MMA phenom Adrian Lee is certain his elder brother, two-division world champion Christian Lee, will see off Alibeg Rasulov inside the distance.
Christian defends his lightweight MMA crown against the undefeated Turkish star on Nov. 8 inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, in what would be his 22nd test on the global stage of martial arts.
On paper, the contender has plenty at his disposal to trouble 'The Warrior.' The Dagestan-born athlete's diverse ground game acumen and stand-up skills have helped him onto a perfect 14-0 record, including a massive debut win over former divisional king Ok Rae Yoon this past July.
However, Adrian believes Christian Lee's skill set is miles above what his opposite number possesses, which shouldn't concern the Evolve MMA and Prodigy Training Center standout ahead of his hotly anticipated return.
Speaking exclusively to Sports Illustrated, Adrian noted:
"I don't have any particular concerns for this matchup because I truly believe that my brother will beat him in every area, and he'll make it a fast fight."
Highlight-reel finishes have been synonymous with Christian's successful campaign on the global stage, after all. The 26-year-old megastar has won 16 fights inside the distance — 12 by KO/TKO and four via submission.
As such, fans can expect another quick night in the office when the double champ steps back inside the Circle at ONE 169: Atlanta on Nov. 8.
Christian Lee identifies Zebaztian Kadestam as first test for welterweight crown
When he will fight Rasulov at lightweight in Atlanta, Christian Lee would ideally like to shift his focus to the welterweight division where he reigns as the divisional king.
Though there are plenty of contenders to the throne, the Hawaii-based athlete names one fighter as a clear favorite: Former titleholder Zebaztian Kadestam.
During the post-fight media scrum at ONE 168: Denver, Christian noted:
"He's earned it. And out of the whole welterweight division. If you look at who is in line, I think he's next."