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Regian Eersel knew beforehand that Alexis Nicolas's unique skillset would make him a tough nut to crack.
Unlike his previous challengers who mostly came from kickboxing backgrounds, 'Barboza' was battle-tested in Savate or French kickboxing.
'The Immortal's' biggest fears came true at ONE Fight Night 21, as Nicolas brought the thunder and managed to take away his lightweight kickboxing crown with a unanimous decision victory after five hard-fought rounds.
Eersel was admittedly wary of the Frenchman's kick-heavy style. So much so, that he uncharacteristically let his guard down and got caught by Nicolas' punch combinations in round 2 that sent him to the canvas.
That knockdown ultimately decided the outcome of the otherwise razor-close match-up.
In a recent interview on STVS Suriname's YouTube page, Eersel broke his silence and admitted he was prepared for Nicolas' Savate style. However, the new champion's otherwordly flexibility was something that threw him off.
The ONE lightweight Muay Thai kingpin explained:
"There is not too much difference [between kickboxing and Savate]. Probably, the only difference in the fight, was that he was a bit more flexible. That was something I expected. Other than that, there's not much else."
Watch Regian Eersel's interview in its entirety:
The replay of ONE Fight Night 21 is free on-demand for those with an active Prime Video subscription in North America.
Regian Eersel vows to return with a vengeance after losing his belt
Shortly after his unbeaten 10-fight run in ONE came to an end, Regian Eersel took to his personal Instagram account to assure his fans that better days are coming.
'The Immortal', who is truly one of the classiest champions in the sport, humbly admitted defeat and promised to reclaim what's his. He said:
"If I didn't get the eight-count, I would have won the fight. So, I hope ONE Championship gives me a rematch. But yeah. It is what it is. You win some, you lose some, you know? I will be back even better. I will be back."
