5 Burning Questions Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov Vs. Grigorian
There are some tantalizing battles scheduled for ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video, and every matchup comes loaded with intrigue.
With a pair of World Title clashes and action lined up across four different sports, the U.S. primetime card at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok has something for every type of combat sports fan.
Still, many of those fans will be wondering the same things before the first bell rings. With that in mind, here are five huge questions that will be answered this Friday, August 4.
#1 Will Allazov Finally Get His Redemption Against Grigorian?
Chingiz Allazov and Marat Grigorian squared off twice back in 2013, with one no contest and one decision going Grigorian’s way.
Both men have now firmly cemented themselves as two of the very best pound-for-pound strikers on the planet, with Allazov holding the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title and Grigorian owning the #2 contender spot.
“Chinga” has been phenomenal throughout his climb to the top – defeating the likes of Superbon Singha Mawynn and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong – and he looks unstoppable in his current form.
And while Grigorian beat him 10 years ago and is a three-time Kickboxing World Champion, he’s yet to crown his career with ONE Championship gold.
An off night against Superbon is the Armenian’s lone blemish since 2018, and he certainly has the power to change any match in an instant.
Still, it’s reigning king Allazov who sits on the throne, and defending it with a redemptive win over an old foe would be even sweeter.
#2 Can Brooks Hang With Musumeci In A Grappling-Only Contest?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu superstar Mikey Musumeci has never looked in trouble en route to his 4-0 slate in ONE, winning and then twice defending the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title.
However, he has a completely different type of challenger this time around in Jarred Brooks, the ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion who is making his debut under the submission grappling rule set.
While Brooks is an elite wrestler and proficient submission stylist, he splits his time between all the demands of mixed martial arts, whereas Musumeci has been solely committed to the ground game for most of his life.
Will “The Monkey God’s” MMA grappling skills and athleticism be enough to bridge the gap between an all-around competitor and a potent specialist, or will it be too much to overcome?
Many fellow grapplers have tried and failed, but perhaps the strawweight MMA ruler will bring something unique that “Darth Rigatoni” struggles to handle.
#3 Can Tawanchai Overcome Decorated Foe In Switch To Kickboxing?
Tawanchai PK Saenchai is the current ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, but he’s now eyeing the featherweight kickboxing gold.
He’ll start his run against Georgian striker Davit Kiria, which will be no easy task. Kiria is a decorated Kickboxing World Champion who’s faced the best of the best under this rule set, honing his skills and intensity to its demands.
While Tawanchai has a slick, heavy-hitting arsenal that could blend well into his new career move, he won’t have any time to ease his way in against one of the division’s best.
But if the PK Saenchai representative can defeat his veteran foe, he’ll immediately thrust himself among the top contenders and take a huge step toward achieving his dream of two-sport gold.
#4 Can Kim Handle Lineker’s Crushing Power?
There are concussive strikers in both corners of the bantamweight MMA clash between former divisional king John Lineker and South Korean star Kim Jae Woong, so the potential for a stunning finish is high.
Lineker has finished 17 of his opponents by KO in his storied MMA career. The Brazilian is one of the most feared punchers in any weight class, but Kim plans to march toward danger with his “warrior’s fearless heart.”
That mentality could be seen as confidence, but it could also be a recipe for disaster if “The Fighting God” thinks he can absorb the dynamite that Lineker will be throwing in his direction.
If Kim’s assertions are true, he could find openings to counter the looping shots of “Hands of Stone” and score with his own knockout power, but it takes a brave man to stand in front of Lineker and bring that kind of plan to fruition.
It could even be a bluff from the South Korean in order to employ different tactics, but either way, his chin will be tested greatly – and its sturdiness could be the difference between victory and defeat.
#5 Will A Heavyweight World Title Challenger Emerge?
There has been a lot of talk about Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida’s future as a potential ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title challenger, and even though the humble Brazilian always says it’s one step at a time, many think it’s inevitable.
The legendary 17-time BJJ World Champion has raced to a perfect 4-0 slate since moving into MMA, finishing every opponent in round one.
He’s gone up against strikers, grapplers, and wrestlers, but none have been as physically imposing as his next foe – “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane.
The Senegalese sensation comes from a wrestling background, and he also brings massive strength and power to every clash, which could be a hard combination to deal with.
“Reug Reug’s” lone defeat came against former World Title challenger Kirill Grishenko – a man Almeida submitted inside a round – but he’s earned two wins since then, improving his ONE record to 4-1.
Given their respective success on the global stage, the winner of Friday’s clash will rocket up the ranks and make their World Title case with divisional kingpin Anatoly Malykhin in their sights.
