5 Reasons To Watch ONE: FULL CIRCLE
There’s an abundance of reasons for martial arts fans to tune in to ONE: FULL CIRCLE when it airs live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 25 February.
The card is packed with epic matchups from start to finish, featuring everything from established stars competing in World Championship bouts to debutants ready to make an impact on the global stage.
All together, 12 thrilling bouts are scheduled across ONE’s mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and kickboxing divisions, which guarantees that everyone watching will have something to look forward to.
Before the curtain goes up and the action gets underway, here are the top five reasons why all eyes should be fixed on “The Lion City” this Friday.
#1 Two World Title Fights
Two colossal World Championship bouts will top the evening’s main card.
In the main event, Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder defends his middleweight belt against welterweight king Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov.
The Kyrgyz athlete is following in his rival’s footsteps by moving up in weight to try and claim another division’s crown. But “The Dutch Knight” believes his opponent is biting off more than he can chew.
And in the co-main event, Roman Kryklia and Murat “The Butcher” Aygun will throw down for the former’s ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title. Fans will finally get to see the pair do battle inside the Circle after several false starts.
The clash of master tactician against hard-headed slugger is intriguing, and the anticipation has reached an all-time high given the postponements.
#2 The Long-Awaited Aung La N Sang Vs. Bigdash Trilogy
It’s been five years since Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang and Vitaly Bigdash duked it out in back-to-back battles for the ONE Middleweight World Title.
After 10 hard-fought rounds, each man has picked up a win in the series. Now, the longtime foes are ready to throw down again to settle the score – albeit with no belt on the line this time.
That said, the top contender spot could well be on offer, as both men are coming off solid stoppage wins. “The Burmese Python” knocked out Leandro “Wolf” Ataides in his last outing, while Bigdash submitted “King Kong Warrior” Fan Rong.
The victor will have a legitimate shot at facing the winner of the main event on 25 February, and both men are seeking another stint as divisional top dog. So, fans can expect them to throw everything they have into this rubber match.
- 3 World Title Fights, Aung La-Bigdash III Top ONE: FULL CIRCLE
- Reinier De Ridder: I’ll Dominate Abbasov From Start To Finish
- 5 Epic Knockouts From The Stars Competing At ONE: FULL CIRCLE
#3 High-Stakes Bantamweight Showdown
Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade has been one of the breakout sensations of recent times, going from relative obscurity to the #4-ranked bantamweight with three straight victories inside the Circle in just 18 months.
On the other hand, Team Lakay’s Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw is determined to derail the hype train, and he’ll be ready to meet the Brazilian head-on to do just that.
Both men are expert strikers, with Andrade’s Muay Thai background and “The Juggernaut’s” outstanding wushu. So expect a back-and-forth war in the stand-up department.
A finish on the canvas may be a possibility too, however, as both men are capable of getting the job done on the ground.
One thing is guaranteed – there’ll be no stopping for breath in this bantamweight brawl.
#4 Crucial Featherweight Kickboxing Tussle
After being knocked out of the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix in the opening round, Germany’s Enriko “The Hurricane” Kehl and Turkey’s Tayfun “Turbine” Ozcan are motivated to get back to winning ways in order to challenge the big guns once again.
Kehl and Ozcan lost to the tournament finalists – Chingiz “Chinga” Allazov and Sitthichai “Killer Kid” Sitsongpeenong, respectively – so there’s certainly no need for them to be despondent. But each man will not be happy until they’re back in the World Title conversation.
Ozcan still holds the #5 spot in the rankings, and Kehl is still a genuine threat, so a big win for either athlete will put them right into the mix again.
“The Hurricane” and “Turbine” are perfect representations of the featherweight kickboxers’ fighting styles, which bodes well for a relentless battle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Neither man is likely to take a backward step, so expect furious toe-to-toe exchanges with equal amounts of skill and tenacity between the European kickboxing favorites.
#5 ONE Debuts That Need To Be Seen
The evening’s lead card features a slew of debuting athletes that are certain to bring a lot to The Home of Martial Arts.
Guto Inocente has operated at the top of kickboxing competition for years. Now, the Brazilian has the chance to showcase his skills on the highest level of all – in ONE Super Series – against Bruno Susano in a heavyweight clash.
With 100 percent of his wins coming via KO, Valmir “Junior” da Silva is well-placed to take on former ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam in a battle of big hitters.
Also, 16-1 Russian Vladimir Kuzmin will face off against Scotland’s Chris Shaw in a Muay Thai battle, with his unbeaten countryman Daniel Zainalov squaring off with BJJ World Champion Yuri Simoes in a middleweight MMA encounter.
Finally, Smilla “The Storm” Sundell and Diandra Martin both make the walk for the first time when they meet in a catchweight Muay Thai battle, and “The Eagle Of Yi” Jiduo Yibu will also make his first appearance against Spain’s Daniel Puertas.
Read more: 4 Major Takeaways From ONE: BAD BLOOD
