Nontachai Jitmuangnon discovered his first ONE Championship defeat tasted bitter enough to force drastic changes, dropping an entire weight class while plotting a revenge path that conveniently runs directly through Soner Sen’s Team Mehdi Zatout gym connection.

The 26-year-old Thai striker headlines ONE Friday Fights 130 on October 24 inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium against the Turkish pressure fighter who shares training facilities with Abdulla Dayakaev, the only man to beat Nontachai under ONE’s banner.

That camp connection transforms Friday’s bantamweight Muay Thai collision from simple comeback opportunity into something more personal. Nontachai’s March stoppage loss to fifth-ranked Dayakaev at ONE Fight Night 33 ended his unbeaten 3-0 promotional start that included knockout destruction of Dmitrii Kovtun and dominant victory over Arian Esparza.

The defeat still burns months later, motivating his permanent bantamweight move designed to eventually corner Dayakaev for the rematch that consumes his thoughts.

“If I get the chance, I want to challenge for Abdulla’s spot in the top five rankings,” Nontachai said. “Last time he moved up to featherweight for me, now it’s my turn to go down and find him.”

But Sen represents the immediate obstacle standing between Nontachai and that revenge mission. The 29-year-old “Golden Boy” brings his own redemption hunger after dropping an August decision to Worapon Lukjaoporongtom in their trilogy bout, snapping momentum built through six victories that established him as a fan favorite.

Their stylistic contrast creates fascinating tactical warfare. Nontachai’s devastating knee work and inside fighting prowess will hunt clinch opportunities that Sen’s improved distance management aims to prevent. The Turkish striker has sharpened those defensive skills through regular sparring with reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane, whose height and creativity have refined Sen’s counterattacking instincts.

Nontachai has studied Sen’s struggles against Worapon’s close-range pressure, identifying exploitable weaknesses when opponents collapse the distance and impose a clinch game.

“Soner’s clear weakness is that he doesn’t handle close combat well,” he said. “My strength is fighting on the inside, as I’m naturally a knee fighter, and I plan to use that to my utmost advantage.”

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