Friday Fights 81 will be available on ONE Championship's YouTube channel and the ONE Super App. Geo-restrictions may apply.