"It's a good month" - Jonathan Di Bella honors roots with world title win in Italian-American Heritage month

Canadian-Italian striker Jonathan Di Bella (pictured). [Image: ONE Championship]
Canadian-Italian striker Jonathan Di Bella (pictured). [Image: ONE Championship]

October has proven to be a special month for Jonathan Di Bella, both personally and professionally.

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The newly crowned undisputed ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion delivered a five-round masterclass against Prajanchai PK Saenchai in the main event of ONE Fight Night 36 last Friday, October 3, earning a unanimous decision victory to unify the titles in Bangkok, Thailand.

During the post-fight press conference, the 29-year-old Canadian-Italian was asked about winning his belt during Italian-American Heritage Month, and he revealed the significance of October throughout his combat sports career.

While speaking with the members of the media, Jonathan Di Bella said:

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"I was going to say that in the post-fight, I didn't have a chance to say that, you know. It's Italian-American Heritage month in October, and yeah, I just wanna say Happy Italian-American Heritage Month."

He further continued by saying:

"I won my first belt in October in 2022, and now to win it again in October 2025, three years later, I won the championship again. I regained the belt in October, and both in that heritage month. It's a good month."
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The Team Di Bella Kickboxing star's redemption performance came exactly three years and one day after he captured his first ONE strawweight kickboxing world title with a second-round knockout of Danial Williams at ONE on Prime Video 3 on October 1, 2022.

Di Bella's victory over Prajanchai not only unified the strawweight kickboxing titles but also avenged the only loss of his professional career. The Italian-Canadian had fallen to the Thai striking machine, who still holds the ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship, via unanimous decision in their first meeting for the vacant kickboxing crown at ONE Friday Fights 68 in June 2024.

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The triumph improved his record to 15-1 and earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

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Jonathan Di Bella maintains he is 2-0 against Prajanchai

Though all three judges deemed Prajanchai the victor of their first tiff inside the Mecca of Muay Thai mid-last year, Jonathan Di Bella is still very much objecting to the outcome of their first clash.

In the same presser, the Team Di Bella Kickboxing martial artist sang praise for his nemesis, while reminding fans that he was the better man across the ten rounds the pair of strawweight kickboxing sensations have shared.

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The Montreal native further added by saying:

"But all respect to him, though. He's a really skilled fighter, so respect to him. But in my mind, I'm 2–0 against him. We up on the board."

Would you like to see a trilogy between Jonathan Di Bella and Prajanchai? Let us know below!

North American fight fans who missed the action can watch the ONE Fight Night 36: Prajanchai vs Di Bella II replay for free on Amazon Prime Video.

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Edited by Himakshu Vyas
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