Close-Knit Team Powering Mohammed Bin Mahmoud To ONE Glory

ONEchampionship.com

Following his explosive debut in ONE Championship, Mohammed “Jordan Boy” Bin Mahmoud is excited to face the toughest test of his career.

At ONE: HERO’S ASCENT, the 22-year-old will complete a swift turnaround to face Japanese star Hiroaki “Kaibutsukun” Suzuki in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai bantamweight bout.

The contest takes place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila this Friday, 25 January – just seven weeks after he secured a first-round knockout at ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS.

The Kuala-Lumpur-based athlete says he has the skills to come through his next contest with a victory, though he acknowledges the scale of the task ahead of him.

“He will be a much tougher opponent than my first opponent in ONE Championship,” he admits.

“I know what his strengths are, and I’ll take advantage of it. I’m ready and thankful to ONE for another opportunity in a short period of time. It’s my time now.”

“Jordan Boy” made a splash on his ONE Super Series debut when he finished Stergos “Greek Dynamite” Mikkios in the first round.

The Malaysian says his desire to face better opposition every time he competes has him excited for his upcoming bout with Suzuki, who picked up a unanimous decision victory on his debut against Deividas “The Lithuanian Savage” Danyla at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS.

Despite the quick turnaround and step up in competition against the Japanese striker, “Jordan Boy” insists he still has designs on another quickfire finish.

“As a martial artist, we want to be better every day,” he says.

“The only way we can do that is to train harder and to face better competition. I will give him a good battle.

“There is no rest time, and I’m looking forward to another quick night out.”

Mahmoud’s confidence comes from the tight-knit group he has around him and the successful training camp he has enjoyed in the past few weeks.

The 22-year-old has prepared for the bout under the watchful eye of head coach Zariman Bin Mohd Yusof, his father Mahmoud Omar and his brother Nidal.

The close involvement of his father is particularly interesting. “Jordan Boy” had to win him over to get him to support his career, but after he saw how passionate his son was about the art of eight limbs, he has been by his side throughout his career.

Mahmoud admits watching his son claim a spectacular win on his ONE Super Series debut was an emotional moment for him.

“I was speechless. I was just jumping and screaming in joy,” he recalls.

“The security wouldn’t let me go in the cage from where I was seated [in the VIP area], but after they knew I was his father, they let me in.

“I teared up a bit the moment I stepped into the ONE Championship cage to greet him.”

Mahmoud will be at his son’s side once again when he returns to ONE Super Series action against Suzuki in Manila, and he said fans should expect another spectacular display.

“He is not interested in three rounds. My son is coming for the finish,” he adds.

“We are very excited for this fight, and hopefully, he’s done enough. If it’s not in the first round, we should be able to settle it by the second.”

“Jordan Boy’s” father’s confidence is shared by his coach, Zariman Bin Mohd Yusof.

The Thai-born Malaysian coach echoes Mahmoud’s assertion that Suzuki will offer a stern test of his credentials.

“We can win by knockout, but it’s going to be hard. If the battle does not end early, we can win by points,” he suggests.

“We’ve spent hours analyzing his videos, and he is a great opponent. I’ve changed Mohammed’s training style as his opponent loves getting in the clinch. The elbows and kicks would not work this time around.

“When Mohammed battles, we have a different game plan every time. His strengths are his elbows and kicks, but he has a long way to go in his career. Mohammed can adapt to changes and is a very focused athlete.”

“Jordan Boy’s” journey to ONE Championship has been a remarkable one and now, guided by his father and his coach, he is looking to establish himself among the world’s best strikers in ONE Super Series.

His coach is certainly proud of how far the 22-year-old has come already in his young martial arts career.

“I remember that day he came to my gym,” recalls Yusof.

“It was somewhere in 2013. He walked into the gym not knowing what Muay Thai was really about, but he said he wanted to be an athlete.

“I saw this hunger in him and pushed him real hard. Fast-forward five years later, he is where he is today.

“Just like any other coach, I feel very proud of my athlete. The crowd in Kuala Lumpur last month was insane, and I cannot wait to feel the atmosphere in Manila.

“Let’s hope this victory will be one of many more for Mohammed in 2019.”