Brazilian veteran Julio Lobo makes his highly anticipated return to ONE Championship action on November 28 at ONE Friday Fights 135, where he faces surging Thai finisher Worapon Lukjaoporongtom in the main event at Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium. After spending nearly a year and a half away from the promotion dealing with health issues and physical recovery, the 31-year-old former Omnoi Stadium Champion is back, healthy, and determined to prove he belongs among the division's elite. The Brazilian veteran now stands opposite a dangerous opponent riding a four-bout winning streak, but Lobo returns with renewed confidence and the belief that his time away has made him a better, stronger fighter ready to shock doubters and re-establish himself.

Brazilian Veteran Returns After Extended Recovery From Weight-Cutting Issues

After spending nearly the past year and a half in the shadows, Julio Lobo is back, and he is eager to make a statement. The last time the Brazilian competed in the world's largest martial arts organization was at ONE Friday Fights 52 in February 2024, when he went toe-to-toe with two-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion "Left Meteorite" Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai in a 144-pound Muay Thai bout. Unfortunately for Lobo, things did not go well that night, as Kulabdam stopped the promising star with a first-round knockout that raised serious questions about the Brazilian's physical condition heading into the contest.

Lobo had experienced severe difficulties making weight for that bout, and his body was slow to recover by fight time. When he experienced similar issues in his next match outside of ONE Championship several weeks later, he made the difficult but necessary decision to take an extended break to truly let his body recover and address the underlying problems. The Brazilian stepped away from competition entirely for approximately one year, unsure if he would ever return to the spotlight.

"After I fought Kulabdam, I did one more fight, like one or two months later, but my body wasn't feeling very well. It was hard for me to make weight. It was hard for me to recover and then I kept getting knocked out. So, I had to stop for a while. I stopped for like one year," Lobo confessed. "I stopped at this time and then [when I felt better], I came back. [I started] from the bottom. I went to the local fights to see how my body felt, to see if I could do it again. For one moment, I thought I could not do anymore. But then after the rest, I felt like I missed it so much. Now, I feel like my body is way better than before.”

Lobo Relishes Stylistic Matchup With Pressure Fighter Worapon

Lobo now feels fully healthy and ready to return to the world-famous Lumpinee Stadium for ONE Friday Fights 135, where he faces one of the promotion's hottest rising stars. Worapon Lukjaoporongtom enters this bantamweight main event riding a four-bout winning streak that includes a devastating first-round TKO of Kongkula Jitmuangnon at ONE Friday Fights 127 in October. The 23-year-old Thai striker from Sor Dechapan Gym has established himself as one of the most dangerous clinch fighters in the weekly showcase, using his powerful left body kick to set up punishing exchanges at close range.

Despite the significant challenge that Worapon presents, Lobo believes the Thai fighter's aggressive, forward-pressure style plays directly into his strengths. The Brazilian has built his reputation on damaging opponents in the clinch through exceptional positional control, scoring with knees, elbows, and sweeps that frustrate even the most experienced Thai competitors. Lobo has studied Worapon extensively and sees opportunities to utilize his clinch warfare skills.

"I have been watching him, and I think it's going to be a good fight. He has the fighting style I like to fight against – the guys who always come forward, clinch, and then always pressure the opponent. We both like to try to pressure each other, so it's going to be a really good fight," Lobo said.

Brazilian Ready To Shock Doubters, Prove He's Better Than Ever

Lobo understands that many fans may be more familiar with Worapon than him lately. After all, the Thai has been sensational this year, riding a four-bout winning streak while competing regularly on the ONE Friday Fights platform. Worapon is also much younger at 23 years old and clearly on the rise, while Lobo is coming off a lengthy layoff and a disappointing knockout loss in his last ONE Championship appearance. The odds and public perception naturally favor the surging Thai finisher.

But even though the Brazilian stepped away from the spotlight for health reasons, he is coming back better than before. Lobo has used his time away wisely, addressing the weight issues that plagued him and allowing his body to fully recover from the accumulated damage of his extensive fighting career. He rebuilt himself carefully through local competition, testing his physical condition and rediscovering his love for the sport. Now, the 31-year-old veteran believes he's physically and mentally prepared to deliver the performance that reminds everyone why he once held the Omnoi Stadium Championship.

"People think I'm the underdog because I stopped for a while. I didn't show a good performance in my last fight also, and I agree with them,” Lobo confessed. “I think Worapon is younger, and he's coming up. So, of course, they're going to think he's going to beat me because I have been out for a while, but I'm ready to change their minds. When they see me in the ring, they're going to change their minds."