Jonathan Haggerty is set to make his return to the ONE FC cage as part of the ONE on Prime Video 4 event for Amazon Prime Video.

Before the British Muay Thai kickboxer makes his return to the cage, we had the opportunity to speak to him about his upcoming bout and a potential move into the MMA ranks of the company.

Haggerty reveals his dream fight against former UFC great Demetrious Johnson and a ton more ahead of his Lead Card bout against Vladimir Kuzmin!

Here is our exclusive interview with Jonathan Haggerty ahead of his ONE Championship bout against Vladimir Kuzmin at ONE on Prime Video 4.

Read More: ONE on Prime Video 4: Date, Fight Card, How to watch and more

Haggerty vs Kuzmin

Jonathan Haggerty hitting a kick in ONE FC

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: I'm joined by ONE FC Muay Thai fighter Jonathan Haggerty. We're just a week over a week away from his big fight at ONE on Prime Video 4 against Vladimir Kuzmin. So Jonathan, how are you doing?

Jonathan Haggerty: I'm very good mate thank you for how are you?

GMS: Yeah, not bad. Not bad. As I said, we're just over a week away from the fight. How are you feeling physically and mentally just before fight week?

Jonathan Haggerty: I was saying literally to my trainer today, it's just been so plain sailing, man. I've been so motivated. So really yesterday I woke up for training and I was singing for an hour in the car. 

I'm just buzzing. I'm not really thinking about the weight anymore. I'm just thinking strictly about how to knock Kuzmin out, so I can't complain man, I'm ready. If I'm not ready now then I'll never be ready. 

Where is Jonathan Haggerty actually from?

Jonathan Haggerty in the ONE FC cage

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: We were saying just before we started recording that there's some weird thing online saying you're from Orpington, which is not the case at all as you’re from South London. You used to train at Keddles in the town centre and I used to live there, so completely random question, but did you go to the Tescos for three hours to get the free parking?

Jonathan Haggerty: (Laughing) You know what I used to train at Keddles before, but they had a car parked around the back. But they've moved now to Horton Kirby, so I'm not really doing any more training there.

GMS: Fair enough. I don't blame you. It's not a great high street is it? To be fair, I just hope no one from Orpington is reading.

You’re headlining the Lead Card of the event on the Amazon Prime Video subscription service, do you feel a different sense of pressure with such a huge audience in the United States and Canada potentially watching?

Jonathan Haggerty: I said before, like, I'd rather fight in the massive stadiums, and have loads of people watching, just so that I can go out there and just show everyone my skills really made. And I'm excited for it. I am excited.

Move to Bantamweight

Jonathan Haggerty hitting a punch in ONE Championship

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: You’ve moved up in weight to Bantamweight in the ONE Muay Thai division, how has your body reacted to competing with the extra weight and do you feel more power behind your striking?

Jonathan Haggerty: Everything's just better at the moment. And the main thing is just no fatigue and no tiredness. You know, I haven't got an off button. Normally, when I was cutting down the weight, cutting down carbs, etc it was a bit draining, you know? I was thinking about the weight, it was draining, but now, I'm punching holes through the pads. So I can't complain.

GMS: You’ve said that you’re looking for a potential move into MMA within ONE FC, are you considering a run at Nong-O and the Bantamweight Muay Thai belt first or could you compete in both? 

Jonathan Haggerty: I don't really want to come out and start calling people out. Hopefully, once I put on a spectacular performance against Kuzmin, they [ONE FC] do give me the call-up and say, ‘are you ready to fight’ Nong-O? That will be a dream come true. But like I said, I like MMA, I don't mind training MMA, and I'm all for it. So whatever ONE throws at me, I'm happy to take it.

Haggerty compared to Rodtang?

Jonathan Haggerty fighting in ONE FC

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: You mentioned in a previous interview that you would love to have a hybrid rules match against Demetrious Johnson, what do you feel differentiates you from Rodtang and where would you be successful where he wasn’t in the cage?

Jonathan Haggerty: I feel like my foot works a lot better and Rodtang…so much better to be honest. Also my takedown defences and on the floor, I’m better than Rodtang.

I've been in the gym, my father's gym for 17 years, it's an MMA gym and I've been doing the basics for ages. I'm not sure anyone knows, but I've got the fundamentals so I just think I’d be a lot more dangerous than Rodtang in a hybrid fight.

Perception of British MMA

Jonathan Haggerty celebrating a win in ONE FC

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: Do you think there's still a bit of a perception that British fighters would come in, they'd be really good at Muay Thai, but they wouldn't be able to handle the wrestling, they wouldn't be able to handle the Brazilian jujitsu when it gets to the ground. Do you feel like that? Do you feel like that kind of helps a little bit with like, opponents might just be expecting you to just stand and trade?

Jonathan Haggerty: I think that's what they're going to expect me to do like you said, but I feel like the wrestling, the jujitsu, etc, is getting so much better in the UK. You know, people flying abroad to get the work in, and yeah, people are just going to try and take me down, and hopefully, they just walk into a knee.

GMS: Yeah, there is that. I mean, obviously, you're gonna have the clinch work down already, and you’re used to the smaller MMA gloves anyway in Muay Thai for ONE, so it's not going to be a massive, massive change in that sense. 

Dream Fight

Jonathan Haggerty heading to the ONE FC cage

Image Copyright: ONE FC

GMS: If you got the win next week against Vladimir, say if ONE turned around and said, ‘right, we're giving you an MMA fight’ and they give you the choice of opponent, who would you pick to fight?

Jonathan Haggerty: If I was more experienced? I would turn around and say ‘I’d love to fight Mighty Mouse.’ I used to watch him with my dad on the sofa years ago at four in the morning watching UFC and it'd be it will be a dream come through to fight him. 

But also now at Bantamweight. If I had a little bit more experience I feel like Fabricio Andrade…that would be a dream matchup at Bantamweight. Yeah, that's it, man.

GMS: I mean, Fabrizio would be interesting as it is two knockout specialists going all out, I think a lot of people would want to see that.

Jonathan Haggerty: That's exactly why it's exciting. You know, I know he's got a great stand-up. So, let's see if he tries to shoot the leg against me!

GMS: Well hopefully he shoots for the leg and not something else, because obviously there was an unfortunate finish to his last fight (Andrade accidentally hit his opponent in the groin and it ended the bout).

Jonathan Haggerty: That was hardcore.

GMS: Thank you very much for taking the time to speak to me. Good luck with your fight next week on ONE on Prime Video 4!

Jonathan Haggerty: Thank you very much mate!

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