Black Belt Team 
“The Kicking Machine” will make his return to Muay Thai and Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, June 23, at ONE Friday Fights 22. ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 returns to battle Nabil Anane on the stacked card. And for the Thai star, it’s all about the return to the historic venue.
“[I switched from kickboxing] because I want to fight at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium. I miss this place. When the ONE team called me and told me that the fight will take place on June 23 at Lumpinee, I was so excited. I accepted the offer immediately,” Superlek told ONE Championship.
Since ONE began the weekly event series, fans have been treated to countless knockouts and back-and-forth thrillers. Each event has been incredible. Those prior lineups gave Superlek the itch to return to the iconic martial arts stadium.
“Every time I watch [ONE Friday Fights], they always hype me up. I want to be part of this program. And I said to myself, ‘Someday, I want to come back to fight at Lumpinee again,’” Superlek said.
The lineup for ONE Friday Fights 22 is loaded. ONE Heavyweight World Champion Arjan Bhullar and ONE Light Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight World Champion Anatoly Malykhin will unify the heavyweight gold alongside a who’s who of Muay Thai superstars.
“This is a historic event of ONE Lumpinee, and I’m sure there will not be an empty seat left. The stadium will be crowded with fans. I’m honored to fight at ONE Lumpinee and be on the same card as many elite fighters like Seksan [Or Kwanmuang], Sam-A [Gaiyanghadao], Prajanchai [PK Saenchai], Superbon [Singha Mawynn], and so on,” the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion stated.
Although Anane will be making his ONE debut against the Thai star, Superlek is clear that he will not be taking his opponent lightly once they step foot inside the ring.
The flyweight contender is returning to put on a show for the local fans.
“Underestimating my opponent is the last thing I will do. Everyone can make mistakes, and I won’t be careless. I think it is a good test for me to face a rangier striker like him and to see if my game plan works,” Superlek said.
Superlek is excited by the challenge of the 6-foot-2 Algerian. The 27-year-old is preparing for a three-round thriller as he looks to return to Muay Thai in style on Friday.
“Some people say he will be an easy task for me. But personally, I think there are no easy fights for me at all. Every opponent coming my way must be good enough, Nabil included,” Superlek said.
“I can say that he is the tallest opponent I have ever fought with. Man, it is almost a [7-inch] height difference! Moreover, he’s not only tall but also possesses a variety of weapons.”
ONE Friday Fights 22 airs live and free on ONE’s YouTube Channel on Friday, June 23. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.
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