5 Reasons To Watch ONE Fight Night 8 On March 24
ONE Championship is set to deliver another explosive night of action with ONE Fight Night 8: Superlek vs. Rodtang on Prime Video this Friday, March 24, and the card is jam-packed with elite martial artists from top to bottom.
In addition to the four ONE World Champions who will be competing in the main and co-main events, the bill will also feature some of the organization’s hottest rising stars and a slew of promotional newcomers who are eager to make an instant impact on the global stage.
With that in mind, here are five of the biggest reasons why you need to watch ONE Fight Night 8 live in U.S. primetime on March 24.
#1 A Pair Of World Champion Vs. World Champion Fights
At the top of the bill, two 26-pound golden belts will be on the line in a pair of exciting World Champion vs. World Champion showdowns.
In the headline attraction, ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 will make his first title defense against the division’s longtime Muay Thai king, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, who will finally get his chance to achieve two-sport glory.
These men are considered to be two of the greatest pound-for-pound strikers on the planet, and fans have been clamoring for a tussle between the Thai duo for years. And with gold on the line, the stakes could not be any higher.
Also, the co-main event features the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title unification clash, as returning queen Allycia Hellen Rodrigues comes back to take on the interim titleholder, Janet Todd.
Their December meeting was postponed when “JT” tested positive for COVID-19 during event week for ONE on Prime Video 5.
But now, Todd – who is also the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion – is healthy and ready to prove she is the atomweight division’s best striker, while Rodrigues is prepared to show everyone that she is better than ever following her long layoff to start a family.
#2 Heated Feud Comes To A Head
Ham Seo Hee and Itsuki Hirata were supposed to meet last November, but the Japanese phenom’s failure to make the designated weight meant that their atomweight MMA bout couldn’t happen.
The South Korean veteran repeatedly called her foe unprofessional after that episode, but that has only fueled Hirata, who has been training diligently in New York City for their rescheduled battle on Friday.
As the #2-ranked contender in the division, Ham believes that a victory over the popular Japanese grappler will put her next in line for a shot at the belt. But “Android 18” knows her star will shine even brighter if she could beat the well-respected veteran and snap her eight-bout winning streak.
#3 Pivotal Strawweight Battles
Strawweights from all corners of the globe will descend upon the Singapore Indoor Stadium this Friday, and these fast-paced martial artists will entertain the masses under their respective rule sets.
China’s 19-year-old striking prodigy Zhang Peimian welcomes Torepchi Dongak to the Circle in a kickboxing tilt. “Fighting Rooster” is looking to bounce back after a decision loss against Jonathan Di Bella for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title last October, but the Russian debutant plans to score an upset for the ages.
Australia’s Danial Williams and Portugal’s Rui Botelho duke it out in a Muay Thai encounter between two of the most consistently exciting competitors in The Home of Martial Arts, and it is sure to deliver a frenetic three rounds.
Also, England’s Iman Barlow – who is one of the most decorated female strikers on the planet – is back in action against Belarus’ Ekaterina Vandaryeva, who hopes her experience on the global stage will help her get back to winning ways.
#4 Undefeated Japanese Champ Debuts On The Global Stage
Japanese sensation Keito Yamakita will step into the Circle for the first time with a lot of hype surrounding him.
Unbeaten at 7-0, Yamakita defeated much more experienced opposition en route to winning the Pancrase Strawweight Title, and he’ll face another esteemed veteran in his ONE debut.
Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex Silva is set to welcome the 26-year-old to the world’s largest martial arts organization, and with a track record of consistently going against the division’s elite, he’ll be well prepared for anything his foe brings to the table.
There’s a lot at stake in this battle of momentum versus experience, and whoever emerges victorious will surely enter the strawweight top-five conversation.
#5 BJJ World Champions Open The Show
Two of the greatest female grapplers on the competition circuit today will square off in the night’s opening contest, as Brazil’s Bianca Basilio will meet America’s Tammi Musumeci in an epic strawweight submission grappling match.
ADCC and IBJJF World Champion Basilio looked incredible in her ONE debut, submitting Milena Sakumoto in just 42 seconds last November. What’s more, the Brazilian has a fierce finishing rate at the top level.
As the older sister of ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci, Tammi has elite submission skills in her DNA, and with five IBJJF World Titles to her credit across gi and no-gi competition, she has a resume that matches that of her well-known sibling.
With the division’s throne currently vacant, the winner of this contest would undoubtedly be an instant contender.
