Jeremy Miado knows the formula that once positioned him firmly in World Title conversations — finish fights spectacularly, build momentum, then watch the championship opportunities materialize. The Filipino striker assembled a four-fight stoppage streak that included victories over former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and longtime contender Danial Williams, proving his knockout power translated against elite competition.

But consistency betrayed him. A string of losses stalled his ascent completely, forcing the 33-year-old to rebuild from scratch. He rebounded with a decision victory over Gilbert Nakatani at ONE Fight Night 28, though that momentum evaporated when Avazbek Kholmirzaev stopped him at ONE Fight Night 38 last December.

Now the Marrok Force affiliate gets another chance to reclaim his trajectory when he faces South African slugger Willie van Rooyen at ONE Fight Night 41 on March 13 at Lumpinee Stadium. The flyweight MMA showdown pits two proven finishers hunting redemption after recent setbacks, though their paths to this moment couldn’t be more different.

Miado’s promotional record tells the story of a dangerous fighter plagued by inconsistency. Seven victories across strawweight and flyweight divisions, six coming by knockout — the finishing ability was never questioned. When he’s clicking, opponents crumble under pressure from his striking combinations and fight-ending power. But stringing victories together has proven elusive, the losses interrupting every surge toward championship contention.

Van Rooyen arrives with considerably less experience against elite competition. The 23-year-old dominated Africa’s regional scene, capturing the EFC Flyweight Title twice while compiling a flawless 7-0 record featuring five finishes. His arsenal includes dangerous punches, sharp elbows, and relentless ground-and-pound that overwhelmed lesser opposition completely.

But promotional debuts expose fighters to harsh reality, and Van Rooyen learned that lesson painfully. He suffered a submission loss to Kholmirzaev at ONE Fight Night 37 last November. It was the same opponent who stopped Miado a month later. The South African standout’s pristine record shattered in his first encounter, revealing the gap between regional dominance and global elite status.

That shared opponent creates intriguing context. Both fighters fell to Kholmirzaev’s finishing ability, both understand they’re fighting to prove the setback was temporary rather than indicative of their ceiling. Victory means renewed momentum and legitimate claims on ranked opposition. Defeat means sliding further from championship relevance, particularly devastating for Miado who’s already squandered multiple opportunities to establish himself among the division’s threats.

The matchup favors experience over youthful momentum. Miado has navigated ONE Championship’s treacherous flyweight landscape for years, accumulating wisdom from both spectacular victories and crushing defeats. He understands what’s required to survive against elite competition, having faced former champions and top contenders throughout his promotional tenure.

Van Rooyen enters largely unproven beyond African competition. His submission loss to Kholmirzaev offered little indication of how he responds to adversity or whether his finishing skills translate against fighters who’ve survived championship-level opposition. The 23-year-old possesses dangerous tools but remains untested where it matters most — against veterans who’ve weathered storms and emerged stronger.

For Miado, this represents the classic crossroads fight. Another loss further entrenches his reputation as inconsistent, pushing him toward gatekeeper status at best. Victory — particularly by finish — reminds everyone watching that his knockout power remains legitimate, that the four-fight stoppage streak wasn’t a fluke, that championship conversations aren’t permanently closed.

March 13 will reveal whether the Filipino veteran can recapture the form that once made him genuinely feared, or if Father Time and accumulated damage have reduced him to cautionary tale status. Van Rooyen merely needs to prove his African dominance wasn’t smoke and mirrors, that one submission loss doesn’t define his ceiling.

The stakes are different but the desperation is identical. Both fighters understand another setback could prove career-defining in ways neither wants to contemplate.

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