"It's anybody's game" - Alexis Nicolas expecting to be pushed to the limit in high-stakes rematch with Regian Eersel

French superstar, Alexis Nicolas is expecting nothing less than another grueling war against former kickboxing kingpin Regian Eersel on Oct. 4. Back in April, Nicolas challenged 'The Immortal' for his lightweight kickboxing crown at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand, at ONE Fight Night 21.

The spectacular show was everything it was hyped up to be - brimming with action for twenty-five minutes as they tried to outwit each other with tact and accuracy.

But like many closely contested matchups, there's usually a hint of controversy that goes along with it. Nicolas' victory by unanimous decision was the cause of much debate between the fans, which makes their immediate rematch an intriguing fight to watch.

'Barboza,' especially, is excited to put their rivalry to a conclusive end.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Nicolas revealed exactly what to expect from their rematch this week:

"So the next fight is going to be good, because they know it's anybody's game. It's going to be crazy fight, and a lot of hype going into this match."

ONE Fight Night 25 will air live in US Primetime free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

---

Alexis Nicolas plans to remain on the throne long enough to put kickboxing on the map

Becoming France's first ONE lightweight kickboxing world champion is a huge responsibility, but Alexis Nicolas carries the weight of the crown very well.

The Mahmoudi Gym representative is currently living the dream as a champion, enjoying all the perks that come with it, but at the same time, using his new status as a force for good.

If he's successful this week, Nicolas hopes to pocket a lot more cash to travel the world and be an ambassador for all things kickboxing. After all, that's one of the reasons why he accepted to rematch the former champion.

Speaking to ONE, he said:

"So I have to fight, and I have to show that kickboxing is a very good sport and make everybody want to do kickboxing, so I have to speak better English. It's a very good thing because now I'm recognized."