Kiamran Nabati is going headhunting on Friday. After securing a trio of noteworthy wins over Pongsiri PK Saenchai, Avatar PK Saenchai, and Suablack Tor Pran49 in his first three promotional appearances, the 21-0 Russian will look to land the biggest win of his career when he squares off with former ONE world champion Nong-O Hama at ONE Friday Fights 81 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Determined to land a stop in the bantamweight Muay Thai division's coveted top five, Nabati will be looking to score a win over Nong-O in highlight-reel fashion live on pay-per-view. Speaking to ONE Championship, Nabati said:
"Of course, I will hunt for his head, you know. Because everybody knows Nong-O's head. If [my punches] land on him, I think it will be a knockout."
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Thus far, Nabati has looked practically unbeatable, but he's never faced an opponent as dangerous or experienced as the Thai icon.
Nong-O looks to keep his ranking intact against the unbeaten Kiamran Nabati
After coming up short in back-to-back bouts against Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo, Nong-O bounced back with a big win over Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai in April.
Hoping to make it two in a row and keep his spot as the third-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender, Nong-O knows he's in for a tough test against the 29-year-old scrapper:
"I have studied Kiamran many times, and I think he is a very good fighter. He has good and fast punches. To win against Kiamran, I know it won't be easy. But I have a good plan and strategy."
Who comes out on top when one of Muay Thai's most celebrated athletes meets an unbeaten upstart with a wave of momentum behind him?
ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live and exclusively on pay-per-view on Friday, Sept. 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. You can purchase the event exclusively on the official ONE Championship website.