“It’s a good choice for him” - Kongthoranee agrees with Nong-O decision to move down, plans rude welcome for Thai legend

On Friday, February 7, the former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion will be making his return to the flyweight division, and Thai striking sensation Kongthoranee Som Sommai is going to be his welcome committee.

Kongthoranee believes that Nong-O Hama made the right call by dropping back down to flyweight, but that doesn't mean he plans to make the former bantamweight king's transition fight an easy one. In an interview with The Bangkok Post, Kongthoranee said:

"I don't think it's a mistake. I think it's a good choice for him to come down to flyweight. At Bantamweight, there are a lot of big fighters, and their build is bigger than him. But I want him to know that this division is tough too."

Watch the interview here:

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Nong-O Hama says inability to keep up with bantamweight bruisers triggered move to flyweight

Nong-O's cited the increasing power and size difference in bantamweight as the reason for his return to flyweight. Speaking with ONE Championship, the Nong-O admits that while there's no significant difference in terms of level of skill, the growing differences in physicality is becoming too big of a challenge to handle. He said:

"Actually, our skills are not that different, but in terms of physicality and power, it's getting difficult. These days, both foreigners and Thais are all huge. I couldn't handle their power anymore, so I had to move down."

Thr numbers back up Nong-O's decision. ONE Championship's current bantamweight Muay Thai division feature fighters' heights ranging from 5'6" to 5'10", with the current interim champion Nabil Anane being an outlier at a very impressive height of 6'4".

Now in a more natural weight class, the former bantamweight king is aiming to prove that this doesn't mean his skills are on a decline.

Watch Nong-O vs Kongthoranee on ONE Fight Night 28, airing live in U.S. primetime free for Prime Video subscribers in North America.