Othman Rhouni's Revenge Tour Begins Against Superlek At ONE Friday Fights 172

Don't miss ONE Friday Fights on beINSPORTS

Lessons Learned The Hard Way

Othman "The Ironside" Rhouni has been waiting for this moment. The Moroccan striker headlines ONE Friday Fights 172 this Friday, September 25, and after two consecutive setbacks, he arrives at Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium with one thing on his mind — turning the page on a rough start and proving he belongs with the elite flyweight Muay Thai fighters in ONE Championship.

Othman Rhouni's ONE Championship debut did not go according to plan – and neither did his sophomore appearance.

The Moroccan made his promotional debut in the kickboxing ranks against seven-time Muay Thai World Champion Panpayak Jitmuangnon in May and dropped a heartbreaking split decision in what was supposed to be his breakout moment.

Then, he switched back to Muay Thai and fell to surging teen sensation Jaradchai Maxjandee two months later, leaving him with two losses and plenty of questions to answer.

But "The Ironside" did not bury his head in the sand. He took the losses back to the drawing board, identified exactly what had gone wrong, and made the necessary adjustments before stepping back into the ring.

The verdict? He was low on energy, a self-inflicted problem due to a difficult time passing his hydration test and making weight.

"The main reason was definitely my gas tank. By the second round, I felt completely drained. I felt like a zombie in there," Rhouni said. "We made a lot of adjustments because we learned from those past mistakes. This time around, the weight management was so much easier and smoother. I felt very comfortable throughout the entire process, and my body feels fully energized and ready to go."

A Dangerous Opponent, A Clear Game Plan

But still, that may not be enough, because standing across from him is a motivated opponent who experienced success at ONE Friday Fights and then took a leave of absence for three years to continue his development.

Superlek Jitmuangnon made an impressive ONE Championship debut back in March 2023 before stepping away to add weapons to his arsenal, collect titles on Thailand's prestigious stadium circuit, and return as a more complete and confident striker. 

The Thai is dangerous from the outside, a patient technician who uses space to set up his kicks – and he has been preparing for this comeback moment for three years.

Rhouni has studied him closely and believes he has found the blueprint to neutralize everything Superlek brings.

"The plan is simple: I'm going to put heavy pressure on him and close the distance immediately. From watching his five-round fights, I know Superlek relies heavily on his kicks when he has space," Rhouni said. "So, I won't give him that space to kick freely. I'm going to walk him down, stay close, and throw heavy combinations – punches and fast kicks – to keep scoring points."

"The plan is simple: I'm going to put heavy pressure on him and close the distance immediately. From watching his five-round fights, I know Superlek relies heavily on his kicks when he has space," Rhouni said. "So, I won't give him that space to kick freely. I'm going to walk him down, stay close, and throw heavy combinations – punches and fast kicks – to keep scoring points."

Everything On The Line

For Othman Rhouni, Friday night is not just about getting a win. It is about resetting the entire trajectory of his ONE Championship career.

Another loss would be a serious blow. After all, three straight defeats would make the road back a steep one. But Rhouni is not thinking about losing. He is thinking about what comes after the victory, and he already has a very specific destination in mind.

"This fight means everything to me. I have no other choice – I simply must win this fight. A win here will solidify my confidence and prove that I belong at the very top," Rhouni said.

"After I get my hand raised in this fight, I'm ready for anyone the promoters put in front of me. But if I had a choice, I would love to get a rematch with Panpayak down the line.”

The revenge tour starts Friday. First, Superlek. Then, the rest of his old foes.

Subscribe to Watch beIN SPORTS LIVE