Kiamran Nabati has blasted a “crazy” shakeup to ONE 170 which has seen him not just lose his fight but also be left out of the picture for a new ONE Championship interim title.
The 30-year-old Russian was originally booked to face Nabil Anane on January 24 at Impact Arena in Bangkok.
But a knee injury to bantamweight Muay Thai champ Superlek Kiatmoo9 sparked a massive reshuffle at the top of the card over the last 48 hours.
Superlek was set to defend his belt against Nico Carrillo, but the Scottish fighter will now face Nabil for an interim belt – with Nabati’s status up in the air.
“Friends, an extremely unpleasant situation has occurred: my fight at the ONE 170 event was cancelled,” Nabati wrote in an Instagram post.
“On the same card, there was supposed to be a fight for the title in my weight class. One of the opponents withdrew. My opponent, Nabil Anane, is coming in as a replacement. My fight is in question.”
The winner of next month’s new co-main event between No 2-ranked Carrillo and No 5 Nabil will go on to face Superlek in a title unification match at ONE 172 in Japan on March 23.
The news – announced in a shock Instagram post by ONE – was shared by Nabati, accompanied by the caption “this is crazy”.
“I was 100 percent ready for this fight,” the No 3-ranked Nabati added. “Moreover, I believe that I was the one who deserved to come on as a replacement. “I am higher in the rankings than Nabil, I give the audience spectacular fights, I do not spare myself in the ring.
“If someone is ready to take the belt on short notice, it is me. My time will come,Inshallah.”
Nabati could yet land a fight on the numbered event, with former title challenger Felipe Lobo announcing he has signed a bout agreement – with the dates aligning for ONE 170.
“Four weeks [out], recharging and ready to go,” John Hutchinson – Lobo’s coach at the Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket – wrote in an Instagram post.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.”
The 30-year-old Russian was originally booked to face Nabil Anane on January 24 at Impact Arena in Bangkok.
But a knee injury to bantamweight Muay Thai champ Superlek Kiatmoo9 sparked a massive reshuffle at the top of the card over the last 48 hours.
Superlek was set to defend his belt against Nico Carrillo, but the Scottish fighter will now face Nabil for an interim belt – with Nabati’s status up in the air.
“Friends, an extremely unpleasant situation has occurred: my fight at the ONE 170 event was cancelled,” Nabati wrote in an Instagram post.
“On the same card, there was supposed to be a fight for the title in my weight class. One of the opponents withdrew. My opponent, Nabil Anane, is coming in as a replacement. My fight is in question.”
The winner of next month’s new co-main event between No 2-ranked Carrillo and No 5 Nabil will go on to face Superlek in a title unification match at ONE 172 in Japan on March 23.
The news – announced in a shock Instagram post by ONE – was shared by Nabati, accompanied by the caption “this is crazy”.
“I was 100 percent ready for this fight,” the No 3-ranked Nabati added. “Moreover, I believe that I was the one who deserved to come on as a replacement. “I am higher in the rankings than Nabil, I give the audience spectacular fights, I do not spare myself in the ring.
“If someone is ready to take the belt on short notice, it is me. My time will come,Inshallah.”
Nabati could yet land a fight on the numbered event, with former title challenger Felipe Lobo announcing he has signed a bout agreement – with the dates aligning for ONE 170.
“Four weeks [out], recharging and ready to go,” John Hutchinson – Lobo’s coach at the Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket – wrote in an Instagram post.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.”
