‘I Will Show Him My Ground Techniques’ – Banma Duoji Plans To Give Walter Goncalves A Lesson In MMA

Banma Duoji has a proven track record as a knockout striker in mixed martial arts, but he won’t let his ego get in the way of victory.

On July 14, “The Prince” will welcome #3-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Walter Goncalves to the all-around sport at ONE Fight Night 12 on Prime Video, and he’s ready to show that multiple disciplines are better than one.

This will be Goncalves’ first professional fight in MMA. And while Banma also has a penchant for the stand-up game, he knows that competing against an elite Muay Thai star on the feet would give his rival the advantage.

To ensure he has the upper hand, the Chinese finisher is instead preparing to utilize his wider skill set in their U.S. primetime clash at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

He told ONEFC.com:

“I have seen videos of Walter Goncalves before. He has fought many world-class athletes, and his striking level is very high. But I have been training MMA for six years, especially wrestling and ground techniques. This year I am still strengthening my wrestling skills at Tiger Muay Thai.

“Although he is very strong standing, this time we are fighting in MMA rules and I will show him my ground techniques. It’s just a normal fight for me, I have been training MMA for longer than him, and my standing skills are also good enough to cope with his.”

Banma has amassed a solid record of 14-2 in MMA with an impressive 100 percent finishing rate, and all but one of those stoppages have come via strikes.

But despite having the edge over most opponents in that area, he knows that Goncalves’ experience as a pure Muay Thai competitor – with a stellar 66-8 record in the sport – means there will potentially be easier routes to victory.

“The Prince” said:

“Personally, I prefer stand-up more because I think it’s more visually appealing, but I’m well-rounded in my skills, and my coach emphasizes that I should be working on the ground more for a more complete development.

“He may be the strongest stand-up opponent I have faced in all my fights. But back to the rules, this time we’re fighting in MMA. I will have both stand-up and ground techniques, and I will combine them to deal with my opponent.

“In a fight between an MMA athlete and a Muay Thai athlete in MMA, I think everyone knows who can win.”

‘A Fight To Prove Myself’ – Banma Eager For First ONE Win

Banma Duoji went up against former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his ONE debut, coming up short after a fiery two-round battle.

Now, he’s determined to right his course and show he belongs among the best by defeating Brazilian striking star Walter Goncalves in Bangkok.

“The Prince” took important lessons from his first encounter and says he will bring more tools and smarts to the ring for his sophomore appearance:

“Because the last fight was my first fight in the ONE, I was too excited. In the first round, I was too excited. I didn’t allocate my energy correctly, which caused me problems.

“Since then, I have strengthened my physical training, and I have also seen my lack of ground wrestling skills, so I have been strengthening them.

“I have never stopped training. I hope to show my strength to my fans through this fight, so you could say this is a fight to prove myself.”