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#4. Alvarez vs. Lee is the perfect fight for the American market
ONE has made no secret of its plans to expand into the US market and Alvarez could play a big part. With plenty of household American names on its roster, the promotion began airing shows for the United States with its 'ONE on TNT' series in 2021. Nicknamed 'The Underground King,' it's fair to say that Alvarez has always been a fan favorite. His action-packed style has earned him numerous 'fight of the year' awards, including his 2017 classic against Justin Gaethje.
In terms of entertainment value, Christian Lee can certainly hold his own. The Hawaii-native burst onto the scene at just 17 years old and tore his way through five consecutive opponents, with all five bouts ending in the first round. He's only gotten better with age, and before losing to Ok, he put together a five-fight winning streak that included finishes against the likes of Kazuki Tokudome, Shinya Aokiand Timofey Nastyukhin.
Christian Lee holds an American passport. He's one of the most explosive finishers in the world. He is from a family of martial artists, including his sister Angela who is the reigning ONE atomweight world champion. He has all the ingredients to be a massive star in the sport. It could be huge if he were to come up against a dance partner like Alvarez and win, especially with a big performance.
A landmark showing against an icon of the sport could well take Christian Lee's career to the next level - especially in the eyes of American fans.
#3. A chance for Eddie Alvarez to get back on the title tilt
It came as a surprise when Eddie Alvarez lost to Timofey Nastyukhin on his ONE debut. The Russian was a very dangerous opponent but was naturally less well-known around the world. UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor was one of the highest-selling UFC pay-per-views of all time. It made the American a household name. Such a rich history in the sport comes with heightened expectations.
Casual fans would no doubt have expected Alvarez to come to Asia and take the competition by storm. It has not worked out that way. So far, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions. Following the Nastyukhin loss, he returned to form as he submitted Eduard Folayang in the first round.
In fairness, Alvarez battered Iuri Lapicus in his next outing, but the fight was ruled a 'no contest' due to strikes to the back of the head. Next came the unanimous decision loss to Ok Rae Yoon - which Alvarez thought he won.
Alvarez is 37 years old. Now is the time to match him up with Christian Lee. Things may not have gone well since he signed with ONE, but he's also suffered from some bad luck as well as contentious refereeing. If he were to fight Christian Lee and come out with the victory, he'd be next in line with a shot a the title. If he capitalized on it, then he'd be the first fighter to win a world title in three different major promotions.
