Ben “The Problem” Woolliss meets former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza in a bantamweight kickboxing showdown at The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The card streams live for members from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.

The 32-year-old Englishman announced himself with a first-round destruction of former MMA king John Lineker in his promotional debut this past March. He dropped a hard-fought unanimous decision to former World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus in May, but that defeat has done nothing to dim his fire.

“Looking back, I think there were more positives for me to take from that fight. I pushed him to three rounds. There were some things I could have done better, but there were also things I did that were pretty impressive,” Woolliss told onefc.com.

“But I’m not losing sleep over it. I’m just focused on fixing the shortcomings from that fight, tightening up my defense, and working on my attacks against Yoza.”

Yoza enters on the back of a three-fight winning streak against elite opposition, a run only recently halted by reigning World Champion Jonathan Haggerty at ONE SAMURAI 1 this past April. Woolliss understands exactly what beating a name of that caliber would mean.

“Yoza is another top opponent. And I’m glad ONE Championship came through and gave me an amazing fight. I’ve studied what he does best. I’ve read his patterns. But I’m prepared for everything that he brings,” he said.

“Being at Soma is like a 24/7, 365-day fight camp. I have everything I need, whether it’s recovery or physios or my nutritionist. So, I’m perfectly dialed in to be able to put my best foot forward and compete.”

Woolliss has spent his camp dissecting exactly how Yoza likes to operate, from his calf kicks to his tendency to close distance behind them.

“From what I’ve seen, I can say that he does not give room for any of his opponents to operate. He loves to close the distance behind those calf kicks of his, and immediately try to swarm you with follow-up shots,” the Englishman said.

“But he doesn’t really do much of a great job with his hands. He does hit you, but it doesn’t seem like anything that will entirely rock me. That said, I cannot get careless against someone who has just as much explosiveness as I do inside the pocket.”

Seven years battling Crohn’s disease taught Woolliss patience, and he insists the fighter stepping into Lumpinee Stadium this time is sharper than the one fans have seen so far.

“Fans can expect a lot more new weapons from me in this fight. Throughout the seven years that I was away due to Crohn’s disease, I have leveled up every single day behind the scenes,” the Grimsby native revealed.

“The discipline and intensity are the same here. I’ve worked my socks off to improve. Whether it’s the right hand or the calf kicks that helped me knock out Lineker, everything will be far more dangerous and sharper.”

READ MORE: Thai Wrecking Machine Headlines ONE Friday Fights 162 This Friday

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The post Ben Woolliss Unimpressed By Former ONE World Title Challenger Yuki Yoza: “I’ve Read His Patterns” first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Kongklai lost his first ten professional fights and kept going anyway, eventually stringing together an 18-bout winning streak that included the only knockout of Seksan Or Kwanmuang ever recorded in the big gloves.

The 27-year-old carries that legacy into Friday’s fight looking to get back on track after a tough loss to Julio Lobo at ONE Friday Fights 152. Benwarwar needs no extra motivation of his own, having announced himself with a first-round knockout and an explosive striking arsenal that has put opponents away at every level.

The co-main event brings the Seksan connection full circle. Khunponnoi Sor Sommai, the younger brother of “The Man Who Yields To No One,” takes on Scotland’s Gregor Thom in a flyweight Muay Thai matchup on the same card that headlines the man who once knocked his brother out.

The 33-year-old Sor Sommai product has 127 professional wins, including 28 knockouts, and has spent years working to step out of the most beloved shadow in ONE Championship. Thom’s own story is one of the series’ great origin tales, a fighter who started training during pandemic lockdown boredom and forged himself into a legitimate threat with a powerful low-kick game.

Rounding out the card, seven further bouts span Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA, including Buakaew Sor Sor Pakorn against Aldo Cruz and Mathieu Greco against Eldiyar Alymseiitov in the lone MMA bout of the night.

Every fighter on the card is chasing the same prize: a life-changing US$100,000 contract and a permanent spot on ONE Championship’s global roster.

