ONE Championship ONE Championship Jonathan “The General” Haggerty is determined to erase the memories of his most recent defeat and remind fans why he’s one of the planet’s best pound-for-pound strikers.
On Thursday, February 20, the British superstar will defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against decorated Chinese veteran “Demon Blade” Wei Rui in the main event of ONE 171: Qatar at Lusail Sports Arena.
Haggerty was present for ONE’s blockbuster debut in Qatar last March, and that spectacle of an event gave him hope that he’d one day compete in the same venue.
Since that time, “The General” suffered a stunning first-round knockout loss against Thai destroyer “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 that cost him the bantamweight Muay Thai crown.
Haggerty will now be granted his wish to compete in Qatar – and his chance to bounce back in another high-stakes World Title fight. He told onefc.com:
“I went out in March 2024 for ONE 166, and I told Mr. Chatri I’d love to be a part of the next show. Obviously, we are here now, and it’s up to me to go in there and put the W in front of the L.”
As a ONE World Champion, the 27-year-old knows he’ll have no easy fights in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
88bet slotHe’s quick to credit Wei, who will come into the contest riding an incredible 21-fight winning streak and fresh off a sensational promotional debut against former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto.
But while Haggerty certainly respects his foe’s lengthy list of accomplishments and undeniably elite skills, he’s confident that he’ll be leaving Qatar with 26 pounds of gold:
“I’m going from the pound-for-pound best in Superlek to another world-class striker in Wei Rui, so I certainly rate him.
“He beat Hiroki Akimoto, who is great opposition in his own right. So we are not taking him lightly. But we do think we can do a demolition job on him for sure.”
The last time “The General” laced up the larger gloves for kickboxing, he turned in an unforgettably sterling performance against Brazilian finisher Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade, claiming the vacant bantamweight kickboxing crown.
In that fight, Haggerty gathered information throughout the first round before turning up the heat and finding the knockout in the second. He’s envisioning a similar outcome against “Demon Blade”:
“I feel confident that I can put on a spectacular performance. I want to go down the same route as I did against Andrade, so I’m thinking a second-round stoppage. I’m coming to show everyone why I’m still the best in the world.”
A former two-sport titleholder renowned for his never-say-die attitude and savage finishing instincts, Jonathan Haggerty has cemented himself as one of combat sports’ most beloved and popular athletes.
In the past, the Brit has talked about trying his hand at MMA and pursuing three-sport glory to elevate his star power to even higher levels. However, his primary focus now is reasserting his dominance in the striking arts:
“I was at the point earlier last year where I was ready to [try MMA]. But now, losing the Muay Thai belt, that’s my bread and butter, and that setback didn’t help. So the timing is off again. My main priority is to get the Muay Thai belt back.”
Still, Haggerty isn’t about to completely write off the possibility of fighting in the all-around sport.
He’ll have to get past Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar, but after that, the door is wide open for a potential mixed martial arts debut:
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey expressed his enthusiasm and stated: "This bilateral series against Germany will be a remarkable showcase of world-class hockey. Both India and Germany have a rich history in the sport, and this series will give fans an opportunity to witness an intense competition between two of the most formidable teams in the world.
“If ONE wants to give me a MMA fight, then I’m happy to take a fight. It excites me. But right now, I must defend the kickboxing belt.”
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