Johan Ghazali moved to proudly represent Malaysia at media day for ONE 168: Denver earlier this week by wearing the traditional Malay outfit of Baju Melayu. It is also his form of taking cue from his roots as he makes his United States debut this week.
The 17-year-old Malaysian-American phenom is featured in a flyweight Muay Thai match at ONE 168: Denver on Sept. 6. He will go up against Mexican Josue Cruz in the event happening at the Ball Arena in the "Mile High City."
Speaking to combat sports journalist Nick Atkin on media day, Johan Ghazali spoke about the Baju Melayu, which is a traditional Malay costume for men that features a long-sleeved shirt (baju) and trousers (celana), he rocked.
He said:
"I mean, it's the same as [last time]. It's the traditional Malaysian outfit. You know, it's called the Baju Melayu. And I am Malay, so in Malaysia, we call Malays blayu. So that's what it is. It's a traditional outfit."
Check out what he had to say below:
By wearing the traditional Malay outfit, Johan Ghazali hopes it will set the stage for an eventful U.S. debut for him at ONE 168, where he hopes to bounce back after absorbing his first defeat in the promotion in his previous fight in June.
In Denver, Ghazali is up against an opponent in Cruz who is on a mission to finally book his maiden victory in ONE after falling short in his first two attempts.
ONE 168: Denver will air live and for free in U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription. Tickets for the event, meanwhile, are available via Ticketmaster.
Johan Ghazali not underestimating Josue Cruz at ONE 168
Johan Ghazali may be up against a struggling opponent in Josue Cruz in his scheduled fight at ONE 168: Denver on Sept. 6, but he is in no way underestimating the Mexican fighter.
He shared this in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA ahead of his return to action against Cruz, highlighting that the latter is still an able fighter who can make things happen notwithstanding his struggles.
"I mean, he lost his last two by knockout, so it's hard to really say whether I've been impressed. Really, I might say I haven't been impressed. Although I feel that way, this doesn't mean I am underestimating him. I know what he brings."
Entering ONE 168, Johan Ghazali is coming off his first defeat in ONE Championship last June at the hands of veteran Vietnamese fighter Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat.