"A dream come true" - Johan Ghazali exalted that his fantasy of fighting in the US will soon be a reality

Johan Ghazali has become a staple of ONE Championship thanks to the winning streak that he put together.

The teenage prodigy became a star thanks to his appearances on the ONE Friday Fights series where he racked up fast finishes.

After earning himself a spot on the main roster, Ghazali made his big-show debut at ONE Fight Night 17 where his winning streak kept pushing forward.

However, his last outing saw his momentum come to a crashing halt after he was defeated by Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE 167.

It was an upset that not many saw coming but now he has the opportunity to right those wrongs on an even bigger stage.

Despite being born and raised in Malaysia, Ghazali has American blood running through him thanks to his mother's side.

Competing in the United States in front of his family was a huge moment that he wanted to tick off the bucket list and now, at ONE 168, he has the chance to do exactly that.

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Ghazali spoke about what this one means to him:

​

"A hundred percent, you know. A dream come true. Manifested it since my first fight on Prime. Really excited."

Watch the full interview below:

---

Johan Ghazali must keep his composure

Competing at Ball Arena in Denver on September 6 is sure to be a great moment for Johan Ghazali after everything he has put in.

Facing Josue Cruz is his chance to bounce back, but with that in mind, he can't afford to take his eye off the ball.

Not being efficient enough was a big factor in his first defeat and this will be difficult to manage against Cruz.

Ghazali must show that even with the excitement of fighting in the US, he can focus on the task at hand in order to get the win.

Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.

​