5 Burning Questions Ahead Of ONE 170 On January 24
On January 24, a sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, will play host to a massive 12-fight card that’s loaded with compelling, high-stakes matchups from top to bottom.
Headlined by a trio of World Title fights, ONE 170 has all the makings of an unforgettable event.
Whether it’s a clash between wildly talented young rising stars or an epic showdown between battle-hardened veterans, each fight on the lineup carries significance and drama.
Here are five burning questions that will be answered this Friday in Asia primetime.
#1 Which Phenoms Will Step Up In The Flyweight Muay Thai Division?
Muay Thai’s youth movement will be on full display at ONE 170, as the event includes a pair of flyweight bouts featuring the sport’s top young standouts – all looking to establish themselves as the next global superstar.
In the opening fight, Freddie Haggerty – younger brother to reigning bantamweight kickboxing kingpin Jonathan Haggerty – hopes to earn his fourth straight knockout win in ONE when he faces 22-year-old Colombian berserker Jordan Estupinan.
The 20-year-old Brit has the skills to follow in the footsteps of his World Champion brother, but he’s in for his stiffest test yet against the athletically gifted and ruthlessly aggressive Estupinan.
Later on in the card, Estupinan’s twin brother, Johan “Panda Kick” Estupinan will square off with teenage prodigy Johan “Jojo” Ghazali in a tilt that has striking fans salivating with anticipation.
“Panda Kick” has enjoyed a meteoric rise in ONE, winning four straight to maintain his unblemished career record while gaining legions of fans with his fearless and electrifying style of combat.
“Jojo,” meanwhile, has gone 6-1 in ONE, employing his forward-marching, heavy-handed style to score five highlight-reel knockouts and establish himself as perhaps the most exciting young talent in the sport.
Which of these four athletes will put on the most impressive performance and emerge as the biggest threat in the flyweight Muay Thai division?
#2 How Will BJJ GOAT Marcelo Garcia Perform After 14 Years Away?
Marcelo Garcia is widely regarded as the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete in history. He stepped away from competition at the top of his game back in 2011 after winning his fourth ADCC World Championship.
At ONE 170, he’ll make his celebrated return to action when he locks horns with Japanese grappling icon Masakazu Imanari in an openweight submission grappling tilt.
In his prime, “Marcelinho” was heralded as a true innovator of technique and the most skilled submission hunter to ever step on the mats. Since his time away, he’s grown a pair of world-class BJJ academies and survived a year-long battle against stomach cancer.
Submission grappling fans worldwide will be tuning in to see if the 42-year-old legend still has what it takes to compete at an elite level.
#3 Can Nabil Anane Withstand Nico Carrillo’s Power?
In the first of three World Title bouts, 20-year-old Thai-Algerian phenom Nabil Anane will look to become the first man to defeat Nico “King of the North” Carrillo in ONE when they square off for the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.
Anane comes into the contest on an impressive five-fight winning streak, but he’s facing perhaps the most dangerous pound-for-pound knockout artist in all of Muay Thai.
Indeed, the Scottish destroyer has stopped every man he’s faced in ONE, including former long-reigning titleholder Nong-O Hama and perennial top contender Saemapetch Fairtex to earn the #2 spot in the bantamweight Muay Thai rankings.
While the 6-foot-4 Anane is undeniably a world-class talent and a difficult puzzle to solve, some fans and experts – including British Muay Thai icon Liam “Hitman” Harrison – have questioned if he has the ability to withstand Carrillo’s devastating power.
Will Anane prove his doubters wrong and end Carrillo’s path of destruction, or will he become “King of the North’s” fifth straight knockout victim in ONE?
#4 Can Tawanchai Return To His Destructive Ways?
The main event will see reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai put his gold on the line against #1-ranked contender and former foe Superbon.
Tawanchai boasts some of the most epic and unforgettable knockouts in the history of ONE, but he’ll come into this blockbuster matchup following three straight closely contested decision victories – including a five-round war against Superbon back in December 2023.
The defending titleholder is motivated to silence his critics and get back to his finishing ways. To that end, he took a break from social media, adjusted his mindset, and trained harder than ever in preparation for his second encounter with Superbon.
Will Tawanchai’s efforts pay off, and will he be able to finish his rival at ONE 170 – or is the featherweight Muay Thai division catching up to him?
#5 Can Kwon Won Il Earn Redemption Against Fabricio Andrade?
South Korean knockout artist “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il will have revenge on his mind when he challenges Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade for the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title.
The pair first met in a non-title bout back in 2022 when the Brazilian scored a stunning first-round knockout. Since then, Kwon has blazed a trail to the top of the division, finishing three straight opponents to earn a crack at Andrade’s gold.
“Pretty Boy,” with his venomous boxing attack and shocking power, has done plenty to establish himself as one of MMA’s most prolific finishers, but the titleholder is an equally dangerous finisher in his own right.
Can Kwon keep his momentum going and wrest the World Title from Andrade, or will “Wonder Boy” erase any doubt that he’s the superior fighter and stop the South Korean yet again?
