ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian Eersel will attempt the first defense of his second reign against a familiar opponent – Alexis Nicolas, the first man to defeat him in nearly a decade. The bout will take place at ONE Fight Night 30 on April 4.
While it's standard procedure in combat sports to book a third fight when the score is one apiece, it seemed all the more unavoidable due to a lack of credible opposition. Known commodities like Arian Sadikovic and Dmitry Menshikov have either departed or have engaged in legal dispute with the promotion, while others such as Bodgan Shumarov and Rungrawee have suffered defeats on one of ONE's many Fight Night events.
All that being said, both previous fights were highly engaging, primarily decided by early knockdowns, with their second clash earning a place on the Beyond Kickboxing Best Fights of 2024 list. The third fight certainly promises more of the same. Should Nicolas win, a fourth bout between the two seems likely. Should Eersel win, it remains to be seen who will step up as the next challenger for the ONE lightweight kickboxing title.
Another major fight announced for the card is the return of Roman Kryklia. He will defend his Muay Thai Heavyweight title against ONE debutant Lyndon Knowles, the reigning WBC Muay Thai Heavyweight champion.
