Complete Domination: Recapping Roman Kryklia’s Perfect Run In ONE Championship
The main event of ONE Fight Night 17 on Prime Video will see reigning ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia take his shot at two-sport gold when he battles Australian slugger Alex “The Viking” Roberts for the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Title.
Slated to go down in U.S. primetime on December 8, that highly anticipated clash of titans will be Kryklia’s chance to add 26 more pounds of gold to his trophy case and extend his incredibly dominant unbeaten streak in ONE.
Before the action headlines a historic all-Muay Thai card at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, we look back at the Ukrainian superstar’s flawless five-fight run in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
#1 Blows Through Khbabez To Claim Kickboxing Gold
Kryklia made waves in his promotional debut at ONE: AGE OF DRAGONS in November 2019, taking out Moroccan knockout artist Tarik Khbabez to capture the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title.
Even though his foe sported an unblemished 4-0 record in ONE and was one of the sport’s most feared punchers, Kryklia showed little fear in engaging with “The Tank.”
After a first round that saw the Ukrainian land heavy long-range strikes, he scored three quick knockdowns in the second to win the light heavyweight kickboxing crown in truly sensational fashion.
#2 Overwhelms Stoica For Five Rounds
In December 2020 at ONE: COLLISION COURSE, the towering 6-foot-7 striker put his gold on the line against Andrei “Mr. KO” Stoica.
In a savage display of distance management, pacing, and overall striking acumen, Kryklia battered his adversary with a bevy of weapons over the course of five brutal rounds.
From thudding jabs to massive stepping knees and bone-crushing leg kicks, the titleholder landed seemingly at will to successfully defend his belt and announce himself as a World Champion with real staying power.
#3 Starches Aygun In First Frame
The Gridin Gym representative returned in February 2022 to square off with Dutch-Turkish challenger Murat “The Butcher” Aygun.
Showing little sign of ring rust, Kryklia wasted no time in tagging his foe with long, straight punches and terrifying knees that immediately put Aygun on the defensive.
With less than a minute remaining in the first round, the Ukrainian scored his first knockdown with a huge right hand. And while “The Butcher” would gamely return to his feet, Kryklia needed just seconds to land a quick flurry of strikes to secure the finish and successfully defend his gold for the second time.
#4 Demolishes Inocente In Under One Minute
Never one to shy away from a challenge, the light heavyweight kickboxing king next moved up in weight to participate in the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix, taking on accomplished Brazilian striker Guto Inocente in September 2022 at ONE 161.
Despite his opponent’s world-renowned power, Kryklia was happy to trade leather in the bout’s opening moments. That strategy would prove to be wise, as he sent Inocente crashing to the canvas with a gorgeous right hand just seconds into the contest.
The Brazilian was able to continue, but the fight didn’t last much longer. Immediately after the restart, Kryklia blitzed his foe with a ruthless head kick that landed flush on the jaw to finish the fight.
#5 Captures Grand Prix Silver Belt Against Azizpour
With his win over Inocente, the 32-year-old earned a spot in the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Championship Final against surging Iranian sensation Iraj Azizpour.
That battle went down in November 2022 at ONE 163 – and it was Kryklia’s stiffest test to date.
The hard-hitting Azizpour shocked the Ukrainian in the bout’s opening stanza, knocking him down for the first time in ONE. But in an incredible display of championship grit and toughness, Kryklia roared back in the second round to score one of the year’s most unforgettable knockouts.
Once again, it was a ferocious boxing attack that led to the finish, as he put Azizpour down twice with massive punches and secured the stoppage midway through the second stanza.
That victory in ONE’s 2022 Kickboxing Fight of the Year earned Kryklia the Grand Prix silver belt and solidified his status as one of the world’s top pound-for-pound strikers.
