What’s At Stake For Every Fighter At ONE: FULL BLAST II
After an explosive start to the FULL BLAST event series, ONE Championship is ready to unveil the fiery sequel.
This Friday, 11 June, the organization will premiere ONE: FULL BLAST II worldwide, and every athlete scheduled for action is aiming for a victory that will elevate their career to new heights.
While some competitors will be fighting for a chance to enter ONE’s Athlete Rankings, others are motivated to take a big step toward a World Title shot, earn some redemption, or get back into the win column.
Without further ado, here is what’s on the line for every athlete this Friday.
Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy & Elias Mahmoudi
The main event may be contested at a catchweight of 62.8 kilograms, but it will have a tremendous impact on the flyweight Muay Thai rankings.
Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi will be looking to improve on his #4 spot in the division, but he has motivation beyond inching his way toward a ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title opportunity.
The French-Algerian missed a chance to earn ONE World Title gold when he narrowly lost to Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy via technical decision in the inaugural ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title bout back in May 2019, so he would love to earn some redemption against his old rival’s teammate.
But Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy has his own motivations.
The Thai veteran has been flawless in ONE Super Series, winning all three of his matches to date. He wants to remain unbeaten in the promotion, leapfrog Mahmoudi in the rankings, and have Petchyindee Academy go 2-0 against “The Sniper.”
Ben Wilhelm & Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu
In the co-main event, two lightweight mixed martial artists will look to make a huge statement and shake up the division.
As history has shown, Hawaii-based lightweights have been dominant on the global stage. Next, Ben Wilhelm hopes to follow in the footsteps of reigning divisional king Christian “The Warrior” Lee and the previously ranked Lowen Tynanes.
The debuting Wilhelm is unbeaten in his professional career. He’s submitted all five of his opponents, including the last four via rear-naked choke in the opening stanza.
The Gracie Technics representative is looking to earn a sixth victory and keep his phenomenal streak alive, but standing in his way is an athlete who’s impressed throughout his first two appearances in the Circle.
Amarsanaa “Spear” Tsogookhuu is a face of the Mongolian mixed martial arts movement, and he has served his country well, racking up a 6-2 record, which includes a dominant victory over Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai.
Tsogookhuu also engaged in a competitive battle with former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, but an injury cut the bout short and he ended up on the wrong side of a technical decision. On Friday, he’ll try to remind fans of his vast potential and disrupt the top of the lightweight order.
- Mongkolpetch Warns Mahmoudi: ‘Watch Out For My Fist’
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- Taiki Naito’s Top 3 Wins In ONE Super Series
Ma Jia Wen & Yoon Chang Min
The bantamweight mixed martial arts ranks are becoming more and more stacked, and both “Cannon” Ma Jia Wen and “The Big Heart” Yoon Chang Min will need to make a massive impression so they don’t get lost within the chasing pack.
Both men are coming off tough losses – Ma to Tsogookhuu’s compatriot Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg and Yoon to Ryogo “Kaitai” Takahashi – so they will feel pressure to bounce back and restart their ascents toward the top.
Not only are these two of the youngest stars in the weight class, but both men are well-rounded competitors who possess an elite skill – for Ma, it’s wrestling, and for Yoon, it’s striking.
On Friday, fans will get to see how these talents have improved and who will put themselves back into the bantamweight mixed martial arts mix.
Wang Wenfeng & Taiki Naito
Opening the show will be a pivotal kickboxing clash in the flyweight division.
Former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title challenger “Metal Storm” Wang Wenfeng is now the #4-ranked contender, and he is hoping to earn another crack at his old foe – divisional king Ilias “Tweety” Ennahachi – especially after he came so close to besting the Dutchman in November 2019.
The Chinese striker is coming off a decisive victory over Malaysia’s Azwan Che Wil, and he has an opportunity to build some momentum back toward the golden land.
However, Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito doesn’t want to let that happen. The Japanese counter-striker has been achingly close to the top of both the Muay Thai and kickboxing worlds, but he hasn’t quite managed to reach the pinnacle.
On Friday, “Silent Sniper” can make some real noise in the flyweight kickboxing division, as a big victory – especially a finish – would silence his critics, catapult him into the rankings, and get him closer to a World Title shot.
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