5 Reasons To Watch ONE 167: Tawanchai Vs. Nattawut II On June 7
The Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, will soon play host to a blockbuster lineup of fights featuring the world’s best martial artists competing across four different combat sports disciplines.
With a highly anticipated World Title fight headlining the stacked card, ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Prime Video will go down live in U.S. primetime this Friday, June 7.
Beyond that headline attraction, the bill will see three other reigning ONE World Champions in action, as well as some of the organization’s most talented young fighters.
With just days until fight night, here are five reasons why ONE 167 is a can’t-miss event.
#1 A High-Stakes Rematch For Muay Thai World Title Gold
If their October 2023 kickboxing clash was any indication, fans can expect an all-action thriller in Friday’s main event when Tawanchai PK Saenchai puts his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title on the line against decorated veteran “Smokin” Jo Nattawut.
In the first encounter, Nattawut pushed Tawanchai to the absolute limit but ultimately dropped a razor-close decision. He now looks to even the score under Muay Thai rules and capture his foe’s 26 pounds of gold.
However, the PK Saenchai man is on a mission to prove himself as the most dominant titleholder in the history of the division. With his vicious left kick and clean counter-striking, the 25-year-old Thai is already on his way to becoming a true all-time great.
#2 The Long-Awaited Return Of Rodtang
In the co-main event, longtime ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon will compete for the first time since his unforgettable battle with Superlek Kiatmoo9 as he faces surging Bosnian-Canadian standout Denis Puric in a kickboxing tilt.
While injuries have kept the Thai megastar on the sidelines since last September, he’s now hungrier than ever to remind fans of his all-action style and further cement himself as one of the planet’s top pound-for-pound strikers.
“The Bosnian Menace,” though, plans to spoil Rodtang’s return and win the biggest fight of his life.
The #2-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender has been targeting a matchup with “The Iron Man” for years, and he looks to be in the best form of his career.
#3 Musumeci Seeks Redemption Against Sousa
Current ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey “Darth Rigatoni” Musumeci is determined to entrench himself as the greatest pound-for-pound grappler in history.
With that goal in mind, he’ll move up in weight to battle explosive Brazilian athlete Gabriel Sousa – the last man to defeat him.
In the pair’s 2021 clash outside of ONE, Sousa was able to score the stunning upset, passing the American’s guard before sinking in a north-south choke.
Since then, “Darth Rigatoni” has gone on a tear and established himself as a bona fide global superstar. But Sousa, with his incredible physicality and relentless guard passing, is aiming to prove that his first submission victory was no fluke.
#4 Kade Ruotolo Makes His MMA Debut
Musumeci won’t be the only ONE Submission Grappling World Champion in action, as reigning lightweight titleholder Kade Ruotolo is set to make his hotly anticipated MMA debut against Hawaiian powerhouse Blake Cooper.
Boasting a pristine 6-0 record in ONE submission grappling matches, which includes three successful defenses of his gold, the 21-year-old Ruotolo has already conquered the world of ground fighting and now has his sights set on MMA glory.
His debut in the all-around sport is sure to draw the attention of martial arts fans around the world – and he’s been given a stiff test.
Cooper owns an undefeated amateur record, has experience in professional MMA, and comes from a top-tier collegiate wrestling background that could cause problems for the BJJ black belt.
#5 A Pair Of Must-See Teenage Stars Are In Action
The card will feature two teenagers with championship-caliber talent.
First, Malaysian-American phenom Johan “Jojo” Ghazali hopes to extend his pristine 5-0 record in ONE and earn his fifth knockout in the organization when he squares off with respected Vietnamese veteran “No. 1” Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in a pivotal flyweight Muay Thai contest.
Hailed as one of the most promising young stars in recent memory, the 17-year-old Ghazali has already done plenty to prove himself as an elite knockout artist and a real threat in the stacked division, but he’ll need to be at his best against the always-dangerous Duy Nhat.
After that, Adrian Lee – the younger brother to current two-division ONE MMA World Champion Christian Lee and former atomweight MMA queen Angela Lee – will make his professional MMA debut against Italian standout Antonio Mammarella.
Given his famous family name, the 18-year-old Lee will naturally bring lofty expectations into Friday’s clash.
Mammarella, though, has more overall MMA experience, is loaded with confidence, and expects to derail his foe’s hype train before it can pick up steam.
