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Things nearly popped off between heavyweight contenders Arjan Bhullar and Amir Aliakbari ahead of their highly anticipated clash at ONE 166.
This Friday, March 1, fans will see a high-stakes heavyweight MMA showdown as streaking Iranian powerhouse Amir Aliakbari meets former ONE world champion Arjan Bhullar in a bout that will have serious implications for the future of the division.
Before getting their hands on one another inside the Lusail Sports Arena, Aliakbari and Bhullar nearly went at it during their face-off at the ONE 166 press conference:
“Fueling the fire 🔥 The tension escalates as Arjan Bhullar and Amir Aliakbari engage in a heated faceoff ahead of their anticipated showdown at ONE 166: Qatar 👊 Who you got?”
Amir Aliakbari enters the bout seeking his fourth straight finish after highlight-reel knockouts against Mauro Cerilli, Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera, and Dustin Joynson.
On the flip side, Arjan Bhullar will be looking to get back into the win column after coming up short in a world title unification clash with reigning two-division world titleholder Anatoly Malykhin over the summer.
Anatoly Malykhin believes Amir Aliakbari vs. Arjan Bhullar is the perfect test for both fighters
Anatoly Malykhin — who owns victories over both Arjan Bhullar and Amir Aliakbari — believes that their fight will be the perfect test to determine not only who the better fighter is, but who could be worthy of a heavyweight championship rematch:
“It's a great fight,” Malykhin told the promotion in a recent interview. “It's a good test for both. I think they have never had an opponent at the top of their game. This fight will show what they are really worth.”
Will Amir Aliakbari continue to run through the heavyweight division, or will Arjan Bhullar remind the world why he once held the coveted 26 pounds of gold around his waist?
Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch all the action at ONE 166: Qatar live and for free on Friday, March 1.
