"My fire has still not burned out" - Former bantamweight Muay Thai king Nong-O says he's still a force in the stacked division
Despite getting up there in age, Nong-O Hama says he's prepared to prove otherwise with another highly competitive barnburner at ONE Friday Fights 81.
The consensus within the combat sports world is that fighters tend to slow down when they're past their prime years. Even more so, if you're a Muay Thai striker with over 200 bouts to your name.
Nong-O easily falls into that second category, but he's not too concerned about his age. If you look at the way he trains now, the Thai superstar is primed to wreak havoc within his stacked division. Speaking to ONE Championship, he said:
"My fire has still not burned out. My body is still strong. I am still hungry for victory. I still want to win."
The 37-year-old veteran has a massive task ahead of him in the form of his next rival, Kiamran Nabati. The Russian striker boasts an undefeated record of 21 wins overall, with eight of those being knockouts. Much younger than Nong-O, Nabati will present a tough challenge in many ways, so there's certainly no room for error.
ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live in Asian primetime via watch.onefc.com.
"He's a Muay Thai legend" - Flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang names Nong-O as the most determined heavy-hitter in ONE Championship
ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang praises Nong-O Hama for his tough personality and unshakeable resolve to overcome any kind of adversity.
There aren't many fighters out there that can boast exactly what Nong-O has done for the sport of Muay Thai.
In a career spanning nearly two decades, he's won almost every accolade in the sport, and the funny thing is, Nong-O isn't done yet.
The reason for his longevity probably has to do with how Rodtang describes the Thai icon. Speaking to ONE, he said:
"He's a Muay Thai legend. He is determined and never gives up. He doesn't care how much older he is. His only thought is that he has to fight to the end. He is strong from the inside."