CEO Chatri Sityodtong ‘definitely’ wants to run strawweight kickboxing title fight back after controversial decision in ‘very close fight’

Prajanchai PK Saenchai and Jonathan Di Bella’s kickboxing title rematch in ONE Championship could happen in Qatar, Japan or even Canada.

ONE’s chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong confirmed to the Bangkok Post he is determined to book another fight between the pair after a controversial unanimous decision went the Thai’s way in July.

Italian-Canadian Di Bella, 28, and his team have pushed for the fight to take place at November 8’s ONE 169 card in Atlanta. 

“We definitely want to do Prajanchai and Di Bella II,” Chatri said during Tuesday’s ONE Friday Fights 81 virtual press conference. 

“It may happen in America or somewhere else – Qatar is also a potential [venue], Japan too. 

“We have a lot of different events we haven’t announced yet – big events we will be announcing in the coming weeks.” 

Two-sport champ Prajanchai, who also holds ONE’s strawweight Muay Thai title, seems more keen on a move up to 135lbs though than facing Di Bella again. 

The 29-year-old recently expressed his desire on social media for a dream fight with Japanese flyweight kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa.

“I’m most interested in the Prajanchai-Di Bella rematch,” Chatri added, however. 

“It was a very close fight and I think both athletes are world champions in their own right. They are the best of the best on the planet, and I think fans really want to see that fight. 

“I just talked about it with my team, and I don’t know exactly where it will be but I think either Qatar, Japan, maybe the US. 

“It’s still very much up in the air because as always my team and I are juggling a million things right now. We have some big, big exciting news coming out soon regarding our events this year and next year. 

“We are already planning 12 months out. We have booked a bunch of different venues in different countries, so let’s see what happens. Who knows, maybe even Canada.”