‘The Character Just Fits Me’ – Nabil Anane Embraces His Inner Monkey D. Luffy From One Piece
The ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion dreams of becoming the "King of Martial Arts."
By Fachrul Sidiq
Oct 9, 2025, 14:29 UTC
Every generation of martial artists has a dreamer – a fighter whose courage feels larger than the stage itself.
For this era, that spirit belongs to Nabil Anane, the 21-year-old Muay Thai superstar whose story mirrors that of One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy: bold, restless, and utterly fearless in pursuit of his own legendary treasure.
The Algerian-Thai sensation already reigns as the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, and on November 16, he will defend that crown against bantamweight kickboxing titleholder Jonathan “The General” Haggerty at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, live from Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
But beyond accolades and trophies, Anane has become something rarer – a symbol of adventure and imagination. Fans don’t just see a World Champion when he steps into the Circle — they see a hero whose journey feels like it’s written straight out of an anime series.
Anane said:
“I got stitches here under my eye [similar to Luffy].
“I’m tall, skinny, you know, and the character just fits me. And he’s entertaining. Everyone likes it, and everyone says it fits me, so good. So, it’s one of my characters now.”
Even their physiques seem cut from the same cloth. Luffy, the rubber-bodied pirate who can stretch his arms and legs at will, mirrors Anane’s own long-limbed, elastic fighting style. The 6-foot-4 phenom uses his reach much like Luffy’s powers – fluid, unpredictable, and impossible to contain.
That resemblance, however, goes far beyond appearance.
Like Luffy, who dreams of becoming the “King of the Pirates,” Anane’s path is driven by boundless curiosity and an unshakable will to grow. Each fight, each walkout, feels like a new chapter in a grand adventure that’s still being written.
During his entrance at ONE 172 against “The Kicking Machine” Superlek in March, Anane fully embraced the comparison, walking out in a flowing red kimono and a straw hat reminiscent of Luffy’s iconic Wano Country arc attire.
The moment captured fans’ imaginations, blending pop culture and martial arts into something larger than life.
And when he returns to Japan, the birthplace of One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, Anane plans to repeat that same iconic entrance, complete with a straw hat and his unmistakable swagger, as a tribute to the anime that shaped him:
“Yeah, I think I’ll do that again. The Japanese people loved it.
“Well, I love Japan, too. Not only the fighting culture, but the people. Very nice, very polite, streets are clean, food is good. I love Japan.”
Nabil Anane Dreams Of Becoming The King Of Martial Arts
Just like Monkey D. Luffy’s wild duels across the Grand Line, Nabil Anane’s fights unfold with chaos, creativity, and courage.
His tall and lanky frame becomes both weapon and canvas, snapping teeps that slice through distance, whipping elbows that crash down like waves, and unleashing high kicks that seem to bend physics.
His teep kicks shoot out with the snap of Luffy’s “Gomu Gomu no Pistol,” striking from range to set up sharper blows. And when he unleashes a spinning elbow or a whip-like head kick, the resemblance to the anime hero’s elastic finishing moves becomes uncanny.
But perhaps what connects them most is their resilience.
After suffering a setback to Superlek in his promotional debut, Anane stormed back with a run of dominant victories – including an interim World Title win over Nico “King of the North” Carrillo, before earning the undisputed crown by defeating the very man who once bested him.
That comeback arc mirrors the heart of Luffy’s odyssey – a hero who rises stronger after every fall, sailing toward the fabled One Piece, the treasure that would make him “King of the Pirates.” In his own world of combat, Anane chases a similar dream:
“It’s when I find the five pieces left. That’s when I’ll be the King.”
The five pieces he refers to are his version of that legendary treasure – multiple World Titles across Muay Thai and kickboxing, from bantamweight to lightweight, a quest that only a handful of warriors have ever dared to attempt.
At Team Mehdi Zatout, Anane sharpens his craft alongside some of the world’s most dangerous strikers – his younger brother Yonis Anane, #5-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Abdulla Dayakaev, and striking veteran PTT Apichart Farm.
Like the Straw Hat Pirates, they move as one crew – loyal, fierce, and bound by a shared purpose. Driven by that camaraderie, Anane’s dream expands beyond a single throne:
“One of my dreams is to be one of the best in every division that I’ll fight. If in bantamweight there are no more opponents, I’ll move up to featherweight, and I’ll do the best in featherweight also. And when I clean up all of featherweight, I’ll be the best in lightweight.
“That’s what I want to be. That’s my goal.”
That hunger mirrors the same unbreakable optimism that defines Luffy – a belief in the journey as much as the destination. For Anane, every challenge is another island to conquer, every belt another piece of his grand treasure map.
And somewhere on that horizon, the young prodigy already sees a litmus test – a potential clash with former two-sport king Regian “The Immortal” Eersel, the man who currently rules the ONE lightweight Muay Thai realm.
Anane said:
“Well, he is very good and strong.
“It’ll be a very great fight. It won’t be easy for me. He’s tall, has good hands, good knees, and he’s fast. I want to fight him in the future. Maybe in 2 or 3 years, 3 or 4 years, even 5 years.”
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