Liam “Hitman” Harrison believes he has the tools in his arsenal to score an upset win against ONE Bantamweight World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao when they square off for the gold.
Nong-O has amassed an 8-0 record in ONE Super Series since his debut in 2018, winning the belt and defending it a staggering five times along the way.
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The Thai superstar’s run is the stuff of legend in the combat sports world, but “Hitman” believes he’s the man to finish the longtime king’s reign when they go to war at some point.
“If I land clean in those 4-ounce gloves on anyone, they’re gone,” Harrison said.
“He’s been on an eight-fight win streak in ONE. He’s defending his title, and no one’s been able to touch him. But all good things come to an end. So, let’s just see what happens.”
The British striking dynamo is not just blowing smoke with his confident words. His shrewd technique and ruthless power were visible in his last visit to the ONE Championship Circle at ONE 156: Eersel vs. Sadikovic in May.
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Harrison dug deep to come back from a difficult start in his matchup against Muangthai PK. Saenchai. The 36-year-old had to pick himself up off the mat twice in the opening minutes, but he quickly righted the ship and scored three knockdowns on his Thai rival to finish the bout before the end of the first round.
‘Hitman’ got a double bonus for his last outing at ONE 156
The win guaranteed him a shot at Nong-O’s belt and earned him a historic US$100,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. While the money may have been a surprise for “Hitman,” the victory wasn’t.
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“I know I’m dangerous when I’m wearing them little gloves. And if I have to take a few shots, and if I have to get knocked down, then so be it,” he offered.
“Whether I win or I lose, there’s always some sort of drama that goes on. This had probably as much drama as you will get in any fight in our lifetimes – all in the space of one round.”
Although he’s still basking in the glory of his last victory, Harrison understands that Nong-O will be a far tougher test than Muangthai, and he’s prepared to up his game to ensure he makes no mistake in his quest for the divisional throne.
Liam Harrison is ready to put on a show against Nong-O Gaiyanghadao
The Leeds native is on a five-fight win streak and has achieved back-to-back knockouts in ONE Super Series while showcasing that his weapons are still very much a threat to the world’s best strikers.
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Whether or not it will be enough to take him across the finish line against Nong-O remains to be seen – but he promises he’ll fight fire with fire when the two striking stars lock horns.
“I’m going to fight ‘Liam Harrison-style,’ because that’s what got me to where I am today. I’m not going to start trying to out-technique him or run away,” Harrison said.
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“I’m not about that. I’m about heart, grit, hard punches, hard kicks, and just coming to entertain and look for the knockout.”