Nabil Anane made a resounding statement about his world title ambitions in ONE Championship with a commanding performance nearly a year ago against one of Myanmar's most revered strikers.
Standing 6-foot-4, the Thai-Algerian phenom squared off with Soe Lin Oo in a bantamweight Muay Thai tiff at ONE Friday Fights 81, held at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, in September 2024.
Check out the ringside highlights of that matchup below:
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Utilizing his exceptional reach and striking precision, Anane dictated the pace from the opening bell, ultimately cruising to a clear-cut unanimous decision win.
Soe Lin Oo was forced to wade into Anane's range early. But every attempt to close the distance was met with stinging knees and crisp counters. The towering Anane kept him at bay throughout the bout, unloading a steady stream of strikes that left no room for momentum shifts.
By the final round, Anane was in complete control, mixing in high kicks with punishing body attacks that underscored his dominance. In the end, the judges awarded him an undivided nod on the scorecards.
Nabil Anane picks up two straight wins to begin his 2025 campaign
That outing against Soe Lin Oo at ONE Friday Fights 8! confirmed Nabil Anane's championship potential — and he wasted no time proving it.
In a sensational follow-up, Anane dropped Nico Carrillo three times in the first round to capture the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title via stoppage at ONE 170 this past January.
Then, just two months later, Anane avenged his promotional debut loss by outclassing reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 with a masterful unanimous decision in a non-title bantamweight Muay Thai rematch at ONE 172 last March.
A potential trilogy bout between Anane and Superlek may happen later this year in order to crown the division's undisputed king.