ONE Championship: Alexis Nicolas enjoys Regian Eersel rematch at Fight Night 25

Now that he is the ONE Championship lightweight kickboxing champion, Alexis Nicolas feels he is finally getting the recognition he deserves in his home country of France.

Nicolas, who will face Regian Eersel again at ONE Fight Night 25 this weekend, said it was his job to fly the flag for kickboxing in France after Cedric Doumbe, previously Glory welterweight champion, broke the code a few years ago had changed.

“The French are proud of me because we had Cedric Doumbe, but now he is an MMA fighter, so I am the ambassador of kickboxing.”

Nicolas knows his status in the sport was boosted when he defeated Eersel at ONE Fight Night 21 earlier this year. The Dutchman had won all of his previous 10 fights for promotion and a rematch was inevitable.

“I won the first fight but he is a legend so we had to have a rematch,” said Nicolas. “His nickname is 'The Immortal' and I killed him once, but he comes back.”

Nicolas thinks Eersel might be angry because he lost his belt and his undefeated ONE Championship record. He expects more intensity from the former champion on Saturday.