Roman Kryklia Vs. Samet Agdeve: 4 Keys To Victory In Inaugural Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title Fight At ONE Fight Night 37
The main event of ONE Fight Night 37: Kryklia vs. Agdeve on Prime Video will crown the first-ever ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion, as towering two-sport king Roman Kryklia defends his throne against undefeated Turkish phenom Samet “The King” Agdeve.
This Friday, November 7, in U.S. primetime, the world’s most dominant heavyweight striker faces his toughest test yet against the division’s most devastating puncher in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kryklia enters as the overwhelming favorite, riding a 15-fight winning streak that spans more than seven years. The Ukrainian skyscraper has captured both the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing and Heavyweight Muay Thai World Titles with devastating efficiency, finishing six of his seven ONE opponents inside the distance.
Now he seeks a historic third belt to cement his legacy as the most complete heavyweight striker on the planet. Agdeve arrives with nothing to lose and everything to gain. The 21-year-old knockout artist has steamrolled through 17 opponents without defeat, finishing 12 by stoppage.
These are each fighter’s biggest keys to victory at ONE Fight Night 37.
#1 Kryklia’s Range Control
Kryklia must utilize his physical advantages to keep the fight at the end of his strikes where Agdeve’s power cannot reach him.
The two-sport ONE World Champion has built his reputation on making the most of his staggering physical gifts. At 6-feet-7 with an 83-inch reach, he can operate at distances that feel safe but allow him to land stiff punches and kicks with impunity.
His jab is one of the sport’s most effective weapons, fast and hard enough to discourage forward pressure while setting up everything else in his arsenal. His long left hook can land while he remains outside his opponent’s striking range, and his ability to fire low kicks downward onto thighs makes checking them nearly impossible.
The Ukrainian’s command of distance extends beyond simply staying on the outside. When opponents try to pressure him, Kryklia can use his footwork to pivot laterally and reset, or plant his feet and counter with knees to the head and body.
His height makes these knee strikes particularly devastating since he can pull opponents’ heads down with ease. Against shorter heavyweights who try to bull forward, Kryklia has shown the ability to make them pay repeatedly while absorbing minimal damage himself.
#2 Agdeve’s Aggressive Entries
Agdeve must find ways to close the distance and get inside Kryklia’s massive reach advantage without getting picked apart.
This is the fundamental challenge. Kryklia stands 4 inches taller with the longest reach in ONE Championship history. The Ukrainian can land jabs, left hooks, and low kicks from distances where Agdeve’s punches cannot reach him.
The Turkish striker must move his head as he storms forward, using lateral movement and level changes to avoid the counters that have destroyed so many of Kryklia’s previous opponents. His overhand right and heavy left hook are capable of closing distance quickly, but only if his defensive awareness remains sharp.
Once Agdeve breaches Kryklia’s perimeter, his fast hands become his most dangerous weapons. He can fire long combinations with power, mixing hooks and uppercuts to both head and body.
The young challenger thrives in phone booth exchanges where his natural aggression and knockout power can overwhelm opponents. Agdeve has proven throughout his undefeated run that he can take punishment and rally to score stoppages, making him especially dangerous once he gets into his preferred range.
#3 Kryklia’s Overwhelming Volume
The reigning two-sport ONE World Champion must impose his signature high-output striking to break down Agdeve’s aggressive approach.
Kryklia’s strike rate separates him from every other heavyweight in combat sports. He lands 7.5 significant strikes per minute and throws an average of 72 strikes per round, numbers that rival action fighters at flyweight and bantamweight.
This relentless output forces opponents into constant defensive mode, draining their energy as they must react to threats from multiple angles at a pace no other heavyweight can sustain. The accumulation of damage has worn down even iron-chinned opponents like Tarik Khbabez and Iraj Azizpour.
The Ukrainian mixes his targets brilliantly, with nearly half his strikes landing to the body and legs. This variation makes defending against him exhausting and overwhelming. Even when he throws without full power, the sheer volume creates openings for his fight-ending shots.
When opponents show signs of breaking under the pressure, Kryklia’s finishing instinct is superb. He can either explode with massive power and volume, or pick his shots with surgical precision to secure the stoppage. Against a young fighter making his ONE debut, maintaining this pace for five rounds could prove decisive.
#4 Agdeve’s Kicking Arsenal
The young Turkish striker must mix up his attacks with varied kicking techniques to prevent Kryklia from settling into a comfortable rhythm.
Agdeve cannot afford to be predictable or one-dimensional against a fighter of Kryklia’s caliber. While his boxing combinations pose the greatest finishing threat, his kicks provide essential tools for disruption and setup.
His low kicks can chip away at Kryklia’s stance when mixed into punching combinations, and they could force the defending king to respect threats at different levels. The Turkish striker has demonstrated an impressive array of high kicks throughout his career, including fast round kicks off both legs, push kicks to the face, and snap kicks that can surprise taller opponents.
These kicks serve dual purposes. They score points and inflict damage, but more importantly, they create openings for Agdeve’s power punches. When Kryklia must defend against high kicks or powerful teeps, it creates momentary vulnerabilities that the aggressive challenger can exploit.
His spinning heel kick adds another unpredictable element, though landing such techniques on someone with Kryklia’s defensive awareness will require perfect timing. The key is varying his attack patterns to keep his rival guessing and unable to establish his preferred tempo.
