Undefeated Narmo Excited For Debut Against Ngalani: ‘It’s My Time’
Thomas “The Last Viking” Narmo could try to take the safe path to victory in the biggest mixed martial arts bout of his career, but instead, he intends to meet Alain “The Panther” Ngalani head-on.
In his promotional debut at ONE: BATTLEGROUND II this Friday, 13 August, the unbeaten Norwegian warrior plans to engage the striking megastar in a stand-up battle that will ignite viewers around the globe.
“The fact that he [Ngalani] is a multiple-time World Champion kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter [means] I want to try to stand and trade punches with him,” Narmo says.
“I have so much respect for Alain, the way he carries himself as an athlete, and what he has achieved. I feel like ONE is giving me a huge opportunity to show what kind of fighter I am.”
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“The Last Viking” is not short of confidence, and with a perfect 4-0 slate comprising of four first-round finishes, it’s no surprise he feels ready to challenge the biggest names in the sport.
“If you want to be the best, you have to take out the best, and I need to prove that I can hang with the best guys,” he says.
Narmo also takes confidence from his world-class training partners at Frontline Academy in Oslo, Norway. With their help, he believes he’s reached the right point in his career to launch an assault on ONE Championship’s heavyweight division.
“I have trained with a lot of good fighters, so I know what the top level is like,” he offers.
“My dream has always been to compete in Asia — I don’t know why, I just find it more appealing — so my goal was to get a fight in ONE, and that’s right around the corner. Mentally, I’m super prepared for this. I feel like this is my moment. It’s my time.”
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That said, “The Last Viking” doesn’t expect his match against the Cameroon-born hulk to be a walkover.
Ngalani took on elite competition in the striking world before making the switch to mixed martial arts in 2013, and he’s been one of the organization’s most popular competitors ever since.
The Impakt Academy representative owns knockout power in every limb, plus an incredible amount of flexibility and speed for a man of his size.
“He’s so fast and dynamic with his striking. He is a big, muscular guy, so he is probably really strong, as well as being quick. But I think that the explosiveness is probably his biggest attribute,” Narmo says.
These factors make “The Panther” a constant threat, but the physical attributes aren’t solely in his favor. In fact, the 200-centimeter slugger from Skjetten will tower over his rival on Friday.
“I definitely have the reach advantage. I’m probably the tallest guy on the entire roster,” the promotional newcomer adds.
That reach will be utilized by the 27-year-old Norwegian, who hopes to pick apart “The Panther” with his long punches and kicks.
Doing so would send a massive statement to the heavyweight division. And while “The Last Viking” won’t rule out any route to victory, winning the fight on his opponent’s terms would make the result even sweeter.
“Game plan? What game plan? If it goes to the ground, it goes to the ground, and we’ll figure it out. But I really want to test my stand-up,” he says.
“I feel like I’ve been developing a lot in the stand-up game during this last year, and I want to see how much it has developed because my last fight only lasted eight seconds. I landed a three-punch combination, and it was over.”
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There’s no doubt that Narmo would introduce himself to the global fan base in a huge way if he keeps his undefeated streak going and gets past Ngalani in “The Lion City.”
That’s his main focus for now, but he’s also daring to dream even bigger.
“As a competitor, I am looking at the heavyweight division as a whole, and I believe in my heart that I can be the champion. That’s my next goal,” he says.
A stoppage win over the African titan would be the perfect start – and it would lay the foundation for the lifelong athlete to start working toward the gold.
“I see myself winning this fight in the second round. I think I’m going to set a higher pace than what he can hang with,” Narmo adds.
“I come to fight and I come to win, and I don’t really see any other outcome. I hope both of us put on an amazing performance for the fans. And at the end of the day, my hand will be raised victorious.”
Read more: From The Rink To The Circle: Thomas Narmo’s Amazing Sports Journey