ONE Friday Fights 162 Full Card

• Kongklai Sor Sommai vs. Adam Benwarwar (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Khunponnoi Sor Sommai vs. Gregor Thom (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Buakaew Sor Sor Pakorn vs. Aldo Cruz (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Singsuek Sakanupong vs. Watcharaphon Risingmuaythai (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Jaxson Hayman vs. Liu Quan (Muay Thai – lightweight)
• Petubon Sor Teanchai vs. Lerdsila Jitmuangnon (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Isaiah Badato vs. Ryunosuke Omori (kickboxing – strawweight)
• Mathieu Greco vs. Eldiyar Alymseiitov (MMA – bantamweight)
• Mia Trevorrow vs. Magdalena Pircher (Muay Thai – atomweight)

READ MORE: Zhang Peimian Relives First Clash With “One Of A Kind” Jonathan Di Bella Ahead Of Friday’s Rematch: “A Hard Battle”

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The post Thai Wrecking Machine Headlines ONE Friday Fights 162 This Friday first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Zhang Peimian challenges reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella in the main event of The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The rematch streams live for members from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

Their first meeting at ONE 162 in October 2022 produced one of the most competitive World Title fights the division has seen, with Zhang pushing the Italian-Canadian southpaw across four grueling rounds before a fifth-round high kick proved decisive.

“I remember that it was a hard battle. We were well prepared, and I think I was on the right track to win until that high kick landed. I believe that was the closest a Chinese fighter has come to claiming the kickboxing gold,” Zhang said.

“I think I was winning before that knockdown. But I won’t say it was by luck or accident. I could’ve been more watchful.”

Di Bella, now a four-time World Champion, carries a 15-1 record and a three-fight winning streak into the rematch. Zhang has tracked his rival’s evolution closely and sees a more complete fighter than the one he faced nearly four years ago.

“His boxing is one of a kind, but I think his footwork and kicks have also been improving a lot. He’s been fighting some of the best strikers, so he’s got good experience. By defeating most of them, I believe he’s now the most confident fighter in the division, that’s what makes him dangerous. But it could also be his weakness. We’ll see,” he admitted.

Nagging injuries hampered Zhang’s last few camps, and arriving below his best against a champion of Di Bella’s caliber is not a mistake he intends to repeat.

“We are trying to build up my body to the best condition, since I wasn’t in the greatest shape in my last few fights because of the injuries. And we are preparing some new weapons for the system that fans will see on fight day,” the Shengli Fight Club product said.

The most crucial lesson Zhang carries out of that first fight has nothing to do with technique. It has everything to do with what happens in his own mind.

“The key is to not fall into his mind games, which is why I lost the first time. I was too easily provoked, I was only 19 back then. I think it will be a five-round war. Maybe there will be some knockdowns in between,” he said.

More than personal redemption, Zhang carries the weight of a nation’s expectations into Lumpinee Stadium.

“It doesn’t matter if I get my revenge. What matters is that I become the first-ever Chinese ONE Kickboxing World Champion. Millions of people have been waiting for that moment for years,” he concluded.

READ MORE: Grappling Goddess Helena Crevar Can’t Live Without Her Animals

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The post Zhang Peimian Relives First Clash With “One Of A Kind” Jonathan Di Bella Ahead Of Friday’s Rematch: “A Hard Battle” first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

The 19-year-old returns for her second ONE Championship appearance against Paige Ivette Clymer in an openweight submission grappling contest at The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The card streams live for members from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

Crevar carries a staggering 355-7 record into the bout, with 315 of those wins coming by submission. At home, though, two cats and two birds make sure she remembers who is actually in charge.

Kiwi, a 23-year-old Senegal parrot who joined the family before Crevar was even born, has firmly settled into his role as the household’s self-appointed gatekeeper.

“He’s a one-person bird. He only likes my mom. So, he’ll bite or want to attack anyone that is not my mom,” she said.

“He’s tried to attack me and still wants to attack me whenever he’s out of the cage. Despite me feeding him, he still just wants to attack me.”

The cats bring more balance than drama. Bernie and Tiger, a four-year-old tuxedo cat and a three-year-old tabby, round out the household at a hefty 20 pounds each.

A dog was actually Crevar’s first choice growing up, but her parents’ history with birds settled the household into cats instead. She has come to see the appeal.

