Sidekick Boxing

Injuries Force Late Shakeup to ONE Fight Night 39 Card

Injuries to Sean Climaco and Lucas Gabriel forced ONE Championship to scramble, adding two late replacement bouts to Friday’s ONE Fight Night 39 card in Bangkok. The adjustments maintain competitive depth while postponing the highly anticipated Johan Ghazali showcase.

Climaco’s foot injury shelved his clash with rising teenage star Ghazali, removing one of the evening’s most compelling stylistic matchups. Gabriel’s withdrawal from his lightweight MMA bout against Magomed Akaev created a second hole the promotion filled through rapid roster maneuvering.

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The replacements deliver intriguing narratives. Russian veteran Vladimir Kuzmin faces undefeated Iraqi promotional newcomer Mohanad Battbootti in featherweight Muay Thai action, creating an immediate test for the unblemished 11-0 challenger against battle-tested competition.

Kuzmin brings durability and experience. His promotional debut earned a unanimous decision victory over Chris Shaw in February 2022. The subsequent tests against Muangthai PK Saenchai and Jonathan Haggerty resulted in narrow decision losses that showcased his ability to compete with divisional elites.

Three victories across his next four appearances established the 28-year-old as a durable competitor who consistently takes fights the distance. His experience facing top-tier opposition provides valuable seasoning against the undefeated Battbootti, whose pristine record faces immediate scrutiny against a fighter who’s absorbed everything the division offers.

The 23-year-old Iraqi newcomer enters his promotional debut carrying an unblemished professional record but facing the kind of immediate step up in competition that separates prospects from contenders. Battbootti’s perfect record means nothing if it was built against limited opposition. Friday determines whether the zeros survive contact with reality.

The second addition delivers Iranian powerhouse Mohammad Siasarani’s highly anticipated main roster debut against Brazilian star Pedro Dantas in featherweight kickboxing action. Siasarani earned his six-figure contract through a spectacular finish at ONE Friday Fights 137 last December, knocking out Thai veteran Jo Nattawut in fashion that announced his readiness for elevated competition.

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The 23-year-old Team Mehdi Zatout fighter carries an impressive 8-2 promotional record including victories over Nattawut, Mohammed Boutasaa, Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, Liu Mengyang, and Kaito. His four-fight winning streak positions him as a legitimate threat in the featherweight kickboxing division, making Friday’s U.S. primetime debut the platform to showcase his skills before a global audience.

Dantas seeks his first promotional victory after a challenging debut. The 22-year-old Brazilian arrived with a pristine 6-0 record and perfect finishing rate, carrying second-generation MMA fighter credentials that suggested elite potential. His promotional debut against dangerous Russian Ibragim Dauev resulted in a hard-fought unanimous decision defeat that exposed the gap between regional dominance and global competition.

Now transitioning to kickboxing for his first all-striking contest under the ONE banner, Dantas aims to secure a breakthrough victory while establishing momentum in a new discipline. The late-notice opportunity creates urgency. Victory launches his ONE career. Another defeat raises serious questions about his ceiling at this level.

The reshuffled card maintains competitive depth despite losing the Ghazali showcase, delivering replacement bouts that create genuine intrigue through contrasting narratives of proven veterans versus hungry challengers seeking validation.

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