3 Key Battles To Watch At ONE Fight Night 9

Although all eyes are on ONE Championship’s U.S. debut on May 5, there is one more step on that road. ONE Fight Night 9 hails from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, April 21, with a lineup sure to excite.

Nong-O Hama headlines against Jonathan Haggerty in his latest defense of the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. But nine other bouts fill the card with plenty of martial arts goodness.

Here are three battles you absolutely cannot miss ONE Fight Night 9 on Prime Video.

Nong-O Hama vs. Jonathan Haggerty

At the top of the card is an intriguing matchup for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship. Nong-O Hama has looked invincible in recent outings, but former flyweight king Jonathan Haggerty is steadfast that he is the man to knock Nong-O from his perch.

Haggerty has all of the attributes to complete the upset. He is quick, powerful, younger, and hungry. But many others have echoed those markers in their bid to defeat the Thai superstar as well, and all have failed.

This could end up being a passing of the torch moment. Haggerty could take the mantle and be the man to finally get it done. Or he could just be another elite name added to Nong-O’s legendary resume.

The prospect of the upset alongside witnessing pure greatness in Nong-O is reason enough to tune into ONE Fight Night 9. The rest of the exciting card is just a bonus to kickstart the weekend.

Bokang Masunyane vs. Hiroba Minowa

Strawweight contenders Bokang Masunyane and Hiroba Minowa are trying to work their way back to a rematch with newly minted champion Jarred Brooks. Their path begins against one another in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Both men enjoyed a string of success before running into Brooks. Minowa has not competed since his loss last January, and Masunyane will be a day shy of a year away from the global stage when he steps foot inside the Circle. That is a lot of time for two elite strawweights to improve.

The biggest question entering the matchup is who will have improved the most. The answer will reveal who takes a step closer to getting a title shot and a chance at redemption.

Meng Bo vs. Dayane Cardoso

Strawweights Meng Bo and Dayane Cardoso could be the sleeper fight of the night on Friday, April 21.

Cardoso made a splash debut last April at ONE 156 when she defeated Ayaka Miura. The win marked her sixth straight and instantly made her a threat in the division. Meng Bo moved up to strawweight and lost to Tiffany Teo but returned in a catchweight contest to quickly oust Jennifer Olsim by knockout.

With “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan awaiting more contenders to move into position, Meng vs. Cardoso could elevate the winner into that position. Their heavy-handed styles will ignite the crowd and make for an exciting matchup with the champion, should they get the call. There are high stakes to be had in this battle, and it should get more attention heading into ONE Fight Night 9.

ONE Fight Night 9 airs live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Friday, April 21. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.

Mixed martial arts, One championship, Mma

Black Belt Magazine