“Dogs, you have to walk them and give them a lot more attention. But cats sleep most of the day, they come when they want to, and you pet them and feed them a couple times a day,” she shared.

“They’re really easy, and they’re very independent, so you don’t have to give them attention all day. But when they want attention, they’ll let you know.”

Keeping four very different animals under one roof takes constant, deliberate balance, and even the neighbors who check in while she travels have noticed how unusual it all is.

“It’s a rare combination. For the birds, people probably don’t consider them as common animals or pets that you can cuddle with like cats or dogs,” she added.

“But birds, they’re also very easy to care for. You clean the cage once every couple of days, they aren’t very demanding, and they eat mostly seeds and fruits. Probably, if we didn’t have the cats, we could pretty much carry them around on our shoulders all day.”

READ MORE: Zhang Peimian Says He No Longer Fights With A Teenager’s Mind

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The post Grappling Goddess Helena Crevar Can’t Live Without Her Animals first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Zhang Peimian challenges Jonathan Di Bella for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in the main event of The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The rematch streams live for members from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

Their first meeting at ONE 162 in October 2022 was a genuine war, with Zhang matching the Canadian-Italian southpaw blow for blow until a fifth-round head kick knockdown proved decisive. Looking back now, Zhang has something to tell the 19-year-old who walked into that fight.

“I would tell him that there is no winning before the final bell rings. Give everything you have before that last second,” the 22-year-old reflected.

Di Bella, a lifelong New York Knicks fan, arrives in career-best form. The 29-year-old carries a 15-1 record and a three-fight winning streak that has established him as one of the most complete strikers on the planet.

Their first fight carried a psychological battle as much as a technical one, and Di Bella’s efforts to get inside his rival’s head worked in ways the teenager could not handle at the time. Nearly four years of experience have closed that door for good.

“My weapons are sharpened, and my mind is stronger. He was taunting me during the whole fight, and I fell for it in the moment. It won’t happen again,” he said.

The years between the two fights reshaped Zhang as a person as much as a fighter. A prolonged stretch of public criticism during a losing streak tested him in ways competition never had.

“When I first got to the top five at ONE Championship, people loved me like crazy. I couldn’t eat on my own because people were lining up to have dinner with me. Then, I was falling into a losing streak, and the amount of hate [I received on] social media was unbelievable,” “Fighting Rooster” offered.

“It lasted for two years. I was angry at first, and then I tried to understand, but eventually, I just enjoyed it. Now that I got a winning streak, and I got the title shot, more and more people started to show me love, but I just don’t get emotional anymore. I think I changed a lot mentally since the last time we fought.”

READ MORE: Dustin Poirier Reveals Why Khabib Nurmagomedov Was His Toughest Opponent

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The post Zhang Peimian Says He No Longer Fights With A Teenager’s Mind first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Jonathan Di Bella makes the first defense of his ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title against Zhang Peimian in the main event of The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The card streams live for members from Bangkok, Thailand.

Their first meeting at ONE 162 in 2022 was a genuine five-round war. Zhang, then only 19, led on all three scorecards heading into the final minute before Di Bella produced a clutch head kick knockdown to snatch the title.

Di Bella, the son of kickboxing champion Angelo Di Bella, has since become a four-time World Champion with one of the highest strike outputs in ONE kickboxing history. Zhang, meanwhile, has rebuilt his own case for gold with wins over Ellis Badr Barboza and Thongpoon PK Saenchai, arriving four years older and considerably sharper.

The co-main event brings a changing of the guard in women’s grappling. Helena Crevar returns for her second ONE Championship appearance against San Diego’s Paige Ivette Clymer in an openweight submission grappling contest.

Crevar is just 19 years old, ranked number one pound-for-pound in women’s no-gi grappling, and carries a staggering 355-7 record with 315 submission wins. She made her promotional debut in January with a 100-second finish and has not slowed down since.

Clymer is no footnote. The 33-year-old Legion American Jiu Jitsu black belt won the 2021 IBJJF No-Gi World Title at purple belt and captured the 2026 ADCC West Coast Trials outright, and she arrives at Lumpinee with real momentum of her own.

