"I'd love to meet up with him and learn some wrestling" - Jonathan Haggerty on his dynamic with AEW's Malakai Black

Jonathan Haggerty and All Elite Wrestling star Malakai Black are yet to share a ring together, but there’s already a budding friendship between the two martial artists.

In an interview with Dylan Bowker for ONE Championship, Haggerty revealed that he and Black, whose real name is Tom Budgen, often exchange text messages whenever one of them gets an important win.

Haggerty said that even though they’re not that close, he would love to get together with the AEW star and pick at each other’s thought processes.

Jonathan Haggerty said:

“We sort of have a relationship like we tell each other ‘congratulations, keep smashing it.’ We’re not on the level where we [always] text each other or on Whatsapp. But he’s a great guy. He always congratulates me, wishes me good luck, and I’m the same with him. I'd love to meet up with him and learn some wrestling”

Although Black has a career in pro-wrestling, the foundation for his craft is Muay Thai and kickboxing. It’s this striking base that eventually made Haggerty and Black some sort of kindred spirits.

Black is currently booked as one AEW’s top stars and he leads his own heel faction, House of Black, and has Brody King and Buddy Matthews as his subordinates.

The heel faction has since feuded with the Death Triangle and the Varsity Blonds.

Haggerty, as busy as he is, said he’d love to get in a program with the House of Black and maybe dish out some punishment in the squared circle.

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Jonathan Haggerty plans to bump his streak to three wins

While he expressed his eagerness to step between professional wrestling’s ropes, Jonathan Haggerty knows that his main focus is the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix.

Haggerty will face Walter Gonçalves in the tournament quarterfinals at ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot on May 20 which will be broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion has won his previous two bouts and a third straight win would give him the much-needed momentum boost for the tournament.

Gonçalves, however, is no pushover. The Brazilian is a three-time Muay Thai world champion with an impressive 71-6 record.