Roman Kryklia Hunting For More Gold Following Two-Sport Glory At ONE Fight Night 17

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ONE Championship has seen several stars become two-sport World Champions this year, and Roman Kryklia became the latest addition to the illustrious group in the main event of ONE Fight Night 17 this past weekend.

The Ukrainian powerhouse toppled Alex Roberts with a second-round knockout this past Saturday, 9 December, to add the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Championship to his light heavyweight kickboxing crown.

The finish was Kryklia's fifth in six promotional outings, but the striking megastar wasn't satisfied with his performance. "It's a great moment. But to stay true, I'm disappointed about what I did in the ring. I won, it was a knockout, but it wasn't the goal that I wanted," he assessed.

"It was just one more lesson for me. It was a good lesson for my future. I've got no injuries; everything's good. I should be very happy, but this is not my best fight."

Before entering the heavyweight Muay Thai realm this past weekend, Kryklia had only strapped up the 4-ounce gloves in ONE Championship once before, back in 2019 at ONE: AGE OF DRAGONS. Since then, the stoic skyscraper has become accustomed to life in boxing gloves.

His power was certainly not neutralized by the smaller gloves against WBC Heavyweight Muay Thai World Champion Roberts on Saturday, however. Even if he felt they took him some getting used to.

"It was a little bit unexpectable [but] it certainly was to my advantage because I like to use my speed, I like to use punches from distance. And when I get lethargic, I can match a lot of my opponents," Kryklia surveyed.

"But today was very slow, so it was difficult to say. But we will analyze this fight with my coach and my team and see."

Kryklia's dominant run in ONE Championship puts him in the upper echelon of the striking world. And with two World Titles, many would agree he deserves a good break from action. But it doesn't look like he's finished yet.

The 6-foot-7 machine plans to return to his light heavyweight roots in 2024, but he'd also like to turn the silver belt he won in the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix in November 2022 into gold as soon as possible.

"I want to defend my light heavyweight kickboxing title. But it'll be more interesting for me to get the heavyweight belt in kickboxing because I'm the champion of the Grand Prix heavyweight division. I want the new belt, and I'm waiting," Kryklia said.