Bangkok Post – ONE Friday Fights 83: Mikel Fernandez ‘forgives’ Rungnarai for soccer kick DQ, wants rematch

Spaniard ‘sad’ but hopes to ‘return soon and fight’ after ONE debut was prematurely ended by illegal strike at Lumpinee Stadium

Mikel Fernandez has given a positive update on his condition after a frightening soccer kick left him unconscious and saw the returning Rungnarai Kiatmoo9 disqualified at ONE Friday Fights 83.

The 29-year-old Thai, a former Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Stadium champion, looked to have finished the fight in the first round, knocking Fernandez, 33, down with a left hook.

But with the Spaniard grounded – having placed both hands on the canvas – Rungnarai launched a powerful kick to his opponent’s chin.

The illegal strike left Fernandez out cold, face down on the canvas, and earned Rungnarai a DQ from ONE Championship officials at Lumpinee Stadium with 20 seconds left in the first round.

“He gave me a [punch] but he didn’t hurt me that much,” Fernandez told the Bangkok Post.

“I was just going to support my hands to keep fighting and then he kicked my face from afar.”

Fernandez, like Rungnarai, was making his ONE Friday Fights debut.

“I’m sad because I wanted to give a great fight to the fans. I hope to return soon and fight,” he added.

Rungnarai, a former stablemate of ONE Championship two-sport king Superlek Kiatmoo9, had himself ended a four-year retirement on Friday night.

In an interview with the Bangkok Post, he had promised his fans and his students at the Evolve MMA gym in Singapore he would show a “more aggressive style” than from his heyday as a renowned “Muay Femur”, where he was “on the back foot”.

“I will return to ONE and forgi” Fernandez said, however. “I’m sure that it was not intentional.

“I’m just sad because I want to be a big name in my weight class in ONE Championship. Rungnarai isn’t a bad guy.

“I think he kicked my face because he was nervous about the fight. If we get a rematch or continue fighting for ONE it would be great.”