Nakrob Fairtex targets Panrit at ONE Friday Fights 143: “Someone is definitely getting dropped”

Nakrob Fairtex is stepping into the most pivotal fight of his ONE Championship career this Friday — and he isn’t pretending otherwise. The 27-year-old Fairtex Training Center product enters ONE Friday Fights 143 carrying a 10-4 promotional record and the weight of back-to-back knockout defeats.

His most recent loss came against Japanese veteran Taiki Naito, who finished him in under three minutes. For a fighter who grinded out eight wins to earn a life-changing US$100,000 contract on the ONE Friday Fights series, the slide has been a hard wake-up call.

Nakrob has spent considerable time dissecting what went wrong against Naito. He’s also making a significant change heading into Friday’s bantamweight bout, moving up from flyweight after years of brutal weight cuts he believes have compromised his durability. The Fairtex team backed the move — and Nakrob is in full agreement.

“When I fought at flyweight, I had to cut nearly 10 kilograms every single time,” Nakrob said. “Lately, I’ve felt like my recovery is getting slower and I don’t feel as fresh as I should on fight day. The Fairtex team analyzed it and thought the weight cut might be why my chin hasn’t held up in the last two fights. I agree with them. So, this fight we decided to move up to bantamweight to see if less weight cutting makes me feel stronger and better at taking shots.”

Nakrob Fairtex promises all-out war with Panrit

Standing across from Nakrob Fairtex will be Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree — a fighter whose forward-pressing, punch-heavy style is nearly a mirror image of his own. Neither man is built to fight on the back foot. Both live and die in the pocket. Nakrob admits he was excited the moment he heard the name. The matchup suits him perfectly, and three months of focused preparation have gone into making sure he’s ready to capitalize.

Nakrob also knows what’s at stake beyond the win column. Another defeat, especially at a new weight class, could significantly narrow his path forward in ONE Championship. He’s not running from that reality. He’s leaning into it. The aggression that built his reputation isn’t going anywhere; it’s just arriving with a sharper defensive conscience attached. Getting back to winning ways in spectacular fashion would validate the weight class move and remind everyone why the Fairtex camp believed in him enough to make the change.

“Fans can expect the same aggressive, heavy-hitting Nakrob, but with a lot more attention to detail on defense,” Nakrob said. “It’s going to be a war. Neither Panrit nor I know how to back down, so someone is definitely getting dropped or knocked out. I’ve been training hard for three months straight and I’ve got a full arsenal ready. I’m coming back to get this win and make a statement.”