Osamah Almarwai To Face Cleber Sousa In Submission Grappling Battle At ONE 166: Qatar
A pair of former ONE World Title challengers will collide in an intriguing ground battle at ONE 166: Qatar.
On Friday, March 1, Yemeni-Saudi Arabian sensation Osamah Almarwai will lock horns with Brazilian star Cleber “Clandestino” Sousa in a pivotal flyweight submission grappling showdown at the Lusail Sports Arena.
This will be the second appearance for both elite BJJ black belts in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Both lost their promotional debuts to pound-for-pound great and current ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey “Darth Rigatoni” Musumeci and now hope to earn another crack at the gold.
Almarwai will touch down in Qatar with plenty of fanfare.
A 2022 IBJJF No-Gi World Champion, he is the first-ever Middle Eastern competitor to reach that achievement in the black belt ranks, making him the region’s most prominent and beloved submission grappler.
Despite his loss to Musumeci this past May, the 31-year-old Atos representative remains among the planet’s most dangerous submission hunters. He is feared for his constrictor-like front headlock game and brutal ankle lock.
However, he’s in for a stiff test against Sousa.
With an IBJJF Pan-American Championship and a Brazilian National Championship to his name, Sousa brings a wealth of experience and impressive accomplishments each time he steps on the mats.
The 28-year-old went the distance with Musumeci in their trilogy, which also marked the inaugural ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title clash, last year. Though he tasted defeat, “Clandestino” showcased his explosive guard-passing in a hard-fought decision loss.
Both Sousa and Almarwai possess world-class skills in all areas – whether it be guard play, top control, or leg locks – so fans should look forward to a high-paced grappling affair on March 1.
ONE Championship is pulling out all the stops for its first outing in Qatar, with five World Championship bouts planned for the mega-event on March 1. Stay tuned to onefc.com for all of the updates.
