One of the most exciting young strikers on the planet today will be in action for ONE Championship’s return to the United States.
Malaysian-American phenom Johan “Jojo” Ghazali has been added to ONE 168: Denver, which is scheduled for Friday, September 6. He will figure in a flyweight Muay Thai bout against Mexico’s Josue Cruz at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
“Jojo” went on a rampage in the world’s largest martial arts organization in his last year, winning all five of his bouts in 2023. In the process of collecting four finishes in those five wins, he also earned himself a six-figure contract that would allow him to compete on ONE’s U.S. primetime shows.
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Unfortunately, his undefeated streak was snapped in his most recent outing. At ONE 167 last month, Vietnamese star Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat took home a unanimous decision victory over him. The Rentap Muaythai Gym representative will surely be hungry to get back in the win column in a big way.
Polls of the day
Poll 1 of 6
Who do you think will dominate the Muay Thai tilt at ONE 168 Denver?
Johan Ghazali
Josue Cruz
Too close to call
Not interested
Do you think Dana White can handle another Khabib Nurmagomedov-like situation?
Absolutely
No way
Only time will tell
He'll need a miracle
Whats your Perspective on:
Is the Ghazali vs. Cruz fight the most exciting addition to ONE 168 Denver's lineup?
Have an interesting take?
Do you think Coco Gauff can bring Olympic glory to America in Paris 2024?
Absolutely
Maybe
Unlikely
No way
Who would you love to see Ricochet feud with in AEW?
Kenny Omega
Chris Jericho
Jon Moxley
MJF
Do you think Lydia Ko will dominate the 2025 Evian Championship?
Absolutely
No way
Maybe
Too early to tell
Johan “Jojo” Ghazali’s wish was approved by ONE
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When it was announced that ONE will return to the United States this year with two shows – ONE 168: Denver in September and ONE 169: Atlanta in November – the 17-year-old expressed his desire to be able to compete and show the American audience his brand of fighting live. He got his wish, and will now be fighting against a dangerous opponent in Cruz.
The Mexican collected 17 wins in a row and looked to continue his streak against arguably the best collection of elite strikers when he joined ONE. Unfortunately, Cruz faced two tough setbacks so far. In his promotional debut at ONE 157 back in May 2022, he fell via knockout to Walter Goncalves in the first round of their matchup. The 28-year-old returned in April earlier this year but again got knocked out in the first round, this time against Sean Climaco at ONE Fight Night 22.
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What’s your perspective on:
Is the Ghazali vs. Cruz fight the most exciting addition to ONE 168 Denver's lineup?
Have an interesting take?
The first Mexican fighter signed to ONE Championship wants to pave the way for his compatriots to compete on the biggest stage, and he is aiming to be back in the win column in order to inspire others to follow his path. A win against Ghazali will certainly go a long way in advancing this goal.
With both fighters hungry for a crucial victory, fans should expect a firefight between the two talented strikers at ONE 168: Denver.
Debate
Is the Ghazali vs. Cruz fight the most exciting addition to ONE 168 Denver's lineup?