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Ramadan Ondash has called a meeting with his idol Rodtang Jitmuangnon his “dream fight” – and he could get it if he hands Shimon Yoshinari his first defeat in ONE Championship on Friday.
The 20-year-old is the youngest of the eight men in ONE’s flyweight Muay Thai Grand Prix, which opens at The Inner Circle 38 at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The winner of his quarter-final against Yoshinari will face either Rodtang or Nong-O Hama, who headline the same card.
“Everyone will see a new version of me in this fight,” Ondash said at Tuesday’s virtual press conference. “My game plan will be different from before. I believe I’m more technical and my strikes carry more power.
“Once I get past Shimon, my dream fight is against Rodtang.”
Ramadan Ondash (right) connects with a right hand against Johan Ghazali at The Inner Circle 24 in Bangkok
Yoshinari would also welcome the chance to fight Rodtang. The Japanese fighter said in a separate interview with ONE that he would be happy to face either former champion, though “fighting Rodtang would be more entertaining”.
“I always focus on what’s in front of me,” Yoshinari said through an interpreter at Tuesday’s press conference when asked whether a potential semi-final against either former champion was a distraction. “So right now I’m focusing on Ramadan.”
The Eiwa Sports Gym fighter, 22, has six wins and one no contest in ONE and is ranked fourth in the division, one place above Ondash. He earned a US$100,000 main-roster contract with a unanimous-decision win over Johan Ghazali at ONE Samurai 1 in April, then knocked out Suablack Tor Pran49 with a second-round body shot in Yokohama in September.
Shimon Yoshinari (right) throws an elbow against Johan Ghazali at ONE Samurai 1 in Tokyo
Ondash also beat Ghazali, taking a split decision at The Inner Circle 24 in July. The Lebanese fighter is two wins from two at flyweight, having beaten Suriyanlek Por Yenying on his debut in the division after losing to Aliff Sor Dechapan at strawweight.
“I know Ramadan is fast and hits hard, but I’ve prepared well for him,” Yoshinari said at Tuesday’s press conference. He also told ONE he believed he could finish Ondash if he could put his preparations into practice.
The other two quarter-finals take place a week later at The Inner Circle 39, where reigning champion Asadula Imangazaliev defends his title in a rematch with Aslamjon Ortikov and Black Panther meets Ubaid Hussain.
Shimon Yoshinari celebrates his second-round knockout of Suablack Tor Pran49 at ONE Samurai 3 in Yokohama
The tournament winner will also receive a separate silver belt.
Rodtang sees little between his two prospective semi-final opponents.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon poses at an open workout in Nonthaburi ahead of his Grand Prix quarter-final against Nong-O Hama
He told ONE’s Thai website he had initially seen Yoshinari as strong in every department, but Ghazali’s counter that dropped him in April had shown he could be caught. Given Ondash’s power, Rodtang called it a 50-50 fight.
