Ukrainian superstar Roman Kryklia is tall in stature but often short on ring time.
On this occasion, he needed just 3 minutes and 25 seconds to finish WBC Muay Thai World Champion Alex “The Viking” Roberts, nab the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Title, and put his name on the elite list of two-sport titleholders.
The 32-year-old scored the finish in the main event of ONE Fight Night 17 on Prime Video, which aired in U.S. primetime on December 8 and was the organization’s first all-Muay Thai lineup – at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
When referee Justin Brown kicked off the fight, the two titans slung hard and heavy punches, but it was Kryklia who landed first. He stung the Australian at the end of a straight right, dropping him for an eight-count.
In the second frame, it looked as if “The Viking” would turn the fight around. He hit Kryklia with a grimacing elbow that shook up the fighter from Champ Belts.
That success, however, was short-lived.
In one exchange, both fighters threw overhand rights but simultaneously evaded by dropping to their left sides. When they popped back up, Kryklia twisted into a left hook, flooring Roberts where he stood.
Brown waved off the action at the 0:25 mark of round two, as the 32-year-old Kryklia added another belt to his growing collection, raised his professional record to 50-7, and earned a US$50,000 bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
In addition to claiming the inaugural heavyweight Muay Thai gold, the Ukrainian holds the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title and the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix silver belt.
He is also 6-0 since joining ONE Championship, making him one of the most dangerous and dominant strikers on the planet.
