‘I Wanted To Hurt Him’ – Regian Eersel Reflects On Reclaiming Kickboxing Gold Against Rungrawee At The Inner Circle

Two-sport ONE World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel stamped his authority across a grueling five-round main event at The Inner Circle this past Friday, April 10. Defeating Rungrawee “Legatron” Sitsongpeenong by unanimous decision, he successfully reclaimed the vacant ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship at Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.

But the significance of the victory ran far deeper than the judges’ scorecards. Eersel originally claimed the inaugural World Title back in 2019, an accomplishment he has long held close to his heart. Losing his crown on the scales rather than inside the ring made reclaiming it a matter of fierce personal pride, and he settled that lingering debt in style.

Against Rungrawee, there were zero shortcuts. The infamously tough, seasoned southpaw absorbed everything Eersel threw his way and made the Surinamese-Dutch superstar earn every single round.

What ultimately unfolded was one of the most thoroughly complete performances of the Amsterdam-bred warrior’s storied career. Eersel masterfully controlled the range, timed his counters to perfection, and unleashed his full striking arsenal with devastating effect.

Yet, even by his own notoriously exacting standards, the 33-year-old was far from satisfied:

“My game plan didn’t really come out, to tell you honestly. The game plan was to move a lot to the left side, work on the legs, and do everything relaxed. But I went too greedy.

“I was hunting for the KO and attacked only through power shots. And yeah, we got hit a lot with the clean shots. Not the fight that I wanted. But I still got the win.”

Rungrawee’s tricky southpaw angles and ring-wise experience made him a highly complex puzzle, and the durable Thai barely flinched after suffering a blistering third-round knockdown that would have finished most fighters.

Moving into the championship rounds, “Legatron” raised the stakes even further, aggressively pushing the pace and daring Eersel to engage. However, “The Immortal” chose head over heart, fighting tactically rather than emotionally.

Yet even with the bout firmly in hand, Eersel still couldn’t resist the fire. He willingly stepped into the pocket and traded heavy leather with a desperate opponent swinging for a miracle.

The Amsterdam native explained:

“I was not really gassed out. I was like, ‘let him come.’ I just waited until he attacked, and then I fought on the counter. He knew he was behind on points, so I knew he would come. He had to give it his all.

“Before the fight, I didn’t really think about giving him a knockdown or KO-ing him. I just think I wanted to hurt him as much as I could. And I think I did that.”

Rungrawee’s incredibly gutsy showing earned genuine respect from Eersel, and the enticing prospect of a rematch under Muay Thai rules is already simmering.

Given how the Thai standout held his own against one of the best pound-for-pound strikers on the planet, Eersel graciously kept the door open. But he also made sure to leave a stern warning right alongside it.

“The Immortal” declared:

“He punched harder than I thought. That’s the only thing. Yeah, of course [I’ll fight him again]. Why not? I never decline a fight.

“To Rungrawee, if you get a rematch, I will KO you before the third round. Because you gave me this [cut lip].”

Regian Eersel Sends Message To Nabil Anane And Future Challengers

Regian Eersel has precious little left to chase on paper. Holding two World Titles across Muay Thai and kickboxing while boasting 14 massive wins in the world’s largest martial arts organization essentially says it all.

Yet, his competitive hunger remains entirely undiminished. The Sityodtong Amsterdam affiliate is not desperately chasing legacy or exclusively measuring his worth in gold belts. He is simply doing what he has always done — competing at the elite level and savoring every chapter of a remarkable career built entirely on his own terms.

Eersel shared:

“The challenge is to continue the dream. And my dream is to fight as much as possible, make some money, and travel the world. People are always looking for new challenges and new things.

“The goal of a fighter is to fight. So it doesn’t matter if I have to defend the belt, go for a new belt, or stay in the same weight class. If I can fight, I’m happy.”

Superfights naturally come to him now, not the other way around. But Eersel has never been the type to sidestep a challenge. When former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane called his name, the invitation certainly landed.

Two incredibly rangy, technically sharp strikers sharing the legendary Lumpinee Stadium ring would make for compelling global viewing, and Eersel won’t pass it up if given the chance.

The two-sport king concluded:

“If someone challenges me or says he wants to fight me, let him come. But to tell you honestly, he has to move up two weight classes. Maybe it’s a little bit heavy for him. But if he does it, I have to welcome him.

“Now, bro, listen — if you’re ready to move up two weight classes, I’m here. I’m waiting for you. Let’s do it.”

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