ONE Fight Night 17 Post-Fight Interviews

Bangkok, Thailand: ONE Championship™ (ONE) athletes who competed at ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts answered questions in post-fight interviews following their incredible performances.

Roman Kryklia 

How it feels to hold the Heavyweight Muay Thai belt. 

“To tell you the truth, I’m disappointed with what I did in the ring. Of course, I won but it wasn’t the performance I wanted. It’s just one more lesson for me. The first round was a lesson for my future. I have no injuries; everything is good, and I should be happy, but this is not my best performance.” 

How helpful it is having Chingiz Allazov in his corner. 

“Chingiz Allazov is one of the most important people in my life. Not only in my training sessions because we spend a lot of time together. He motivates me in the best way possible. I can tell you that my coach and Chingiz are two people that motivate me the most. If it weren’t for them, I’d only give 50 percent of me.” 

Whether he’d like to fight in MMA. 

“No. I want to use all my skills in kickboxing and Muay Thai. I tried wrestling but I cannot say that I’m good. I’m just focused on the striking sports.” 

Prediction for Rodtang vs Takeru. 

“In Muay Thai, I think Rodtang has a big advantage. In kickboxing, I’m not sure that Rodtang is better and I think Takeru can move faster. He has better moves so I think Takeru is better at kickboxing.” 

Jo Nattawut 

Whether the crowd lived up to his expectations. 

“Yes, of course. The fans went crazy, and it was fun to hear everyone shouting.” 

Whether his fight against Luke Lessei was the toughest win he’s ever earned. 

“One of them. I would say one of them.” 

How hurt he was in the third round. 

“I felt just a little hurt when he landed but that’s normal. It happens in every fight not just in this fight.” 

How he would rate Luke Lessei as a fighter. 

“10. Top fighter.” 

Whether he’d like to get a rematch against Tawanchai. 

“That’s the dream. He’s up there and I need to go up to him.” 

Predictions for Rodtang vs Takeru. 

“That’s going to be so interesting. I don’t know. Takeru is fast, so fast and Rodtang is tough. They have two different styles. I can’t say who wins.” 

Whether he thinks he took part in the fight of the year. 

“Yeah, I’d say it was fight of the year.” 

Mohamed Younes Rabah 

Whether this was the ONE debut he envisioned. 

“When I signed with ONE, I wanted to shock the world and I did it. I told everyone I’d knock him out in the first round.” 

Whether he believes he should enter the top 5 in rankings. 

“100 percent. I always look at myself like I am the best. When they gave me the fight against Saemapetch, I started comparing him with myself. I’m taller than him, I’m stronger than him, I’m younger than him, everything about me is better than him. I’m even more handsome than him. Because of this, I knew I could beat him. Him and everyone in the top 5.” 

When he sees himself fighting for the title. 

“I can fight for the title soon. Maybe like one or three years maximum. I will be the champion.” 

Jacob Smith 

Thoughts on his KO victory. 

“It feels unbelievable. I couldn’t be any happier. I feel like I’m on top of the world at the moment.” 

Whether he expected to get the 50k bonus. 

“Yeah, I did, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been looking at watches. There was a watch that I wanted to get my wife for Christmas. I actually screenshotted it. 4,000 pounds which I wouldn’t have been able to get without the 50k bonus and I screenshotted it on Thursday night after I weighed in. I just envisioned this 50k bonus and giving the kids a Christmas that I could only dream of giving them which would not be possible without it. Each night that I’ve been here, all week, every time I’ve slept, every time I closed my eyes I just saw the way the fight was going to play out. I’m picturing me coming forward, pressuring him, in and out, faking, him biting on my fakes and getting the finish.” 

Whether he sees himself being a title contender soon. 

“I’m right up there. I’m number two now. A little bit of time off to just be a dad. When I got a fight coming up, I’m a fighter first and then a dad second. For now, I just want to be a dad, enjoy Christmas, have a good New Year, and then come back the first quarter of next year. In the near future, my Rodtang rematch would be up my street.” 

When he’d like the Rodtang rematch. 

“I’m a fighter so I’ll fight anybody anytime. Early next year I’ll be back, maybe one more fight first and then the Rodtang rematch. That makes sense to me.”

Johan Ghazali 

Thoughts on fighting on US primetime for the first time. 

“I feel amazing. It feels like my dreams are coming true. It feels great.” 

Whether he feels that he’s a star in the making. 

“Of course I feel like that. I see the hype and promotion they’re [ONE] putting behind me and of course I feel the pressure. I feel the expectations but I’m ready for it.” 

What his classmates think of him being a fighter. 

“I’ve been with the same classmates for about seven, eight years so they’ve seen the journey, they’ve seen me go to class with black eyes, with broken hands so they see the hard work. I’m sure they’re proud of me.” 

How quick he’d like to return to action. 

“If it was up to me, I’d like to fight next week but I have to go home, I have to get my driver’s license, I have to finish school first. I’ll finish school around March so when I finish school I’ll be back as soon as I can. I want to face someone that’ll make noise. Someone that’ll really show people that I belong here so maybe someone like Taiki Naito or Dedduanglek TDed99. Someone that I can prove myself against.” 

Whether he sees Rodtang as a target. 

“Of course, sometime down the line. I target to be able to fight anyone in about two to three years. Of course, I’m going to slowly take my time and move up the ranks. I’m not going to jump up too fast. Anyone entertaining that makes noise of course I want to fight them.” 

Thoughts on his winning chances if he were to fight Rodtang today. 

“I would fight. I could fight. Winning chances, maybe slim but I’ll fight.” 

Thoughts on being labeled the next Rodtang. 

“I get this a lot. At first it was cool when people called me Rodtang. It’s cool to be mentioned on the same level as one of my idols but I don’t want to be remembered as the next Rodtang. I want to be remembered as the first Jojo. The first Johan Ghazali. I’m grateful, I’m honored to be mentioned with him, but I want to be my own person.” 

What it would mean to fight in the US. 

“It would be amazing. As some of you might know, I have family in the US. They’re in New Mexico. I would love for them to watch me fight live somewhere in the US. It’d be cool to showcase my skills and showcase my heart on US soil.”