Shannon training hard to make Thailand proud in ‘One’ battle

This will be the second stop at the Impact Arena for the One event in 2017 after the Warrior Kingdom in March. The main-event bout between Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai of Thailand and Rasul Yakhyaev of Grozny, Russia has been announced as a lightweight title eliminator with the winner going on to challenge the “One” lightweight world champion.

“Shannon is the new face of martial arts in Thailand. It’s going to be massive for Thailand as if he wins the fight, he will fight for the World Championship title for the first time,” said Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of One Championship.
Shannon has delivered several exciting and memorable battles inside the One Championship cage. A mainstay of Bangkok Fight Lab, he trains in various disciplines at home in Bangkok, including muay thai, boxing, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“I am preparing very hard so that I can make Thailand proud. I know my opponent is incredibly well-rounded and highly skilled, so I will definitely not be taking him lightly. It’s going to be an absolute battle from beginning to end,” said Shannon, 28.
Shannon’s girlfriend, Japanese Thai Rika, who sustained facial bruising in her loss to Filipina Jomarry Torres in Macau last month, has recovered from that defeat and is itching to get back in the cage.
“I took some pills and got back to training to work on improving my physical condition and mental toughness,” said the atomweight-class fighter.
“As I’m the smallest one in my class, I have to focus on a lot of aspects to improve my strength and striking. You have to come to the bout in December to see the new version of me,” said the 28-year-old Rika.
Apart from the fights, fans will be entertained by concerts by country singer Poo Ponsgit Kampee and the Triumph Kingdom duo.
Ticket information for “One: Warriors of the World is available at www.onefc.com.