Ranked #5 in ONE Championship’s bantamweight Muay Thai division, Liam Harrison is finally set to return after a two-year hiatus due to injuries and setbacks. He’ll be facing Seksan Or Kwanmuang in a catchweight Muay Thai bout (140 lbs) at ONE 168: Denver as part of ONE’s second return to the US on September 6th at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

However, another fight might be brewing. Myanmar Sports recently sparked online buzz by tagging ONE Championship and Liam Harrison, calling for a matchup between the English welterweight and Soe Lin Oo. This triggered a response from Harrison on social media. 

Liam Harrison’s controversial history with Lethwei

Referencing a previous incident with Dave Leduc, Harrison tweeted, “I knew this was coming…I literally got 100s of death threats from the Myanmar people when I had my little spat with Dave Leduc a few years ago, haha.”

Harrison’s old rivalry with Lethwei fighter Dave Leduc started in 2020, causing controversy in the combat world. French Canadian Leduc called out the welterweight for a Lethwei Championship fight on the June 2020 U.S. card. Harrison took a dig in response, replying, “Some serious idiots out there who think Lethwei is harder than Muay Thai.”

Leduc then lashed out at Liam Harrison, along with Myanmar fans who, according to Harrison, issued death threats to him. Following the veteran’s recent tweet mentioning the death threats he received from Myanmar fans after a past incident, things have escalated online.

Myanmar Sport’s official handle further fueled the fire by tagging ONE Championship and suggesting a fight between Harrison and Soe Lin Oo. This prompted Soe Lin Oo’s fans to tag Harrison on Twitter/X, writing, “If you have the courage to even say that you want to fight Soe Lin Oo in the ONE Championship.”

Harrison, who was seemingly anticipating the online frenzy, responded, “And here we go…” Replying to that, another Soe Lin Oo fan challenged the 38-year-old, “If you’re a brave fighter, you accept to fight with Soe Lin Oo. You said that Letwei is not technical. Right, you said.”

Harrison’s response, “Yeah, this is gonna be relentless now for the foreseeable future,” reflects the mounting pressure online. Whether a fight with Soe Lin Oo materializes remains to be seen, likely hinging on the outcome of his upcoming bout at ONE 168: Denver.

ONE 168: Denver fight card preview

Building on the success of last year’s sold-out US debut, ONE Championship is primed for its second American event, ONE 168: Denver. This fight card, set for the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, promises a night of thrilling champion clashes. One such battle features Stamp Fairtex, a three-sport ONE World Champion, as she attempts to dethrone the reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, Xiong Jing Nan. Fans can expect a lightning-paced performance from both fighters.

The fight card also features a captivating submission grappling showdown. ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo will defend his belt against Mikey Musumeci.

Musumeci, known for his precision and dominance in the flyweight division with his ground game, is moving up a weight class to challenge the champion. This clash premises to showcase Ruotolo’s dynamic grappling skills against Musumeci’s relentless pursuit of the title.

With even more exciting matchups yet to be announced, ONE 168: Denver promises an unforgettable night of martial arts action. This event continues ONE Championship’s legacy of showcasing the best fighters from around the globe. Tickets are available for purchase here now. Group ticket packages can also be arranged by emailing at ticketing@onefc.com.