Nontachai Replaces Injured Liam Harrison Against Shinji Suzuki At ONE Fight Night 38
Thai wrecking ball Nontachai Jitmuangnon has stepped in to replace injured British legend Liam Harrison against Japanese veteran Shinji Suzuki in a bantamweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video broadcasting live from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium in U.S. primetime on Friday, December 5, where the short-notice opportunity gives the 26-year-old Jitmuangnon Gym representative a chance to make serious noise in the division.
The matchup was originally scheduled as bantamweight kickboxing between Harrison and Suzuki before Harrison’s injury forced withdrawal, yet the rule change to Muay Thai favors Nontachai’s strengths. With 51 career victories built on a reputation as a close-range threat, his intense clinch work and suffocating inside game have left countless opponents broken in his wake.
Nontachai raced off to a 3-0 start in ONE Championship after winning the 2023 Road to ONE: Thailand tournament. He announced his arrival with a dominant decision victory over Alessio Malatesta in July 2024 before turning heads with a knockout of Dmitrii Kovtun four months later — both catchweight Muay Thai bouts contested at 150 pounds. His momentum continued when joining the featherweight division, enjoying a successful U.S. primetime debut by beating Arian Esparza via unanimous decision in March.
That streak shattered this past July when Abdulla Dayakaev caught him with a left hook just 24 seconds into round one. The heartbreaking knockout exposed defensive gaps Nontachai couldn’t ignore, yet his response revealed his true character. This past October, Nontachai dropped to bantamweight to face Soner Sen, looking lighter on his feet while flashing improved defense before bouncing back with a majority decision victory.
Suzuki brings two decades of experience in the art of eight limbs into this defining moment. The 40-year-old from Tokyo’s Fujimakick Muay Thai Gym earned his contract by winning the 2022 Road to ONE: Japan tournament with back-to-back knockouts, though Suablack Tor Pran49 served him a harsh promotional debut welcome with a September 2023 knockout.
The Japanese warrior responded with grit in March 2024, displaying fast hands and crisp combinations to floor former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao en route to a unanimous decision victory. That momentum proved short-lived when Jake Peacock’s body attack broke through in round three this past February, leading to three knockdowns and a TKO stoppage after Suzuki controlled early exchanges.
A statement win over Nontachai would prove Suzuki can still compete with the division’s most dangerous rising stars while instantly putting him back on the winning track, yet the Thai striker’s clinch dominance and improved defensive awareness create serious problems for the veteran facing a fighter hungry for redemption after his own recent setback.
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