Indonesian standout Stefer Rahardian expects big reward if he passes test with flying colors
One of the hottest prospects ever that the Indonesian martial arts circuit has produced, Stefer Rahardian overcame a life filled with hardship growing up, and accompanied a friend to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class in 2008 just to see what it was about.
Rahardian has been hooked on the martial art known as “The Gentle Art” ever since, winning multiple grappling tournaments, and even received his brown belt under Carlson Gracie.
An unfortunate leg injury in 2013 delayed his ONE Championship debut until 2016, but once he stepped inside the cage, he demolished the competition.
Now holding a perfect 8-0 record, Rahardian is eagerly anticipating his next challenge inside the ONE Championship cage.
Rahardian is slated to duke it out with India’s Himanshu Kaushik in a three-round flyweight contest on the undercard ONE: GRIT AND GLORY which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia on 12 May.
The 31-year-old Indonesian standout looks to extend his winning streak in ONE Championship to raise his stock in the promotion’s stacked flyweight division by getting his hand raised in triumph at the expense of Kaushik.
“I am very excited to compete again in Asia’s premier martial arts promotion. I look forward to this bout because it’s my chance to move up in the rankings of ONE Championship’s flyweight division,” Rahardian said.
“I have to focus on winning this match because it means everything to me,” he quipped.
The man standing in the way of Rahardian is Kaushik, who aims to impress in his maiden ONE Championship appearance at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.
Kaushik has competed mostly in his native India, showcasing a solid set of striking and grappling skills.
Kaushik’s promotional debut will be anything but easy however, as he faces a surging Indonesian martial arts talent in Rahardian
Rahardian expects that his flyweight showdown with Kaushik will have no shortage of firepower as they are both known for their exciting fighting styles.
“It will be an exciting encounter. I know he has prepared very hard for this bout. I also pushed myself to the limit in training for this. Both of us would like to win. May the best man win,” he stated.
Even though Rahardian does not believe that he will run through Kaushik, he knows where his strengths are and is well-prepared to avoid the trappings of standing with a man who packs a powerful punch.
“I have confidence not only in my ground game, but in my overall game. I would not be so cocky to say that I will take him down and submit him. Anything can happen in a bout. Even if I want to take him down and try to submit him, he is not going to stand on the spot and let me have my way without a hard fight. I have to be careful,” he explained.
Being aware of his Indian opponent’s assets, Rahardian will ensure that he is not going to get left behind and is determined to showcase an improved version of himself at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.
“I always tell myself that I need to improve every single day. I understand that professional sports have continually evolved, and the bar is being raised all the time. I find that the bar for this sport has risen at a faster rate, and the higher level that you are at, the faster the evolution is,” he asserted.
“Those who do not evolve, or even keep up with the evolution, will eventually get taken out. I am here to stay and be at the top,” Rahardian added.
After nine years of training and competing, Rahardian is ready to take his next step up the ladder.
“The fact that I can see myself getting better and better every day inspires me. I am ready to show the world that I have a lot more to offer. I am here to become a strong contender for the flyweight crown,” he ended.
