Reece McLaren says he learned a lot from previous loss to Kairat Akhmetov

Aussie star Reece McLaren believes he’s learned a lot about himself as a fighter since his previous loss to Kairat Akhmetov a few years ago.

This May 5, McLaren has a second chance to turn back the clock against the Kazakhstani slugger in a rematch at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video in Denver, Colorado.

Hoping to establish himself as the next challenger to the flyweight throne, McLaren is excited to showcase a different element of his game and surprise his former rival with his evolution.

Speaking to ONE Championship about his decision-loss to Akhmetov, ’Lightning' said:

“I know exactly where I went wrong and what happened. So I instantly grew from it. And I’m super pumped to get back in there with him and test this new skill.”

Ever since Reece McLaren switched gyms to train under martial arts legend John Wayne Parr, McLaren hasn’t experienced a single loss. Gaining momentum with two back-to-back stoppages against Wei Xi and Windson Ramos, the 31-year-old warrior feels like he’s ready to draw more blood with his boxing and wrestling.

Kairat Akhmetov, on the other hand, is one ticket away from a world title shot against the winner of Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes, which coincidentally headlines the main event in Colorado.

But if Reece McLaren has anything to do with it, he’ll fight tooth and nail to delay Akhmetov from getting his golden opportunity with an outstanding victory on American soil.

ONE Fight Night 10 goes down at the 1stBank Center. The entire card willl be broadcast live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Reece McLaren believes Karat Akhmetov didn’t get better over time

Unlike his opponents, Reece McLaren believes he hasn't stayed stagnant over time.

One of the most important things an MMA fighter should do is continue learning from different schools of martial arts in order to become a better and more well-rounded fighter than before.

MMA legends like ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson and ‘The Burmese Python’ Aung La N Sang are a testament to that type of evolution in their skillsets and have become world-class fighters as a result.

So, Reece McLaren have yet to see a different aspect to Karat Akhmetov’s game to convince him that he’s evolved much since their first fight.

Speaking to ONE, the Aussie standout shared his thoughts about his rival’s skills or lack thereof by saying:

“I think it’s unrecognizable [how much I’ve changed.] I think I’ve shown that I’m more diverse. I’m different. Totally different. I don’t want to bag on Akmetov, but with all respect to him, it’s like, “Man, you’re still the same.”