Liam Harrison inspired to return by three ‘great’ UK strikers making waves in ONE Championship

Liam Harrison is itching for a return to the grandest stage of martial arts because truth be told, he’s just sick and tired of being on the sidelines.

The Brit martial arts icon has been on the road to recovery since August 27 last year, when he suffered a horrific knee injury to then-bantamweight king Nong-O Hama.

Losing his first world title matchup under the ONE Championship spotlight was painful enough, but the lengthy battle to get himself back to full fitness is a road that has been filled with regret and disappointment.

However, as he approaches full fitness, Liam Harrison has been somewhat inspired by the recent barnburners that ONE has produced every week.

In particular, ‘Hitman’ singled out three UK powerhouses, who have been making a name for themselves in the promotion, as a source of motivation to get back to business.

During an interview with LastBSTN, he said:

“I’m flicking Instagram on, and then there’s [Jonathan] Haggerty hitting pads, there’s Nico [Carrillo] smashing the pads, and then there’s Nathan Bendon smashing pads, and I’m thinking like they all look great at the minute. They all look great at the minute, you know. I’m thinking ‘I want to get back there’.”

Watch the video here:

Haggerty, of course, went on to dethrone Nong-O at ONE Fight Night 9 in April, ending the world champion’s reign with a first-round knockout.

Scotsman Carrillo has gone 2-0 at ONE Friday Fights over the past months, gaining two highlight-reel finishes over Furkan Karabag and Muangthai PK Saenchai. Meanwhile, Bendon debuted at ONE Friday Fights 22, putting up a strong performance that unfortunately didn’t help him across the finish line with a victory.

Knowing the style Liam Harrison brings to the Circle, it’s safe to assume he will follow suit when he returns.

In the meantime, don’t forget to catch ONE Friday Fights 22, available on ONE Championship’s official YouTube channel.