Roman Kryklia Hoping ONE Fight Night 30 Title Defense Leads To More Eyeballs On Heavyweight Division

LockerRoom Team

11 Apr 2025

Roman Kryklia effortlessly defended his ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Title against Lyndon Knowles at ONE Fight Night 30 on April 5.

In less than a round, the Ukrainian demolished his latest challenger, and all it took was a minuscule change in how he approached the match once the bell rang.

“In the first round, I started actively, but maybe after one minute, I just made some pause, and I was waiting for a more aggressive attitude from my opponent,” Kryklia said after the event.

“And if my opponents come to me aggressively, it's much easier for me to get the knockout, to find some weak places to target.”

While he could boast his own skills, Kryklia gave credit to his Champ Belts team. In reflecting on his swift victory, he knew once he made flush contact on Knowles, the finish would soon come.

“When I got him the first time, I understood that it was almost over, because [we were in] small gloves, and I felt that his defense was not perfect, and for me, it was a gift,” Kryklia said.

Now, the 33-year-old is actively thinking about the legacy he could leave as one of the greatest strikers in history.

“This victory means just one more step to [get] up and one more possibility to get some attention from the audience and fans of martial arts. This one is one more step to become [one of the most successful fighters],” the Ukrainian said.

Still, he hopes to bring more eyes to the bigger men of the sport. Kryklia wants a quick turnaround to continue the mission and show everyone why heavyweight power is always a must-watch event.

“Stay tuned and put your attention on heavyweight. I think there will be big events soon. Put their attention on our weight [class],” Kryklia said.

“Give me some chances to show you my skills, because in my last fights, it did not last for more than one, two rounds. Give me some good opponents. You will see really beautiful skills in Muay Thai and kickboxing.”