Two world title matchups headline ONE Championship event ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs Rasulov later this week.
ONE Fight Night 26, which kicks off at 4:30 AM Mecca this Saturday December 7, features bouts across four martial arts disciplines (Muay Thai, Kickboxing, MMA, and Submission Grappling).
Below are five reasons to tune into beIN SPORTS and watch ONE Championship’s huge event.
1. Christian Lee Returns, Faces Undefeated Alibeg Rasulov
Two-division MMA world champion Christian Lee makes his long-awaited return to ONE Championship after more than two years since his last bout.
Nicknamed “The Warrior”, Lee last knocked out Kiamrian Abbasov to beat to snatch the ONE Welterweight world title.
In the main event of ONE Fight Night 26, Lee returns to defend his ONE Lightweight MMA world title against a formidable opponent, Turkey’s undefeated Alibeg Rasulov.
Rasulov holds a clean 14-0 overall MMA record and deservedly beat former divisional champion Ok Rae Yoon on his debut, proving that he is ready to challenge for the lightweight crown.
2. Bastos and Kelly in World Title Rematch
Two of the world’s best BJJ female athletes will clash for the ONE Atomweight Submission Grappling world title as Mayssa Bastos defends her crown against Danielle Kelly in the show’s co-main event.
This is a rematch of August’s high-paced contest in which Bastos came out on top with what Kelly and her fan base viewed as a controversial decision.
While Kelly has proved her credentials as a world-class BJJ athlete in her run at ONE Championship, Bastos, who is widely regarded as the best BJJ athlete in the lightest weight classes, will not give up her title without a fight.
3. Nabil Anane Aims for the Biggest Win of His Career
In-form Algeria’s Nabil Anane has picked up five consecutive wins, including an impressive unanimous decision win against former ONE Bantamweight world title challenger Felipe Lobo.
The 20-year-old switches to kickboxing and he is set for the most difficult challenge of his career against Petchtanong Petchfergus.
The 39-year-old Thai veteran owns an incredible 359-56 record and made a winning return to ONE Championship in which he defeated former divisional champion Alaverdi Ramazanov.
4. Elias Mahmoudi Hopes to Close in on Title Challenge
Algerian star Elias Mahmoudi may be close to challenging for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai world championship. After two wins against Edgar Tabares and third-ranked Taiki Naito, Mahmoudi may be one win away from getting a title shot.
The 26-year-old is set to face the ultra-aggressive Denis Puric in what could be a Muay Thai classic between two fighters who have diverse attacking skill sets.
5. ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship Challenger Could Be Decided
The star-studded card features two pivotal flyweight MMA fights that could decide the next challengers for the world title vacated by the now-retired MMA great Demetrious Johnson.
ONE Strawweight MMA world champion Jarred Brooks will take part in his first MMA fight at flyweight fourth-ranked Australian Reece McLaren.
Meanwhile, second-ranked Yuya Wakamatsu hopes to ruin promotional newcomer Gilbert Nakatani’s debut in another intriguing MMA flyweight contest.