Rounding out the card, Yuki Yoza faces Ben Woolliss in bantamweight kickboxing action. Yoza is rebuilding after his 12-fight win streak was snapped by Jonathan Haggerty, while Woolliss, who battled back from a career-threatening illness, is dangerous and carrying nothing to lose.

Kompikart PK Saenchai meets Mustafa Al-Tekreeti and Sonrak Fairtex faces Wuttikrai Wor Chakrawut in two further Muay Thai bouts on the card.

When the bell rings on July 17, unfinished business across three fights will finally get the ending it has been chasing for years.

READ MORE: Dustin Poirier Reveals Why Khabib Nurmagomedov Was His Toughest Opponent

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The post The Inner Circle 22 Full Card Revealed For July 17 first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Meyram Maquine meets Ruan Alvarenga in a high-stakes featherweight submission grappling contest at ONE Fight Night 46 on Friday, August 14. The card airs live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

Maquine’s arrival in ONE Championship’s grappling ranks stands as one of the most exciting signings in recent memory. Born in Manaus, he was introduced to capoeira and jiu-jitsu at just five years old.

Mentored by coach Luiz Guilherme in Sao Paulo, the 25-year-old rose to become a two-time IBJJF World Champion, claiming gold in both 2022 and 2024. At the 2024 Worlds, he won his weight class and medaled in the absolute division, matching a 27-year-old record held by Royler Gracie.

His staggering 135-win career record includes 68 submission victories, and he arrives with past wins over established ONE stars including Fabricio Andrey, Owen Jones, and reigning Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Diogo Reis. Now, avenging a previous loss to his upcoming opponent gives this debut an intense edge beyond a standard first impression.

Alvarenga brings a calculated, fundamentals-first style to his own promotional bow. As the son of legendary instructor Iran Brasileiro Alvarenga, who developed pound-for-pound great Marcelo Garcia, he grew up immersed in the sport before training directly under Garcia in New York City.

He announced himself internationally by winning the competitive Brazilian ADCC Trials, and his 20-win professional record includes nine submission victories. Much like Maquine, his most dangerous territory is the back position, built on a suffocating mastery of the rear-naked choke.

When the pair first met in Brazil back in 2025, Alvarenga neutralized Maquine’s explosive guard with a heavy wrestling top game, taking the win by referee’s decision. That result gives him the psychological edge heading into the rematch.

But when they lock horns again on August 14, redemption will be driving Maquine every step of the way.

READ MORE: Nico Carrillo Steps Into Kickboxing Against Newcomer Zhou Jiaqiang

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The post Meyram Maquine And Ruan Alvarenga Set For Grappling Rematch At ONE Fight Night 46 first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Jhanlo Mark Sangiao meets Marcos Aurelio in a bantamweight bout, while Natalie Salcedo welcomes undefeated newcomer Magdalena Czaban in an atomweight clash at ONE Fight Night 46 on Friday, August 14. The card broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.

For Sangiao, the matchup is a chance to build real momentum in one of the promotion’s most stacked divisions. The Team Lakay prince returned to action last year in style, submitting hard-charging Mongolian Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg with just 18 seconds remaining in their dramatic battle.

That victory erased the sting of his first professional defeat and reminded fans why the 24-year-old Filipino remains one of the division’s most exciting talents. Fatherhood provided extra motivation before that comeback, and a second straight win could push him closer to contender status.

Aurelio brings his own motivation into the matchup. The 21-year-old Brazilian entered ONE unbeaten before suffering his first career loss against Carlo Bumina-ang at ONE Fight Night 39.

Rather than let that setback define him, Aurelio responded by submitting Mauro Mastromarini with a second-round rear-naked choke at ONE Fight Night 41. Now he has a chance to earn a measure of revenge against Team Lakay while halting the rise of one of the Philippines’ brightest young stars.

That bantamweight clash is joined by an equally intriguing storyline at atomweight. Salcedo entered ONE Championship undefeated and needed less than one round to submit Macarena Aragon in her promotional debut.

Her momentum hit a wall next time out, when veteran Japanese wrestler Chihiro Sawada handed her the first loss of her career by unanimous decision. Now, the 34-year-old American gets an immediate chance to prove that defeat was merely a bump in the road.

