Vero reveals goal heading into Shir Cohen main event at ONE Friday Fights 143: “I came here to become a champion”

Vero is stepping into her biggest ONE Championship assignment yet — and she’s treating it exactly like that. The Myanmar striker faces Israeli standout Shir Cohen in an atomweight Muay Thai main event at ONE Friday Fights 143 on February 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s her first-ever main event slot in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and the 29-year-old Tiger Muay Thai representative understands what’s riding on the outcome.

Cohen arrives with a spotless 3-0 promotional record and was previously positioned as a frontrunner for atomweight gold before an injury forced her withdrawal from a World Title shot last year. That history only sharpens the stakes for Vero. A win over an opponent of Cohen’s caliber would put her firmly in the title conversation — and Vero isn’t shy about where her eyes are fixed.

“This Friday is very important for me. It’s my first time fighting in the main event. It’s important for me and for Myanmar,” Vero said. “One year ago, she was scheduled to fight for the title. She’s very experienced. If I beat her, I should get a title shot too. She’s been here longer than me. Passing her is a very important test.”

Vero confident her power will be the difference against Shir Cohen

Vero carries nearly 30 professional victories into this matchup, the majority earned in lethwei, Myanmar’s native striking art. Since transitioning to ONE’s 4-ounce Muay Thai format, she has worked through early adversity — dropping a split decision to Francisca Vera in her promotional debut — and responded by reeling off back-to-back wins, including a first-round TKO of Junior Fairtex and a split decision over Li Mingrui. Each outing has sharpened her understanding of what it takes to win at this level.

She has studied Cohen closely and arrived at this main event with a clear tactical picture. The Israeli striker’s kickboxing fundamentals and hand speed present a genuine challenge, but Vero believes there are openings to exploit and that her physical output will be the deciding factor over three rounds.

“Her style leans toward kickboxing. Her punching fundamentals are very good, and she’s fast and she fights smart. But I believe I have heavier hands and stronger impact,” Vero said. “I think she’s not as strong in the clinch. When she punches, sometimes she walks forward too much. If she meets someone who fights smart and intercepts well, that could be a problem. That’s what I think. I’ve studied how to deal with her. My plan is to fight smart — I want to be relaxed but heavy. If there’s a chance to knock her out, I’ll wait for the moment and finish it.”