“MMA Belt Will Complete It”- Jonathan Haggerty Gets Real About Mixed Martial Arts Aspiration Prior to Defending Muay Thai Belt Against Superlek at ONE 168

Reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty is all set for the upcoming ONE 168: Denver event in September, where he will face reigning Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, Superlek Kiatmoo9. The fight is scheduled to take place at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. It’s going to be a highly anticipated fight for Superlek, who has a chance to claim a Muay Thai title for himself while moving up a weight class.

Haggerty, who has so far dominated his new weight division, says he doesn’t want to stop at claiming gold in two sports. In a recent podcast, the 27-year-old revealed his intentions of making a transition to the all-encompassing sport of mixed martial arts.

Haggerty talks about MMA ambitions before ONE 168: Denver

After conquering Muay Thai and Kickboxing, it seems Jonathan Haggerty has his sights set on dominating a third discipline: MMA. In the recent episode of the Sky Sports MMA Club podcast, Haggerty, who is preparing to return to his training camp, discussed his long-held ambition to transition to mixed martial arts.

When the host brought up his previous comments about wanting to jump into MMA, Haggerty didn’t hesitate as he declared, “I’ve said this before. ONE Championship just needs to give me 12 weeks’ notice to fight Fabricio Andrade for the MMA belt. I’m signing that contract right away.”

The 27-year-old also elaborated on his confidence, emphasizing his belief that MMA’s unique skill set perfectly complements his strengths. He acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “So we’ll see; it’s a shot for me.” Haggerty further made his intentions clear, by saying, “I’m not coming for this fight average. I take it all to come to this fight. I am here to take everything. I am halfway there, and the MMA belt will complete it.”

Despite his confident declarations, he was quick to shut down any whispers of greed or arrogance, making it clear, “This isn’t about being labeled selfish or cocky. I’m a man on a mission. I’ll do whatever it takes to become the ultimate fighter, and the MMA belt is just a piece of that puzzle.” While his sights are currently set on his upcoming fight against Superlek Kiatmoo9, he already has a timeline in mind.

Haggerty needs “three years” to complete MMA transition

Not content with conquering Muay Thai and kickboxing, Jonathan Haggerty sets his sights on MMA glory. Aiming to become a three-sport world champion, Haggerty once expressed his desire to hone his grappling skills in preparation for a future MMA debut. He recently addressed the burning question about how long would it take him to become an MMA champ. He didn’t mince a word, outlining an ambitious plan as he claimed, “I’d say a good strong three years to be at the top of my MMA game. That’s all I need to get myself ready for MMA”

A former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai king, Jonathan Haggerty defied expectations by dethroning longtime ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama at ONE Fight Night 9 in April 2023 with a brilliant knockout. He followed up his monumental win seven months later with another historic feat, claiming the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against MMA king Fabricio Andrade.

Now, he faces a stern test in Superlek Kiatmoo9, with his Muay Thai belt on the line. Who will emerge victorious? Drop your predictions in the comments below.