5 Reasons To Watch ONE Fight Night 23: Ok Vs. Rasulov On Prime Video
This Friday, July 5, the world’s largest martial arts organization returns to the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, for a U.S. primetime show packed with elite fighters and intriguing matchups.
Topped by a can’t-miss Interim MMA World Title clash, ONE Fight Night 23: Ok vs. Rasulov on Prime Video promises white-knuckle action from the opening bout to the headlining attraction.
Before the action gets underway, we dive into the top five reasons why fans will want to tune in to this massive event.
The Crowning Of An Interim Lightweight MMA King
In the main event, former divisional king Ok Rae Yoon squares off with undefeated Turkish sensation Alibeg Rasulov for the ONE Interim Lightweight MMA World Title.
Beyond the 26 pounds of gold on the line, this matchup should, stylistically, deliver fireworks.
In one corner, the South Korean veteran is a well-rounded mixed martial artist, but he tends to do his best work with his venomous striking attacks.
And, with unforgettable victories over former featherweight MMA king Marat Gafurov, American superstar Eddie Alvarez, and current ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Christian Lee, Ok has firmly established himself as one of the best lightweights on the planet.
He’s in for the fight of his life against wrestling and grappling powerhouse Rasulov, however. The 31-year-old promotional newcomer boasts a pristine 14-0 professional record and looks to have all the skills and prodigious athletic abilities to take out the former World Champion.
Two Submission Grappling Stars Lock Horns
Before the main event, two of the most talented young phenoms ever seen in submission grappling tangle in a 186-pound catchweight contest that’s captured the attention of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world.
Current ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo is always in search of big challenges, and he gets just that when he takes on 19-year-old prodigy Jozef Chen.
Undefeated in ONE and widely regarded as a pound-for-pound great, Ruotolo puts his explosive and creative brand of submission hunting to the test against a master technician in Chen.
Fans can look forward to beautiful grappling exchanges for as long as this contest lasts, with Chen and his modern, well-rounded approach posing perhaps the stiffest test of Ruotolo’s ONE tenure.
Top-Five Bantamweight Muay Thai Contenders Collide
In bantamweight Muay Thai action, #1-ranked contender Nico “King of the North” Carrillo hopes to keep his undefeated ONE record alive when he takes on #4-ranked fan favorite Saemapetch Fairtex.
This much-anticipated fight carries real significance for the talent-laden bantamweight Muay Thai division. After all, the winner could stake his claim for the next shot at gold after reigning titleholder Jonathan Haggerty puts his belt on the line against Superlek Kiatmoo9 in September at ONE 168: Denver.
Scotland’s Carrillo has enjoyed a meteoric rise in ONE, reeling off a trio of knockout wins, all against elite opposition, to earn his spot at the top of the divisional rankings.
The hard-hitting Saemapetch, though, is hungry to put an end to his foe’s reign of terror. The Thai veteran doesn’t know how to compete in a boring fight, and he’s certain to meet Carrillo in the center of the ring and trade blows until one man falls.
“The Chef” Is Ready To Cook Again
Lower on the card, American sensation Luke “The Chef” Lessei returns to action in a featherweight Muay Thai tilt against decorated French striker Bampara Kouyate.
After just two thrilling appearances in ONE, the Iowa native has earned the #5 spot in the featherweight Muay Thai rankings and made a name for himself as one of the sport’s most innovative and entertaining athletes.
“The Chef” is undoubtedly motivated to pick up his first knockout in ONE, but Kouyate is no walkover. A WMC Muay Thai European Champion and French National Muay Thai Champion, the long and lanky 29-year-old will present a unique stylistic challenge to Lessei in this must-watch showdown.
Muay Thai Stars Make U.S. Primetime Debut
Also, several of Muay Thai’s most electrifying talents make their U.S. primetime debuts after cutting their teeth at ONE Friday Fights.
First, Russian scrapper Alexey Balyko hopes to make a statement against all-action Irish standout Stefan Korodi in a bantamweight clash.
After that, Thai-Malaysian prodigy Aliff Sor Dechapan – the owner of an impressive 4-1 record in ONE Friday Fights – tests his wildly entertaining approach to combat against 24-year-old Brit Ellis “El Jefe” Badr Barboza.
Finally, in flyweight action, Thailand’s Black Panther aims to make it three wins in a row when he makes his U.S. primetime debut against Russian standout Ali Saldoev.
An elite technician, Black Panther is still in search of his first knockout in ONE, and he’s surely motivated to score one in front of a raucous Bangkok crowd at ONE Fight Night 23.
