“It would be a dream come true” - Jonathan Haggerty calls out bantamweight king Nong-O Gaiyanghadao

Former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion ‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty hasn’t even stepped foot inside the circle as a bantamweight, but he’s already looking forward to a potential clash with long-reigning divisional king Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.

The 25-year-old all-action star from the United Kingdom recently had a chat with Tom Taylor of SCMP MMA ahead of his highly anticipated bantamweight debut. ‘The General’ said:

“I did say I would come out here and not call anyone out. But since I’m here now, I might as well. I feel like Nong-O [Gaiyanghadao]. I’d love to fight Nong-O, it would be a dream come true. I feel like I’ve got the footwork. I’ve got the speed.”

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao is one of the most dominant world title holders in ONE Championship. Since the Thai veteran joined the promotion, he’s been met with very little resistance and has emerged victorious in all of his fights. However, Haggerty believes he may have the tools necessary to unseat the bantamweight Muay Thai king in the future.

Before any of that comes to fruition, Jonathan Haggerty will need to first prove himself against a worthy opponent.

‘The General’ is scheduled to meet Russia’s Vladimir Kuzmin in a bantamweight Muay Thai clash at ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee. The event broadcasts live on November 18 (US primetime) from the Singapore Indoor Stadium and is free to watch for fans in the United States and Canada with an active Prime Video subscription.

If Haggerty can defeat a dangerous foe in Kuzmin, he could send a statement to the rest of the bantamweight division, including Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, that there’s a new threat on the horizon.

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Jonathan Haggerty says he and Vladimir Kuzmin have similar fighting styles

There’s no fighter in the world quite like ‘The General’ Jonathan Haggerty, who combines electric speed with power and precision. However, the 25-year-old does believe upcoming opponent Vladimir Kuzmin offers a similar style to his, albeit of slightly lesser quality.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Jonathan Haggerty stated that he sees parallels between his opponent’s fighting style and his own:

“I think he’s quite technical. He reminds me a bit of myself, you know?... It must be scary [to face someone like me]. But I’ve got confidence. My team’s got confidence in me. I’m ready.”