From Street Brawler to UFC‑Like Star: Rudy “The Golden Boy” Agustian’s Rise
Meet Rudy Agustian, the Indonesian man‑who‑kicked his way from the rough streets of Tangerang to the bright lights of ONE Championship.
Early Life: A Rough‑Edged Childhood
Growing up in the outskirts of Jakarta, Rudy was the “big brother” of a neighborhood that could easily have been mistaken for a “giga‑boxing gym”. He’d pick fights with anyone—classmates, rivals, or just random passersby—because, let’s be honest, a kid’s gotta have something to learn about standing up.
- High‑school drama: “I got a tattoo of a sword on my knee because fighting was my first love,” he jokes. It was so wild he got expelled… from one school and scrambled into another.
- Academic detour: He finally nailed a diploma at a different school and then hopped into university—mostly with his parents’ hopes of a regular office job. But as always, Yak eventually found his own itch.
Finding the Kick in the Sand
“It all started when a friend surprised me with an invitation to a kick‑boxing club,” Rudy recalls. With no local fight clubs, he had to make his own. The real turning point? Labia-backed by a trip to Thailand in 2010 for Muay Thai.
“I saw it as my purpose, even though I began pretty late,” he says. “Most fighters start in playgrounds, but I started from a corner stall.”
During kicks and gloves in Thailand, he realized his 2023 stir‑up in ONE Championship was not random. He was a natural in the ring, driven by grit and an energy that rivals greatness.
Clouts and Showdowns
- Kickboxing & MMA competitions across Indonesia
- Debut in ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS, Yangon, Myanmar – first‑round Americana submission over Kaji “Alpha” Ebin
- Now, an upcoming showdown in Manila: Fight with Bangladesh’s Asraful “Warrior” Islam
Upcoming Fight: Monday, 23 November at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS
Located inside the Mall Of Asia Arena, Manila will be the battleground for a 2‑1 fighter from Bangladesh. Rudy, branding himself as “The Golden Boy”, is “thrilled” and nervous—both feelings that have, in his own words, become “second nature.
“I’m both excited and nervous,” he says. “But I’m used to fighting in front of many people.” And if you’re watching, keep an eye out for the slide‑into‑submission fury that has made him a fan favourite.
