“I was at a disadvantage” - Former bantamweight champ Nong-O reveals what sparked his decision to move down to flyweight

Former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Hama is set to make his flyweight debut this week in Thailand. It was a move that he said was carefully arrived at with his team after making a thorough assessment of how things have gone for him of late.

The 38-year-old Thai icon is set to battle Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in a flyweight Muay Thai joust at ONE Fight Night 28: Prajanchai vs. Barboza on Feb. 8 at Bangkok's famed Lumpinee Stadium.

In an interview with ONE Championship in relation to his scheduled match, Nong-O shared what went into his decision to slide down to flyweight, saying:

"After the fight with Kiamran [Nabati], I consulted my team, and we decided that I should step down from the bantamweight division. Even I was still ranked in the bantamweight division. Because I was at a disadvantage in terms of physicality and impact force. So, I decided to move down to 135 pounds, flyweight."

Nong-O was last in action back in September, where he lost to Nabati by unanimous decision.

A native of Sakon Nakhon, Thailand, Nong-O became ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion in February 2019. He successfully defended the belt seven times before losing to British striker Jonathan Haggerty in April 2023.

ONE Fight Night 28 is available live and for free at U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

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Nong-O seeks a win in flyweight debut to fast-track title bid

Nong-O Hama is out to get a big win in his flyweight debut at ONE Fight Night 28 to hopefully fast-track his push for a world title shot in his new division.

The Thai bantamweight legend touched on this in an interview with ONE Championship ahead of his flyweight showdown with Kongthoranee Sor Sommai, highlighting that among his immediate goals in flyweight is to barge into the top five rankings and make a further push for the title.

He said:

"Oh, I feel like ONE Championship wants to have a competitive fight. It's good that they send a ranked fighter to fight matchup with me. Gives me a chance to get closer to the title shot. But if I win against Kongthoranee, I should be able to enter the rankings."

The ONE flyweight world title is currently vacant after longtime kingpin Rodtang Jitmuangnon was stripped of it after missing weight in his last title defense in November. He, however, remains the No. 1 contender for the belt.