Liam Harrison Reflects On ONE Fight Night 10 Experience, Addresses ‘Disrespectful’ Jonathan Haggerty

Although he wasn’t able to compete on the landmark show, Liam Harrison was on the ground to experience ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video.

The British superstar made the media rounds in the lead-up to ONE Championship’s historic first event in the United States on Friday, May 5, and then he got front-row seats to watch the action unfold live inside Colorado’s 1stBank Center.

Harrison has been in the fight game for decades and seen it all, but this was a particularly memorable experience for him. Even before the blockbuster spectacle kicked off, “Hitman” knew that the evening was going to be something special.

The former ONE World Title challenger said:

“I loved being out there and being a part of it, doing all the media stuff. It was nice, even though I wasn’t fighting myself, to still be around the show and just be a part of it all, especially for the first one in the U.S.

“The atmosphere was a bit different than any other show. I could tell everyone was just that bit more excited, everyone was going to go that bit extra with their performances. I could even tell all the officials were more excited, too.”

With the athletes and ONE Championship team fired up to produce a groundbreaking show, Harrison had the opportunity to see things from a different perspective. 

Usually the one getting ready to throw down inside the Circle, the Leeds native watched from the outside as everyone involved gave it their all to deliver an exciting finished product – and this glimpse provided “Hitman” with a couple of standout moments.

Harrison explained:

“One of my favorite things was being sat ringside and being able to watch how much energy Mitch Chilson and Dom Lau put into what they do. I just sat there and watched how much energy they put into every single fight, from the first fight on the card to the main event. It was amazing to see.

“My favorite fight was Zebaztian Kadestam vs. Roberto Soldic. Kadestam is a friend of mine. We fought on a few of the same shows, and I like spending time with him. He’s a class act. But he’s solid. 

“He was up against it in that first round. He was taking some massive combinations from Soldic, but he came back in round two and totally flipped it and ended up knocking him out.”

Liam Harrison Wants To ‘Humble’ Jonathan Haggerty

While speaking to the press and fans in America, Liam Harrison couldn’t escape the talk of potentially facing fellow Brit Jonathan Haggerty in the future.

After “The General’s” recent ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title win over longtime kingpin Nong-O Hama last month, the Londoner called Harrison out, and interest in the fight has been massive.

Haggerty, however, made comments on social media that “Hitman” took issue with. He stated that Harrison was “the easiest fight in the division,” and now, the Leeds legend wants to prove him wrong.

The 37-year-old veteran said:

“He’s never really shown me any respect at all, and I think that was a pretty disrespectful comment that he said there, especially after what I’ve done. I’ve knocked out more top-level fighters than he’s even had fights. 

“Yeah, he beat Nong-O, blistering performance, congratulations to him for that, and well done to him for what he’s achieved. I always try and show him props, show him respect, and cheer him on, but I don’t feel like I get the same thing back.

“He’s just got no respect whatsoever, and I want to humble him. I’ll bring him back down to earth with a crash if he thinks I’m the easiest fight in that division because I guarantee he hasn’t fought anyone who can hit as hard as I do.”

Fans in the United Kingdom and around the globe can’t wait for that clash to come to fruition, although there’s still plenty of work to be done before it can become a reality.

Recovering from knee surgery and hoping to return later this year, “Hitman” thinks the match could happen in London sometime in early 2024 – if “The General” keeps the gold around his waist, that is.

Harrison said:

“Obviously, I want the fight to happen, it needs to happen in England, and it needs to be for the belt. He needs to keep hold of that belt over his next couple of fights because he’s going to have some tough fights. I need to come back, win a fight, and get back into contention. 

“I’m hoping to be back in the ring by October. I know it’ll take time to build a show in the UK, so if the show in the UK was at the start of next year, maybe February or March, that would be unbelievable.”