ONE Fight Night 25: What’s at Stake in The Nicolas Vs. Eersel II Main Event?

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The stakes are high in this weekend's ONE Fight Night 25 main event at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, between ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Alexis Nicolas and former divisional king Regian Eersel.

Neither man needs any further motivation to come out victorious on October 5, but their reasons lie at the opposite end of the spectrum. Here we look at what a win would mean for each man in the headliner of the weekend's ONE Championship event:

What's at stake in ONE Fight Night 25 main event?

Alexis Nicolas: He shocked the world when he dethroned Eersel by unanimous decision this past April. In just his second fight under the ONE banner, the undefeated Frenchman's speed and movement caused problems for Eersel in the five-round thriller.

This time around, not only is his hard-earned World Title on the line, but to confirm his place at the top of the lightweight kickboxing realm, Nicolas will have to prove that his win was no fluke by doing it all again.

If he can repeat the dose and beat the previously unstoppable former two-sport king, Nicolas can truly step out from the shadow of Eersel's near five-year reign and carve out a legacy of his own.

Regian Eersel: The former champion's mission this weekend is simple - redemption. "The Immortal" saw his incredible 22-fight win streak, and the lightweight kickboxing strap he held since 2019, snatched away by Nicolas at ONE Fight Night 21.

Although he still reigns as the ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Champion, Eersel will have to reverse the result in the rematch if he is to reclaim his mantle as the undisputed best lightweight striker on the planet.

If he can't get the job done in the second chapter of the budding rivalry, however, the Surinamese superstar will likely have to knock over some contenders to get another chance to finally topple Nicolas.