Nadaka Wants To Close The Show In Style In ONE Championship Kickboxing Debut
Nadaka has ruled the striking world for six years, and now he wants to conquer a discipline he has never fought in professionally.
The reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion makes his promotional kickboxing debut against Har Ling Om in the main event of ONE SAMURAI 3, streaming live from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, on Saturday, September 12.
Nadaka enters off a pristine 5-0 promotional slate that extends a 41-fight winning streak dating back to July 2019, part of a 67-6 career. Still, the unfamiliar rule set has introduced a rare feeling for the veteran champion.
“There is real anxiety around the rules being totally different. I’m worried about committing fouls – that’s real, yeah. But it’s not exactly a problem. Kickboxing puts a lot more weight on physicality, so I need real strength when contact happens so I don’t lose the exchange,” he said.
Despite the nerves, Nadaka believes his Muay Thai fundamentals still translate into a decisive advantage once the gloves come on.
“My Muay Thai tools could stop his forward pressure outright, but doing that within kickboxing rules is really the key challenge of this whole fight, and that’s exactly what I want to show,” he said.
He has also studied the threat that Har Ling Om’s Lethwei background presents.
“He has fought under Lethwei-style rules, so I imagine he’s genuinely tough. His uppercut and a couple of specific attacks he uses are really good,” he said. “That steady pressure is honestly the annoying part – a guy with clear rhythm in and out is easier to time. So that’s what I’m watching for. I want to prevent him from closing the distance.”
After a string of hard-fought decisions in recent five-round title fights, Nadaka is hungry to end a fight decisively again.
“I’m absolutely aiming for a knockout. I’ve had a lot of decision wins lately, so I want to really rediscover that feeling of putting someone away for good.”
With the event unfolding just miles from his hometown of Yokosuka, Nadaka feels the added weight of performing in front of familiar faces.
“Competing in Yokohama matters a lot – my actual hometown is Yokosuka – but a lot of friends and people who know me are going to come out for this. Getting to be the guy trusted to headline a ONE SAMURAI event is a huge honor, so I want to close the show in style.”
READ MORE: Sangarthit Comes Home To Muay Thai For The Inner Circle 30
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