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Former welterweight MMA world champion Zebaztian Kadestam was last in ONE Championship action nearly two years ago. He, however, assured he hardly skipped a beat, even stepping up during his time away.
'The Bandit' shared this in an interview with ONE Championship, aligned with his scheduled return to action on May 2 at ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II on Prime Video at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. He will go up against Australian-Tongan fighter Isi Fitikefu in a welterweight MMA joust.
“I feel like I have stepped up. I feel like I’m free in my striking and I can play more."
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When ONE Championship fans last saw Zebaztian Kadestam in action in May 2023 in the United States, he knocked out Croatian sensation Roberto Soldic in the second round of their welterweight MMA showdown.
The win was his third straight and seventh in 11 matches since coming on board ONE in 2017.
Zebaztian Kadestam seeks to keep 100 percent finishing rate in ONE Championship intact in next match
Zebaztian Kadestam has seven victories in ONE Championship so far, all of which came by way of knockout. It is something he looks to sustain in his scheduled return to action at ONE Fight Night 31 next month. He clearly made it known in an interview with the promotion as he prepares for his clash with Isi Fitikefu, saying:
"I'm gonna do everything I can to knock him out. First, second, or third round. I'm gonna try to find a finish. I don't really have a prediction, but I will do my best to knock him out."
Kadestam got his first KO win in ONE Championship in his promotional debut in May 2017, where he stopped Brazilian Luis Santos in the third round of their match. He notched KO victories in three of his next four matches, including his fifth-round stoppage of American Tyler McGuire in November 2018 to claim the vacant ONE welterweight MMA world title.
Kadestam hit a rough patch after, but he has bounced back, steamrolling over his opponents in his last three matches.
At ONE Fight Night 31, he is looking to add Isi Fitikefu to his list of KO victims.
ONE Fight Night 31 is available live at U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
