Rich Franklin says kickboxing matchup “poses a different kind of problem and puzzle” for Jonathan Haggerty, Fabricio Andrade

Mixed martial arts legend Rich Franklin is as intrigued as anyone by the impending superfight between Fabricio Andrade and Jonathan Haggerty.

The ONE Championship Vice President was recently on the Weighing In podcast with 'Big' John McCarthy and Josh Thomson. During the episode, Franklin expressed his anticipation for the upcoming matchup.

Haggerty, the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion, and Andrade, the ONE bantamweight MMA world champion, will headline ONE Fight Night 16 on November 3 at the hallowed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The two world champions will contend for the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship.

Franklin, a former UFC middleweight world champion, said Haggerty and Andrade will have to solve a different set of puzzles once they wear the bigger kickboxing gloves.

He said:

“When I first heard this matchup I was like, ‘Oh, it's kickboxing.’ This actually poses a different kind of problem and puzzle for both of these guys, because they're the way that Haggerty works like his kicks into his game and everything. This going to be a fun one to watch.”

Haggerty and Andrade are considered two of the best strikers on the planet today, and their striking backgrounds will be tested when they trade leather at the iconic Bangkok stadium.

Andrade, before he moved to MMA, was an accomplished kickboxer and Muay Thai artist. Before he signed with ONE Championship in 2020, ‘Wonder Boy’ held an impressive 40-3 record across the two disciplines.

Haggerty, meanwhile, has fought exclusively under Muay Thai in ONE Championship. ‘The General’ is already one of the best strikers the United Kingdom has ever produced and was once the owner of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title.

ONE Fight Night 16 is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

Watch Franklin's entire interview below: