ONE Championship: Reece McLaren Talks Working With John Wayne Parr, Avenging Akhmetov Loss

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As #4-ranked flyweight Reece McLaren prepares for his rematch against #2-ranked contender Kairat Akhmetov, memories of their first outing four years ago still linger. The Australian is reminded of how the setback affected his career, but also what a reversal of fortunes this time around will provide him moving forward.

"Lightning" meets Akhmetov on the lead card of ONE Championship's historic US debut at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on May 6 at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Colorado with ONE World Title ramifications on the line.

World Titles aside, the rematch also serves as an opportunity for McLaren to avenge his unanimous decision loss to Akhmetov in the quarterfinals of ONE's Flyweight World Grand Prix in 2019.

The defeat at ONE: NEW ERA marked a new era for McLaren. Having come up against a former ONE Flyweight World Champion in Akhmetov, the Aussie was down but not out. He took solace in the lessons learned, letting them mold him into the top-five ranked flyweight he is today.

Prior to their initial meeting, he was oozing confidence from the three-fight winning streak he was riding. Four years later, he could once again make it three in a row with a victory over Akhmetov.

"I was too floaty [in my first fight with Akhmetov]. I knew I had power, but I didn't really believe it or trust it. A bit of a wrong game plan, and it was really interesting," McLaren said.

"I had learned this shooting kind of technique, and it wasn't really a strategic technique. I don't know, it was more like a technical thing.

"And I was doing that and then when I shot, I didn't shoot how I normally shoot. Like, why is this? And then I went back and kind of thought through my fight camp, and I wasn't shooting the way I normally shoot."

With five finishes inside the Circle, McLaren's name became synonymous with submissions. But what was missing from Akhmetov's game was a striking pedigree to reach the upper echelon of the flyweight division.

In order to take that next step, the 22-fight veteran sought out the aid of combat sports icon and fellow countryman John Wayne Parr. As a result of expanding his handiwork under the ONE veteran's tutelage, McLaren looks even more dangerous.

His newly acquired skills were on show last October at ONE 163 against Windson Ramos. McLaren offered arguably a career-best performance against the Brazilian, stopping him inside the first frame. Now, with his most significant fight nearing, "Lightning" feels like a whole new man under Parr's learning tree.

"It's been awesome. He's just bucket loads of knowledge and present knowledge and hasn't steered me wrong, and yes, it's awesome," McLaren said. "[It's a] new breath in life in this mixed martial arts journey."

Source: Media Release