Lyndon Knowles is thankful for everything ONE Championship has done for Muay Thai in the United Kingdom.
This Friday night, April 4, Knowles will make his long-awaited promotional debut when he meets two-sport king Roman Kryklia for the ONE heavyweight Muay Thai world championship.
The two will headline ONE Fight Night 30 when the promotion heads back to the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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In recent years, ONE Championship has seen a bit of a British invasion with fighters like Jonathan Haggerty, Nico Carrillo, Jacob Smith, Liam Nolan, Jake Peacock, and rising star Freddie Haggerty.
Speaking with ONE, Knowles sounded thrilled to now be part of that elite group and credited the promotion with bringing more attention to British fighters.
Knowles said:
“This British invasion has been brewing for at least five years...Now that we’ve got more exposure thanks to ONE Championship, many of our talents are rising through the ranks. Everyone can see it."
Lyndon Knowles has been waiting a long time for this moment
After more than two decades in the sport, Lyndon Knowles has been waiting a long time for an opportunity to compete on martial arts' biggest global stage.
Knowles added:
"Yeah, it is [huge]. I agree. I definitely do. It certainly is. The beginning of the year, I wasn't sure. I'm 39 this year, and I'm like what's happening, what do I do, and suddenly I get this call, and it certainly feels like destiny."
As a three-time WBC Muay Thai champion, Knowles is no stranger to bringing world titles home to the UK, but he's never faced an opponent quite as dangerous as Roman Kryklia—a fighter with a perfect record under the ONE banner and a penchant for highlight-reel knockouts.
Will it be #AndNew or #AndStill at ONE Fight Night 30? Let us know your prediction in the comments, and don't forget to tune in this Friday night.
ONE Fight Night 30 will air live on Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Canada in U.S. primetime on Friday, April 4.