Standing across from her is Czaban, a 26-year-old Polish debutante with serious credentials. She owns an unbeaten 4-0 record and has finished every opponent she has faced, splitting her victories evenly between knockouts and submissions.

Together, the two additions bring youth, urgency, and debut-night danger to ONE Fight Night 46. Sangiao and Aurelio will battle to prove which rising bantamweight takes the next step, while Salcedo and Czaban collide in a classic bounce-back fighter versus undefeated newcomer matchup.

READ MORE: Nico Carrillo Steps Into Kickboxing Against Newcomer Zhou Jiaqiang

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The post Two MMA Bouts Added To ONE Fight Night 46 On August 14 first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

Nontachai Jitmuangnon meets Kiamran Nabati in a pivotal bantamweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 46 on Friday, August 14. The card airs live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium, headlined by Stella Hemetsberger’s Muay Thai title defense against Natalia Diachkova.

The 27-year-old Thai has quietly built the best stretch of his ONE Championship career. Exactly a year ago, he suffered a quick knockout loss to Abdulla Dayakaev, a setback that could have derailed his rise.

Instead, Nontachai responded by returning to the win column against Soner Sen, then battering Semih Sah Cindir with three knockdowns before a third-round TKO. Most recently, he defeated former two-time World Title challenger Felipe Lobo by unanimous decision at ONE Fight Night 43.

That win proved he could handle a seasoned name under the U.S. primetime spotlight. A victory over Nabati would give him back-to-back wins over two of the division’s most respected names.

Standing across from him is one of the division’s most dangerous strikers. Nabati arrived in ONE with a perfect 18-0 record and quickly proved his hype was real.

He picked up wins over Pongsiri PK Saenchai and Avatar PK Saenchai on the Friday Fights platform before knocking out Suablack Tor Pran49 in the first round to earn a six-figure contract. He then defeated former World Champion Nong-O Hama to cement his status as one of the division’s most feared names.

This past May, Nabati finally met adversity, suffering a split-decision loss to Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri in the main event of The Inner Circle 15. That result was narrow and dramatic, but it forced him into unfamiliar territory.

Yod-IQ has since earned a World Title shot of his own, a fact that shows just how close Nabati had come to championship contention. A statement win over Nontachai could move him right back into that picture.

Stylistically, this one promises drama. Nabati brings pressure, power, and proven ability to hurt world-class opposition, while Nontachai has found his rhythm again as an aggressive, battle-tested threat.

On August 14, one of these two men will take a genuine step toward the World Title conversation.

READ MORE: Rise, Fall and Redemption? Can Conor McGregor Climb Back to the Top at UFC 329?

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The post Nontachai Jitmuangnon To Face Kiamran Nabati At ONE Fight Night 46 first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.

The 27-year-old Scot carries a 30-4 career record with 16 finishes and a 7-1 promotional slate into the contest. His rise through ONE Championship has been built almost entirely on knockout power.

Carrillo made his debut with two brutal knockouts over Furkan Karabag and Muangthai PK Saenchai that earned him a US$100,000 main roster contract. He continued the rampage with stoppages of former longtime champion Nong-O Hama and Saemapetch Fairtex.

A first interim title shot against Nabil Anane ended in a TKO defeat that briefly halted his momentum. Carrillo responded by moving up to featherweight and immediately finding new life.

Knockout victories over Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Luke Lessei earned him another interim title opportunity. He seized it in February, defeating Shadow Mavinn to claim the ONE Interim Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship.

Now, with that belt secured, Carrillo turns his attention to a new frontier entirely. His kickboxing debut represents the next step in an evolution that could eventually add a second discipline’s gold to his collection.

Standing across from him is Zhou, a Chinese fighter making his own high-profile promotional debut. A win over a reigning world champion in his first appearance would instantly put the entire division on notice.

Whatever happens on August 14, one of Muay Thai’s most feared punchers is about to find out how his power translates to the bigger gloves.

READ MORE: Jonathan Haggerty To Defend ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing Crown Against Former King Hiroki Akimoto

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The post Nico Carrillo Steps Into Kickboxing Against Newcomer Zhou Jiaqiang first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.