“We’re about the same” - Nong-O believes upcoming rival Kulabdam is cut from the same cloth

Former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Hama is looking to break his two-fight slump on April 5 as he takes on Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai as part of the loaded ONE Friday Fights 58 card inside the hallowed ring of the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Ahead of this crucial fight with Kulabdam, Nong-O spoke with Sportsmanor in a recent interview and discussed his fight plan and a glimpse of what he expects from his fellow Thai opposition.

The 37-year-old icon stated:

"I feel my game plan to face Kulabdam would be easier to lay out because, firstly, he's Thai. And his style, although it's not the same, I'd be familiar with it. And also, the height, as you mentioned, we're about the same. So he wouldn't have that much advantage over the range. So all that makes it a bit easier."

Nong-O absorbed back-to-back knockout losses to Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo, which ended his dominant reign as the division's king for almost five years. Due to these setbacks, he slipped down to the number two spot in the divisional rankings.

However, the Evolve MMA representative believes that this matchup with 'Left Meteorite' is a more favorable one compared to his matchup with Haggerty and Carrillo because of the similar styles and almost idential physical attributes.

Nong-O shuts down talk of retirement, says his heart is still fighting

For as long as his heart is still fighting, Nong-O claims that he won't consider hanging up the gloves and walking away from the sport that he loves, even though father time has finally caught up with him.

But regardless of the recent slide, he remains one of the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet and wants to make another championship run in an effort to reclaim the coveted 26-pound golden belt.

ONE Friday Fights 58 is available on the ONE Super App, the official ONE Championship YouTube channel, and other digital platforms in Asia primetime on April 5. Check your local listings for more details.