"Many people say that I am too old" - Nong-O eager to prove his detractors wrong anew in pivotal clash with Kiamran Nabati

Nong-O Hama wants to show that he can hang with the very best despite being in the later stages of his career.

The Thai veteran has been there and done it all in his career, so when he decides to walk away, he will leave behind a stellar legacy.

His reign as the bantamweight Muay Thai world champion was one of the most dominant winning streaks that ONE Championship has ever seen. However, when his run finally came to an end, it crumbled in devastating fashion.

The 37-year-old fighter was stopped in consecutive fights against Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo but he didn't let that discourage him.

After bouncing back last time out with a victory over Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai, the former champ is now out to halt the momentum of a rising contender in Kiamran Nabati.

Ahead of his return at ONE Friday Fights 81, Nong-O spoke in an interview with ONE Championship about his motivation to prove people wrong in this fight:

"Many people say that I am too old in this field, so I will show that even though I am 37, I am still in good shape."

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Nong-O will be tested in this fight

At ONE Friday Fights 81 on Sept. 27, Nong-O will need to use his experience in order to come through the fight and get his hand raised.

Kiamran Nabati has earned three consecutive wins since arriving in ONE Championship but in this fight, he faces his toughest test to date.

In his victory against Kulabdam, we saw how the former champion could use his years of high-level experience to his advantage.

Doing the same against Nabati will be crucial because whilst the former champ still carries plenty of knockout power, engaging in a brawl may not be his best call.

If he can turn back a contender like Nabati, make no doubt about it, Nong-O is still a major player in this division.

ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live in Asian primetime via watch.onefc.com