Osmanov withdrew from his scheduled bantamweight Muay Thai bout A Friday Fights 137 on Friday, December 19 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. Yod-IQ moves up to featherweight to take on Alexey Balyko, the only man to beat him in the weekly series.
Their first meeting took place at ONE Friday Fights 33 in September 2023. Balyko caught Yod-IQ with a thunderous left hook in the second round, sending him crashing to the canvas.
The Russian reached a unanimous decision. At the time, it seemed like a setback that would change the Thai phenomenon’s career.
But Yod-IQ refused to let that moment define itself. He returned two months later against Ilyas Musaev at ONE Friday Fights 44 and hasn’t stopped winning since.
The 23-year-old PK Saenchai Muaythaigym product has recorded eight consecutive victories. His most recent performance against Alessio Malatesta showed his evolution, systematically defeating the Italian knockout artist in three rounds last July.
Yod-IQ looks to erase his only ONE Championship loss
Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri now has a 10-1 record within ONE Championship and an overall score of 125-36. His winning streak positioned him as one of the promotion’s most popular fighters.
The rematch gives him a chance to erase the only loss on his ONE resume. A convincing victory could bring him closer to that coveted $100,000 contract and a spot on the global roster.
Alexey Balyko needs this fight just as much. The 32-year-old Tiger Muay Thai representative has dropped three in a row after his win over Yod-IQ sparked a strong run. He scored knockouts against Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin and Stefan Korodi before the wheels came off.
A second win over Yod-IQ would break his losing streak and put him back in contract contention. Both fighters understand what is at stake when they enter the ring on Friday night.
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