After a year-long hiatus from the ONE Championship Circle, Singaporean MMA sensation Amir Khan is ready to put retirement rumors to bed. 

“I think it was just an assumption, as I was relatively quiet in the past year. I guess that fueled the speculation that I was retiring,” he said.  

Khan is slated to return to action against the Philippines’ own Eduard Folayang at ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30. 

The Singaporean previously faced off against Folayang in a ONE Lightweight MMA World Title bout in November 2018, which he lost by unanimous decision. 

“I’m very confident, and I’m ready. I’m approaching this like every other fight I’ve had in the past,” Khan said about the upcoming rematch. 

“In order to climb back to the top, you have to prove it with a statement. This match is the statement.” 

Folayang, meanwhile, enters the fight as part of his new team, Lions Nation MMA. “This is an important match for me. He [Folayang] is a legend of the sport, that is why I need to win,” Khan said. 

Khan turned pro in 2014 and upon entering the MMA scene, he quickly established himself as a fearsome striker with a penchant for spectacular finishes.  

At one point in time, Khan held the record for the most knockouts in ONE Championship. Currently, he holds the second-most knockout victories in the organization alongside former two-division ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang with nine. 

“I used to have three to four matches a year, but I took a short hiatus,” Khan said. “But I’m back and I’m as sharp as ever.”  

Needless to say, Khan has been training rigorously for his return to the Circle. And, as always, he is having his training camp at the prestigious Evolve MMA in Singapore. 

“In the past, I used to neglect certain areas of my training. But this time around, I've been training in every single aspect there is – clinch work, submission defense, traps, you name it – to make sure I am prepared for any scenario.” 

Helping him this time around is none other than Evolve MMA Instructor Adam Shahir Kayoom, one of the earliest pioneers of MMA in Asia as well as ONE Championship.  

With Kayoom’s immense knowledge and experience, Khan has been refining his techniques endlessly.  

“Amir has a very high fight intelligence. He understands his body well,” Kayoom said.  

“It’s very instinctive for him. When I give him instructions with regards to reactions and drills, he does it a couple of times and he understands it immediately thereafter.”

And even though Khan has not competed in an MMA bout since August 2022, the 28-year-old fighter has not lost a step in training camp. “It was like water on a duck’s back, man. It’s so easy for him,” Kayoom added. 

This is a rematch that has been nearly five years in the making, and with his sights set firmly on capturing a ONE Championship World Title, Khan is sure to be putting everything he has into this upcoming showdown. 

As Khan continues to dedicate himself to his daily training, the Evolve MMA instructors, as well as his fans, are expecting him to deliver a spectacular performance on September 30.  

“He’s [Amir] so eager, and he’s so strong, the idea is to get him to be patient,” Kayoom said. "We’ve looked at his opponent’s previous fights and we have a game plan, and I’m confident Amir is going to pull this off.” 

With both fighters eager to make a statement, the upcoming rematch is not just a return for Khan. It’s also an opportunity for redemption against a familiar foe.  

“The hard training is done, but I'm still pushing every day to stay healthy and mentally sharp so that I can focus on that day,” Khan said. “I’m at 100 percent now, and I’ll be at 100 percent then.”