'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQAAICAQQDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFABETIgYSIRQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURAQABBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERAAIDEkFhwf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AzPQlx1xbGJ/C7NZwqwzBrHrHx0mXiAAT6VJ33I3Oq28PwuQY3JpJo5bB5XSOKD0Vn7EL0HUE/NNNE3TjTVSbSlcK5dt2YYOufa//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It’s only the third month of the year, but ONE Championship has already produced top-notch martial arts action through its ONE Fight Night events and the weekly ONE Friday Fights cards.
In January, we saw the end of a dynasty after Chingiz Allazov unseated the mighty Superbon Singha Mawynn to become the new featherweight kickboxing world champion at ONE Fight Night 6.
Meanwhile, ONE Fight Night 7 last month featured the crowning moment of new bantamweight king Fabricio Andrade.
The third marquee card of the year live in US primetime, ONE Fight Night 8, promises to be even bigger with three world titles in mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and Muay Thai all hanging in the balance.
Plus, let’s not forget the non-stop weekly action inside the fabled Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
It’s time to mark your calendars. Here are the three biggest fights you should not miss this March.
#3. Sinsamut Klinmee vs. Regian Eersel (lightweight Muay Thai world title)
Two-sport world champion Regian Eersel and Sinsamut Klinmee are set to run it back.
Two of the best pure strikers in the world figured in an epic showdown last year, where ‘The Immortal’ narrowly edged the Thai gunslinger in five rounds of Muay Thai mayhem.
Eersel made history that evening as he became the inaugural lightweight Muay Thai world champion. He also snapped Sinsamut’s perfect run inside the circle.
After a stellar performance despite the losing effort, ‘Aquaman’ will get a second crack at revenge at ONE Friday Fights 9 in front of his hometown crowd in Bangkok, Thailand.
This marks the second world championship fight in the promotion’s weekly cards, as Nong-O Hama successfully defended his bantamweight Muay Thai crown against Alaverdi Ramazanov in January.
Eersel, who reigns over both Muay Thai and kickboxing’s lightweight ranks, will look to do the same on March 17.
Not a single opponent has managed to solve the 30-year-old’s intricate offensive repertoire inside the circle, as he remains unbeaten in eight bouts. It looked like Sinsamut was about to solve that puzzle in their first encounter, as he put Eersel on the defensive early on in their first bout.
‘The Immortal’, though, flashed his world championship experience by continuously tagging the Thai with his lethal hands in round five to secure the victory.
Now both armed with the knowledge of how to beat each other, Eersel and Sinsamut will no doubt look to tear each other’s heads off in their upcoming rematch.
#2. Superlek Kiatmoo9 vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon (flyweight kickboxing word title)
It’s been a while since we’ve seen longtime flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon play the part of the hunter rather than the hunted.
At ONE Fight Night 8, the ‘Iron Man’ will be fighting out of the blue corner in hopes of making Superlek Kiatmoo9’s flyweight kickboxing world title reign shortlived.
Whether it be in 4 oz. gloves or 10 oz., Rodtang has used his signature “devil may care” style to remain unblemished in 13 striking-only battles inside the circle.
After clearing out all challengers in Muay Thai, the 25-year-old has made a seamless transition to kickboxing. The Jitmuangnon Gym standout annihilated Jiduo Yibu in his last outing to set up a date with his compatriot.
Superlek, on the other hand, finally claimed the gold strap by edging Daniel Puertas to claim the previously vacant kickboxing world title last January. ‘The Kicking Machine’ has certainly paid his dues inside the circle, winning eight of his nine fights.
He will be tested right away in his first world title defense against a rampaging challenger with double championship aspirations.
#1. Arjan Bhullar vs. Anatoly Malykhin (ONE heavyweight world title unification bout)
After several delays, two titans will finally square off in arguably the biggest heavyweight fight in the promotion’s history.
Arjan Bhullar became the king of the heavyweights when he ousted Brandon Vera in stunning fashion back in 2021. ‘Singh’, however, has remained on the sidelines ever since, and the division has moved on.
Anatoly Malykhin assumed the title of interim world champion by knocking out Kirill Grishenko last year.
Only one man will walk away from the Singapore Indoor Stadium as the undisputed ruler of the heavyweight division in the main event of ONE Fight Night 8.
Bhullar, a Commonwealth Games Wrestling gold medalist, brings forth a grueling grappling style. The Indo-Canadian loves to drown his foes in deep waters through his top-heavy pressure and relentless ground-and-pound.
Malykhin, on the other hand, has evolved right before our eyes inside the circle. The undefeated power puncher unleashed an even scarier version of himself when he handed Reinier de Ridder his first career loss and took away his light heavyweight world title last December.
The bad blood between these two gargantuan warriors is about to spill over real soon.
