Zebaztian Kadestam versus Isi Fitikefu booked for ONE Fight Night 31

ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II has added another blockbuster bout to its lineup as former ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam now faces surging star Isi Fitikefu.

On Friday, May 2, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium, two of welterweight MMA’s heaviest hitters go head to head. Both warriors look to take a huge leap toward a World Title opportunity.

A former divisional king himself, all of Kadestam’s victories in ONE Championship have come by knockout. He captured the crown in 2018 with a fifth-round finish of Tyler McGuire. He then ended Georgiy Kichigin in the second round to defend the gold.

Despite parting ways with the belt in 2019, the knockouts haven’t stopped coming. He continued to show his power against Iuri Lapicus, Valmir Da Silva, and European standout Roberto Soldic in 2023. There’s no doubt he’s confident he can deliver another big moment as he looks up to the top of the mountain.

Meanwhile, Fitikefu has improved leaps and bounds in his ONE Championship journey. The Australian-Tongan lost a narrow split-decision in his debut in November 2022. He responded emphatically to show his worth.

“Doxz” scored a first-round submission victory over Da Silva in April 2023. He then dispatched finishing machine Hiroyuki Tetsuka at ONE 168.

Outclassing Tetsuka marked a milestone moment in Fitikefu’s career. He proved he belongs among welterweight’s finest names. If he can dispatch Kadestam, he’ll surely land himself on the radar of two-weight ONE MMA World Champion Christian Lee.

Zebaztian Kadestam has another World Title campaign in him

Former ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam has remained a fierce name in the division for the better part of eight years. “The Bandit” is out to prove there’s still plenty more dream-crushing moments to come.

Kadestam knows what it takes to reach the top of the mountain. He sat on the welterweight throne for almost a year, delivering multiple barnburners throughout that time.

At 34 years old, he still has plenty of time to disrupt the division. His one-punch knockout power has wrecked many foes. Following a knockout win over Roberto Soldic, the Swedish slugger is out to prove he’s still a major player en route to welterweight gold.