“I changed a lot” - Nabil Anane believes he is more of a threat to Superlek in upcoming rematch

A lot has changed since the first time Nabil Anane met Superlek inside the Circle.

When Anane made his ONE Championship debut back in June 2023, he was immediately thrown into the fire, squaring off with 'The Kicking Machine' at ONE Friday Fights 22. Needless to say, things did not go Anane's way.

Superlek finished the then-newcomer in highlight-reel fashion, but that was far from the end of the story.

Less than two years later, Anane has built an impressive six-fight win streak, including a stunning first-round KO over Nico Carrillo to capture the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world championship.

Now, Anane finds himself with an opportunity to not only avenge his lone loss under the ONE banner but to trade in his interim title for undisputed gold.

Nabil Anane meets Superlek—the reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion—at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang this Sunday, March 23 with the winner leaving as the undisputed king of the bantamweight Muay Thai division.

During an interview with Fightlore, Anane spoke about his evolution as a fighter and what he's been focusing on ahead of their sequel scrap inside the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

"I changed a lot," Anane said. "I’m working more on strength and conditioning and also on techniques. Working on the things I’m not good at."

---

Will Superlek extend his eight-fight unbeaten streak against Nabil Anane at ONE 172?

While Nabil Anane has been working his way up the division with wins over names like Muangthai, Kulabdam, Felipe Lobo, and the aforementioned Nico Carrillo, Supelek has been decimating every fighter put in front of him.

Over the last couple of years, 'The Kicking Machine' has emerged as perhaps the best P4P striker in all of Muay Thai and kickboxing with wins over Rodtang Jitmaungnon, Takeru Segawa, and most recently, Jonathan Haggerty.

A win for Superlek at ONE 172 would extend his unbeaten streak to nine, not to mention add to his legacy as one of the greatest of all time—a stunning statement when you consider that the Thai superstar is still only 29 years old.

Will Superlek pick up right where he left off and land another big win over Anane inside the Circle, or will the 6'4" Algerian-Thai sensation even the series and leave Japan with his first undisputed ONE world championship?

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang will emanate from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Sunday, March 23. Head over to watch.onefc.com to learn more about how you can watch the event live.