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Japanese Muay Thai fighter Taiki Naito said he has improved his arsenal the past year. He is eager to showcase it when he plunges back into action this weekend in Thailand.
The 29-year-old martial artist is slated to compete against rising Colombian star Johan Estupinan in a flyweight Muay Thai joust at ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on June 6 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.
Heading into the match, Naito said he made a lot of improvements in his game as he tries to wiggle out of the two-match slide he is currently in.
The Bell Wood Fight Team affiliate told ONE Championship in an interview:
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“I’m naturally more skilled with kicks. In my previous fights, I think I used significantly more kicks than punches, but now, I’ve become better at balancing kicks and punches together.”
Taiki Naito was last in action in August last year, losing by knockout to Algerian Elias Mahmoudi.
His opponent, Estupinan, meanwhile, has been on an impressive roll since making his ONE Championship debut in May 2024, winning all of his five matches to date.
ONE Fight Night 32 is available live at U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Taiki Naito looks to match Johan Estupinan's explosiveness at ONE Fight Night 32
Taiki Naito said he is looking to match Johan Estupinan's power and explosiveness at ONE Fight Night 32 on his way to claiming an all-important win.
'The Sniper' pointed this out in an interview with ONE Championship, highlighting that he is up against a tough opponent in 'Panda Kick' but he has no plans of shying from engaging and taking the challenge head-on.
"He's a hard hitter, but in a good way. I want to match my opponent and get in there. I don't just want to avoid his attacks; I want to get into the intensity."
Taiki Naito is one of the noted fighters in ONE's flyweight division. Apart from Muay Thai, he also competes in kickboxing, where he is currently the No. 3 contender.
