ONE Championship expands Fight Night 44 with four Muay Thai and kickboxing bouts
The organisation has supplemented its previously announced main event with four new contests ahead of the June 26 broadcast from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
ONE Championship has announced four additional Muay Thai and kickboxing contests for ONE Fight Night 44, scheduled to air live in US primetime on Friday, June 26, from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The new additions include a bantamweight Muay Thai clash between Ferrari Fairtex and Shinji Suzuki; a featherweight Muay Thai debut for Charlie Guest against Bampara Kouyate; a bantamweight Muay Thai showdown between Nakrob Fairtex and Jacob Smith; and a flyweight kickboxing contest between Akif Guluzada and Johan Estupinan.
The bantamweight Muay Thai contest between Ferrari Fairtex and Shinji Suzuki features a veteran Thai fighter with a 136-34 career record and five promotional victories. Fairtex, 28, enters the bout with a history of consecutive wins, though his recent momentum has shifted. He faces 40-year-old Japanese striker Shinji Suzuki, who brings 33 professional striking wins and experience from Fujimakick Muay Thai Gym to the Lumpinee Stadium stage.
In the featherweight division, English fighter Charlie Guest makes his promotional debut against Bampara Kouyate. Guest, 30, holds the ISKA crown along with WBC European and British Kickboxing titles. His opponent, Kouyate, is a 31-year-old French-Malian striker with a 36-3 career record, including notable knockout victories over Jo Nattawut and Luke Lessei. Kouyate is returning to the ring following a recent loss.
The card also features a bantamweight Muay Thai rematch between Nakrob Fairtex and Jacob Smith. Nakrob Fairtex, 27, holds a 69-25 career record and a 10-5 promotional ledger built on performances in the ONE Friday Fights series. Smith, 33, returns to competition after a hiatus, bringing 16 career wins and a reputation for durability against top-tier opposition. Both fighters are seeking to reverse recent fortunes in this matchup.
Completing the new additions is a flyweight kickboxing contest between Akif Guluzada and Johan Estupinan. Guluzada, 20, enters with a perfect 5-0 promotional slate and a 20-3 career record. Estupinan, 23, makes his first kickboxing appearance under the ONE banner after a five-bout winning streak was interrupted by back-to-back losses last year. The event continues the promotion’s presence at the historic Lumpinee Stadium, supplementing the main event previously announced for the Prime Video broadcast.
