5 Burning Questions Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 26: Lee Vs. Rasulov
ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video will mark ONE’s final U.S. primetime show of 2024, and the event is jam-packed with high-stakes bouts destined to produce drama.
Set to air live this Friday, December 6, the card features a pair of massive World Title matchups in addition to key bouts across four different combat sports disciplines.
Before the action gets underway at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, we dive into five important questions that will be answered at ONE Fight Night 26.
#1 Will Ring Rust Affect Christian Lee In His Long-Awaited Return?
At the top of the bill, reigning two-division MMA kingpin Christian “The Warrior” Lee will return to action after a two-year layoff to defend his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title against undefeated Turkish powerhouse Alibeg Rasulov.
Lee is recognized as one of the planet’s most talented and entertaining mixed martial artists, but fans and pundits are naturally speculating about how the 26-year-old knockout artist will fare after such a lengthy stay on the sidelines.
While “The Warrior” promises that he’s at his best and that ring rust won’t be an issue, he’ll certainly be put to the test against Rasulov – one of the division’s most dominant grapplers who has the skill, grit, and natural athleticism needed to claim the World Title.
#2 Can Danielle Kelly Earn Redemption In World Title Rematch?
Former ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly will seek revenge against the woman who took her belt – nine-time IBJJF World Champion Mayssa Bastos.
The pair first collided in August at ONE Fight Night 24. That night, the Brazilian scored a hard-fought, fast-paced decision victory over Kelly, handing the American star her first defeat in ONE.
Kelly is now on a mission to reclaim her 26 pounds of gold. Despite her foe’s lengthy list of accomplishments and status as one of the best BJJ competitors in history, the Philadelphia native is confident that she can defeat – and even submit – Bastos.
#3 Can Jarred Brooks Compete With The Best At Flyweight?
In flyweight MMA action, current ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Champion and former undisputed king Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks will move up in weight to battle #4-ranked flyweight MMA contender Reece “Lightning” McLaren.
Confident and outspoken, it’s no surprise that Brooks is gunning for two-division glory. However, “Lightning” has questioned whether his foe has the size and physicality to compete with the best flyweights on the planet.
Will “The Monkey God” prove his doubters wrong and stake his claim for a shot at the vacant flyweight MMA throne, or will McLaren give the strawweight superstar a rude welcome to the higher weight class?
#4 Can Rui Botelho Continue His Upset Streak And Crash The World Title Picture?
After hitting a rough patch to begin his ONE tenure, former European Kickboxing Champion Rui Botelho has righted the ship and now finds himself on a stunning two-fight winning streak – now knocking on the door of a World Title shot.
At ONE Fight Night 26, he’ll square off with former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella in a pivotal matchup that has fireworks written all over it.
On paper, the Portuguese striker is the underdog, but that hasn’t stopped him from scoring back-to-back upsets over former ONE World Title challenger Zhang Peimian and Thai fan favorite Thongpoon PK Saenchai.
If Botelho can keep his incredible comeback story going against Di Bella, he very well might find himself challenging for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title next.
#5 Will Gilbert Nakatani Become ONE’s Next American MMA Star?
California native Gilbert Nakatani will square off with #2-ranked flyweight MMA contender Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu this Friday, and for Nakatani, it’s a massive chance to jump the queue and establish himself as a serious threat for the divisional crown – all in his promotional debut.
Following the retirement of former titleholder Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson earlier this year, the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title now sits vacant.
With a win over a long-tenured and highly ranked talent like Wakamatsu, the ONE newcomer would make waves on the global stage, help fill the void left by “Mighty Mouse” with American fans, and announce himself as the nation’s next MMA star in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
