Johan “Jojo” Ghazali came to Bangkok with serious unfinished business against Diego Paez, and he left with the exact result he needed.
The 19-year-old Malaysian-American sensation defeated the Colombian-American star via unanimous decision after a grueling three-round flyweight Muay Thai firefight in the co-main event of The Inner Circle 35 this past Friday, October 16, streaming live from historic Lumpinee Stadium via live.onefc.com.
The definitive result ends a two-fight losing streak for Ghazali and settles a bitter score that had been sitting unresolved since last year, when Paez claimed a narrow split decision in their first meeting.
The rematch went the other way entirely. With nine victories in ONE Championship now on his record and a 28-11 professional mark, the teenager from Rentap Muaythai Gym and Superbon Training Camp answered the most pressing questions facing him with a clear, three-round statement.
The gap between their first encounter and this rematch was visible across all three rounds. Ghazali looked noticeably more composed, more precise, and far more willing to engage strictly on his terms rather than merely reacting to the chaos Paez creates.
He told onefc.com:
“How do I feel? Yeah, I’m really happy! Really, really happy. I feel like I’ve improved — improved a lot. Well, I’m not perfect yet, not at my absolute best, but definitely better. I’m improved but not entirely satisfied yet.”
Ghazali carried genuine respect for Paez into this high-stakes rematch. The Colombian-American is a physically imposing, high-output opponent who brings the exact same relentless energy and power from the opening bell to the final seconds of round three — a durable quality that makes him a legitimate problem for anyone in the flyweight division.
But “Jojo” had already identified the root cause of his previous loss, and the ultimate difference on Friday night was not about the opponent across the ring. It was about his own internal adjustments.
Ghazali explained:
“Diego is good. He’s got weapons, he hits hard, and he maintains his energy and heavy strikes from round one through three. Diego is solid, but honestly, in my last fight against him, my game plan wasn’t good. I was nervous and rushing too much. Yeah, so this fight was definitely an improvement.”
The vital corner advice Ghazali received between rounds from reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon directly addressed the specific mental block that caused problems in their first meeting and threatened to resurface in the opening exchanges of the rematch.
Getting comfortable with that aggressive shift mid-contest required exactly the kind of deep trust in his mentor — and himself — that separates elite fighters who actively grow from those who simply repeat the same mistakes.
He said:
“In the first round, Superbon told me, ‘Stay calm. Don’t rush, don’t jump around too much, and don’t back up too much either.’ He also said, ‘Don’t be afraid of getting [hit with] punches. If you get hit, it’s fine. As a fighter, you can’t be scared of punches.’ If you watched my last fight, I blocked and guarded really well, but if you just block well without throwing any strikes, it doesn’t work.
“Superbon told me, ‘Don’t be overly cautious. If you get hit or even knocked out, don’t overthink it — fighters can’t fear getting hit.’ So I was like… well, it’s not that I wasn’t afraid at all, but I guarded less and threw more strikes instead.”
Ghazali Targets Ramadan Rematch, Offers Shimon Some Ringside Advice
With the Diego Paez rematch officially settled, Johan Ghazali’s attention turned immediately to what he wants next, and the name at the very top of his list was not a surprise to anyone following the 19-year-old’s ONE career closely.
His controversial bout with Ramadan “The Scorpion” Ondash in July left a bitter feeling that has not gone away. Ghazali remains unhappy with the result and firmly believes the fans share his deep desire to see the two violently meet again. A rematch is the specific fight he wants most, and he makes absolutely no effort to disguise it.
Before getting to that, though, he had a piece of unsolicited advice for Shimon Yoshinari, who is set to face Ondash in the 2026-2027 ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix quarterfinals in November at The Inner Circle 38. Ghazali’s advice drew directly from his own frustrating experience in July, when Ondash’s mouthpiece repeatedly fell out during their intense contest.
The Rentap Muaythai Gym product said:
“I’m a fighter, I can fight anyone. If I had to fight Ramadan… actually, no. But if I were Shimon, I’d check his mouthpiece first! I’d check it beforehand.
“If I were Shimon, during the walkout, after applying Vaseline, I’d check the mouthpiece first — put it in, slap him on the face first, and see: does it fall out? Does it come loose? If it falls out, no fight. If it stays in, we fight! Yeah, but honestly, I can fight anyone. Whether Ramadan wants it or Shimon wants it, anyone — I’m not scared of anybody.”
Ghazali made it crystal clear that a rematch with Ramadan is the bout he wants above all else. He wasn’t satisfied with how their July encounter played out, and he knows the global fanbase wants to see them run it back.
The unfinished business with Ondash is very real, the desire to settle it is entirely genuine, and the teenager left Lumpinee Stadium on Friday night with a crucial victory that keeps him firmly entrenched in the conversation for the biggest flyweight matchups the division has to offer.
He concluded:
“One name? I really want to face Ramadan. I wasn’t happy — I was really unsatisfied with our last fight. I felt like I won that fight, but it just wasn’t right. I think the fans want to see it too. So if I get to fight Ramadan next, that’d be great. But if not, anyone is fine.”
