Superlek and Nabil Anane set to unify bantamweight Muay Thai belts in epic rematch at ONE 172 in Japan

It's official! Undisputed ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 will look to unify his gold with interim titleholder Nabile Anane on March 23 when ONE Championship heads back to The Land of the Rising Sun.

ONE 170 saw Anane score a stunning first-round knockout over 'The King of the North' Nico Carrillo to claim the interim bantamweight Muay Thai title.

Now, he'll look to upgrade his gold in one of the most anticipated rematches in ONE history:

"EPIC REMATCH 🏆 After nearly two years and six straight wins, Nabil Anane gets a second crack at Superlek when they collide in Japan on March 23 to unify the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang! Can the interim champ gain redemption and end “The Kicking Machine’s” 13-fight winning streak?⁠"

It'll be the second-ever meeting between the two stars, the first coming at ONE Friday Fights 22 in June 2023 when Anane was making his promotional debut.

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ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong believes the second meeting between Superlek and Anane won't be the same as the first

The first time around, Superlek came out on top, scoring a highlight-reel knockout just past the two-minute mark of the opening round.

However, ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong said things could look a lot different in the rematch. He said at the ONE 170 post-fight press conference:

"In the first fight Nabil had with Superlek, Superlek came in with a game plan and focused on the leg kick and the body shot, and I was quite surprised that Nabil got knocked out. But then I had a chance to talk with Mehdi Zatout, his coach. His coach said that Nabil, at the time, didn't focus a hundred percent on the training because he had personal problems and family problems at the time."

He added:

"But this fight, what just happened? Nabil has dedicated a hundred percent into the training camp, and it looks like Nabil is a new person now."

Since his first fight with 'The Kicking Machine,' Anane has won six in a row, including finishes against Nakrob Fairtex, Kulabdam, and of course, Nico Carrillo.

Could the 6'4" Algerian-Thai session even the series and leave the Saitama Super Arena with undisputed gold, or will Superlek prove once again that there are levels to this game and go two-up on the emerging star?

ONE 172 will emanate from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Sunday, March 23. Head over to watch.onefc.com to learn more about how you can watch the event live.