5 Reasons Why You Can’t Miss ONE: A NEW BREED III
ONE Championship is set to close the book on the ‘A NEW BREED’ event series.
This Friday, 18 September, the world’s largest martial arts organization will air ONE: A NEW BREED III, which was previously recorded in Bangkok, Thailand.
From an explosive World Title main event, thrilling debuts from world-class superstars, and highly anticipated promotional debuts, there is no shortage of excitement on the card.
Here, we look at the five biggest reasons to watch the action on Friday.
#1 Petchmorakot Has Something To Prove
The main event features a ONE World Champion defending his belt against another Muay Thai World Champion, but ONE’s reigning Muay Thai featherweight king Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy feels like he’s the one with something to prove.
While the Ubon Ratchathani native claimed the inaugural ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title over Pongsiri PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in February and then successfully defended the belt against “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex via majority decision in July, some critics believe Petchmorakot actually lost the latter bout.
That doesn’t sit well with the Thai star, who wants to silence his detractors. Earning a highlight-reel finish at ONE: A NEW BREED III would go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.
It won’t be easy, though. Petchmorakot is facing Lion Fight World Champion Magnus “Crazy Viking” Andersson, who possesses skill, knockout power, and a 4-centimeter height advantage, which makes him the tallest person Petchmorakot has ever faced in ONE.
Both men are motivated to leave the Thai capital with the richest prize in the sport. Doing so by finishing the other would make a loud statement to the division’s competitors and critics alike.
#2 A World Champion Vs. World Champion Co-Main Event
There is also a special World Champion versus World Champion co-main event showdown featuring a pair of promotional newcomers. Whoever wins could easily land in ONE Championship’s Athlete Rankings in both the bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing divisions.
Petchtanong Petchfergus will make his highly anticipated debut, and fans are surely in for a treat. The slick veteran is a six-time Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion who has a jaw-dropping professional record of 356-55-1.
He will be standing across the ring from Capitan Petchyindee Academy. The three-time Muay Thai World Champion owns an impressive 140-40 professional record, and he is currently riding a nine-bout win streak.
Both men love to unleash their kicks, and they have tremendous knockout power in their fists. Fans should expect the duo to throw the heavy artillery all throughout the fight.
- 5 Things You Definitely Don’t Know About Petchtanong Petchfergus
- Magnus Andersson: Beating Petchmorakot ‘Would Mean The Whole World’
- Full Card Announced For ONE: A NEW BREED III
#3 ‘Tiny Doll’ Wants Redemption
Thai mixed martial arts pioneer Rika “Tiny Doll” Ishige is one of the most beloved stars in the women’s atomweight division, but lately, she’s run into some tough luck.
The Bangkok native fell to Kun Khmer World Champion Nou Srey Pov via decision in February 2019 and then lost to undefeated Japanese wrecking ball Itsuki “Strong Heart Fighter” Hirata in October.
It was a difficult year for “Tiny Doll,” but she has a chance to break the spell on Friday in an intriguing matchup against her equally motivated compatriot Sunisa “Thunderstorm” Srisen.
Srisen, the 19-year-old judo sensation, stormed her way to a spotless 3-0 mixed martial arts record before it was spoiled by former two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex in July.
On Friday, only one Thai athlete can get closer toward breaking into ONE’s Athlete Rankings. The other will only slip further away from their ONE World Title aspirations.
#4 There’s Even More World Champions
There may be only 10 participants on the card, but six of them are martial arts World Champions.
In addition to the aforementioned quartet, there will be a pair of Muay Thai World Champions going up against talented foreign stars who moved to Thailand with the hopes of achieving glory.
Six-time Muay Thai World Champion “The Lightning Knee” Yodpanomrung Jitmuangnon will meet Brazilian hard-hitter Felipe “Demolition Man” Lobo, who trains out of Revolution Muay Thai Phuket. That bout will be contested at bantamweight.
But first, two-division WMC Muay Thai World Champion Bangpleenoi Petchyindee Academy will square off against Lobo’s teammate, Yurik “Mee Khao Jomhot” Davtyan, in featherweight action.
#5 An Epic Finale
For the past few weeks, the world’s largest martial arts organization has thrilled the global fan base with the ‘A NEW BREED’ event series.
The promotion kicked things off with ONE: A NEW BREED, which featured Allycia Hellen Rodrigues dethroning Stamp, the seemingly invincible Muay Thai atomweight queen, in the main event. On the same night, the next challenger for ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao was determined in the final of the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament.
Then, the organization returned with the sequel, ONE: A NEW BREED II, which had a slew of highlight-reel finishes and, most notably, one of the best Muay Thai fights of 2020.
Now, the superstars are looking to end the series in style with the third and final installment. And, if recent history is any indication, then ONE: A NEW BREED III is must-see television.
Read more: The Top Highlights From ONE: A NEW BREED II
