3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE Fight Night 8
ONE Championship is returning to the Singapore Indoor Stadium with another exciting card topped by a pair of World Title contests.
But beyond those headline attractions, ONE Fight Night 8 is loaded with high-stakes bouts designed to produce fireworks this Friday, March 24.
Fans watching live in U.S. primetime won’t want to miss a single second of the card, which features a heated MMA rivalry, all-striking bangers, and everything in between.
Here, we look at three contests that could steal the show at ONE Fight Night 8.
#1 Ham Seo Hee vs. Itsuki Hirata
For months, Ham Seo Hee and Itsuki Hirata have been chomping at the bit for their chance to share the Circle in an atomweight MMA showdown with major World Title implications.
The pair were originally slated to clash last November at ONE 163, but that bout was canceled when Hirata missed weight and hydration, and “Hamzzang” refused to negotiate a catchweight.
Since then, #2-ranked Ham has criticized her Japanese foe’s weight miss while stating that she has “unfinished business” with the 23-year-old phenom.
With the South Korean star’s ultra-aggressive, brawling style and Hirata’s top-end judo and submission skills, this bout is sure to deliver action for as long as it lasts.
And to make matters more interesting, this is a potential World Title eliminator, with the winner putting themselves in prime position for a shot at divisional gold.
#2 Akbar Abullaev vs. Oh Ho Taek
ONE’s featherweight MMA division is red-hot at the moment, and promotional newcomer Akbar Abdullaev and South Korean standout Oh Ho Taek are both hoping to emerge as serious contenders.
Abdullaev is making his highly anticipated debut on the global stage, and if history is any indication, the 25-year-old Kyrgyz won’t disappoint.
“Bakal” is a lethal knockout artist who sports an 8-0 slate with a 100 percent finishing rate. What’s more, all but one victory has ended in the first round. Simply put, he is all gas, no brake.
It may be difficult to stop Abdullaev’s tremendous momentum, but Oh could be the perfect foil. The 29-year-old will own a size advantage in this matchup and utilizes a style that could shatter his foe’s spotless record.
“Spider” is widely considered one of the best MMA grapplers to come out of South Korea, and he has the submission skills and takedown savvy to put – and keep – the Kyrgyz striker on the mat. In fact, 78 percent of Oh’s victories have come via submission or TKO.
Each competitor possesses a finisher’s mentality, and they know it’s important to make a statement this Friday. With that in mind, it would be safe to assume this pivotal divisional battle won’t go the distance.
#3 Zhang Peimian vs. Torepchi Dongak
Recent ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title challenger Zhang Peimian is ready to prove he deserves another crack at 26 pounds of gold.
After scoring back-to-back wins to open his ONE tenure, the 19-year-old Chinese phenom fell short in his epic World Title banger against Jonathan Di Bella last October.
Now, “Fighting Rooster” aims to get back on track when he takes on multiple-time WAKO Kickboxing Champion Torepchi Dongak.
Similar to Zhang, the Russian sensation comes to ONE with a considerable amount of hype and lofty expectations, given his raw athleticism and high-level pedigree.
Speed and power will be on the menu when these young and talented strikers go toe-to-toe in this kickboxing battle, with each man looking to assert his presence among the best of the best on the global stage.
