3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE
The ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix semifinals may have the combat sports world buzzing, but fans have plenty more to look forward to at ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE, which airs this Friday, 28 January.
Featuring top athletes from ONE’s mixed martial arts and kickboxing ranks, the card boasts plenty of enticing matchups from top to bottom.
Here are the top three fights that could steal the show when the action gets underway inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
#1 Kim Jae Woong Vs. Tang Kai
“The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong and Tang Kai are fierce strikers with hellish power, and both have a point to prove. That makes this featherweight clash a guaranteed barnburner.
Kim has knocked out eight of his opponents in 12 victories, including all three of his ONE wins. Tang, meanwhile, has stopped 11 opponents in 13 wins with his slick stand-up repertoire.
Both men pack heat in every limb, but they’re also turning up the dial with some pre-fight back-and-forth banter.
“The Fighting God” has said that his upcoming foe is merely a warmup fight, and the Chinese athlete wants to make Kim pay for that seemingly disrespectful comment.
Plus, there’s also top contendership on the line in the featherweight division, with Kim occupying the #1 contender spot and Tang holding it down at #4.
The hard-hitting pair have the skills and the incentive to come out firing, so do not blink when they start throwing down from the opening bell.
- Tang Kai Fires Back At Kim Jae Woong: I’ll Show Him A Real KO Artist
- The Stakes For Every ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE Main Card Fighter
- Kim Jae Woong Views Tang Kai As ‘Good Warmup’ For World Title Shot
#2 Dovydas Rimkus Vs. Ivan Kondratev
There’s a lot to like about Dovydas “Rimkenzo” Rimkus, especially his showmanship and flashy style inside the Circle.
On Friday, the charismatic Lithuanian faces Ivan Kondratev in a ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix alternate bout, and it has all the makings of an epic encounter.
Unbeaten Rimkus is looking to extend his perfect streak after a career-best win in his ONE Super Series debut, while Kondratev wants to earn his first victory on the global stage after going up against Marat Grigorian in his first encounter.
The heavy-handed Russian shocked the world when he floored Grigorian, proving that he can hang with the best – even if he didn’t come away with the result he wanted.
However, it showed he has the power to shake even the toughest of chins, so “Rimkenzo” better be on high alert when he’s shimmying around the Circle with his hands by his waist.
It’s unlikely Rimkus will be deterred though, as entertaining the crowd is high on his list of priorities. That means his showboating is likely to make an appearance, alongside his solid kickboxing skills.
#3 Hiroyuki Tetsuka Vs. Edson Marques
Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka was due to take on former ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam in what promised to be a quality slugfest.
With illness forcing the Swede out, Edson “Panico” Marques has stepped in as a replacement, but the Brazilian boxer will also bring some high-octane striking to his ONE return.
Tetsuka is riding high after he picked up his eighth career finish over Agilan “Alligator” Thani during his previous appearance in ONE, and he’ll want to keep racking up the wins to progress up the welterweight ladder.
However, it won’t come easy against Marques, who also has eight finishes among his nine career wins. Moreover, he’ll gladly oblige “Japanese Beast” in a slobberknocker if that’s the route he wants to take.
Lastly, Tetsuka could mix in his wrestling if things aren’t going his way on the feet, so expect action in all ranges when these two powerful welterweights go at it in Singapore.
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