4 Big Questions Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon Vs. Allazov
ONE Championship is kicking off its 2023 calendar with ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs. Allazov on Prime Video this Friday, January 13, and plenty of intriguing storylines will play out when the action gets underway.
The stacked bill is topped by a trio of World Title fights, while the supporting card features some of the organization’s biggest names – all at key stages of their ONE Championship careers.
With so much at stake and some unique matchups set to unfold, here are four massive questions ahead of this U.S. primetime event at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
#1 Can Allazov Stop Superbon’s Incredible Run?
Thai superstar Superbon Singha Mawynn has looked unstoppable since joining ONE – and long before that, too.
The reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion will defend his belt against ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Champion Chingiz Allazov in a rare matchup between the sport’s two best pound-for-pound competitors.
Superbon is riding a dominant 12-fight winning streak – including three straight victories over kickboxing legends – but Allazov presents a different type of threat.
The surging #1-ranked contender owns a unique and unconventional style, with concussive punches and kicks that can change the course of any contest in the blink of an eye.
With plenty of confidence from his incredible run to the World Grand Prix silver belt, “Chinga” also has momentum on his side, and he’s a rare striker with the ability to dethrone the reigning king.
It will be easier said than done, but the challenger will surely push Superbon to his limit in this monumental World Title clash.
#2 Will Sambo Finally Beat BJJ In The Circle?
In the latest BJJ vs. sambo contest within ONE Championship, American star Mikey Musumeci will defend his ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Championship against Gantumur Bayanduuren.
Five-time IBJJF World Champion Musumeci has done it all in gi, no-gi, and submission grappling competitions, topping it off with gold in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Meanwhile, 2022 Combat Sambo World Champion Bayanduuren will hope to change his sport’s fortunes inside the Circle after BJJ won the first three matchups. And with a brown belt in BJJ along with professional MMA experience, the Mongolian is familiar with Musumeci’s specialty.
If he can combine takedowns, throws, and top control from his sambo game with his BJJ knowledge, Bayanduuren has the tools to make life difficult for “Darth Rigatoni.” But whether he can usurp the dominant American is an altogether different challenge.
#3 Will Rodtang Continue His Charge Toward Kickboxing Gold?
Rodtang Jitmuangnon is the #1 contender in ONE’s flyweight kickboxing division, but he’ll watch as Superlek Kiatmoo9 takes on Daniel Puertas for the division’s vacant gold on Friday.
“The Iron Man” will face Chinese phenom Jiduo Yibu earlier on the card, and the result of that match will give him a different perspective on the evening’s co-main event.
The reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion has been a wrecking machine in “the art of eight limbs,” and he’s gunning for a belt in a second sport – provided he can defeat the Chinese phenom.
But that’s not his only goal. Rodtang has also stated that he still wants to chase glory in MMA, so his options will be wide open with a victory.
Will he go straight for kickboxing gold, defend his Muay Thai crown, or invest his time into cross-training for mixed martial arts?
#4 How Will Tonon Respond To First Career MMA Loss?
They say the true mark of a martial artist is how they react to defeat, and after suffering a KO loss in his ONE Featherweight World Title challenge against Thanh Le last year, famed BJJ black belt Garry Tonon has a chance to show his mettle against Johnny Nunez.
Tonon remains the #2-ranked featherweight MMA contender and continues to eye the World Title, but getting another golden opportunity will depend on whether he bounces back at ONE Fight Night 6.
Will “The Lion Killer” have the same confidence he owned before getting the wind knocked out of his sails, and is he still willing to absorb heavy strikes in order to get into his favored grappling range?
Nunez is a wrestler, which could blend well with Tonon’s submission grappling expertise, but he also throws hands – and that will be where “The Lion Killer’s” true colors come into focus.
With a dominant win, Tonon would be right back in the hunt. But if he slips to two straight defeats, he’ll have a huge hill to climb.
