Roman Kryklia's pursuit of a third ONE Championship World Title comes with a surprising dose of humility from the Ukrainian giant who refuses to declare himself the greatest despite his unprecedented dominance.
The 34-year-old two-sport ruler will challenge undefeated Turkish striker Samet Agdeve for the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title at ONE Fight Night 37 on 8 November, with historic implications hanging in the balance.
Despite holding both the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing and Heavyweight Muay Thai World Championships while carrying a perfect 7-0 promotional record, Kryklia maintains a mindset focused on perpetual improvement.
"I can never say that I am [the] GOAT, the best one. Because I will try to be better and better, from fight to fight, from time to time," the 6-foot-6 champion stated about his refusal to claim greatest-of-all-time status.
His legacy ambitions extend beyond personal achievement, centering on how future generations perceive his technical contributions to heavyweight striking.
"I want people in the future to remember me as the most technical heavyweight striker in the world. I want to make history. I want to return the attention of people to heavyweight. That's why I'm very hungry," Kryklia explained.
The Ukrainian claimed the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Championship with a devastating performance in November 2019 before securing the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Title in December 2023.
Championship success has brought increasing scrutiny and expectations from fans and media who view him as the world's most dominant heavyweight striker.
"When you become a champion, you feel pressure more and more with time. People see me as the most dominant heavyweight striker in the world. It gives big pressure, but I don't care because of my discipline," he revealed about managing expectations.
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Victory over Agdeve would make Kryklia a three-division ONE World Champion, validating his technical mastery while achieving his goal of bringing renewed attention to heavyweight striking.
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