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One of the most anticipated matchups at ONE 158 is between No. 2-ranked bantamweight ‘Pretty Boy’ Kwon Won Il and No. 4 contender 'Wonder Boy' Fabricio Andrade.
The two fiery hard-hitters will lock horns just before the main event on Friday night, June 3, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and fans simply can’t wait to witness them throw down.
Although the bout has not been announced as an official title eliminator for John Lineker’s bantamweight crown, there’s a foreboding sense that the winner will move on to challenge for the belt, or at the very least earn a date with former divisional king Bibiano Fernandes.
Let’s take a look at what the Sportskeeda MMA ONE Championship team thinks about this pivotal bantamweight showdown.
Ben Imperial: Kwon Won II via second-round KO (ground-and-pound)
How can you not get fired up by this matchup? On the one hand, you have Kwon, who always looks for the finish every time he steps into the circle. On the other, you have the brash Fabricio Andrade, who is declaring himself the new king after his second consecutive first-round knockout and claiming the No. 4 ranking in the division.
They’re not delusional to think they are good, because the talent is clearly there. I feel like they are built similarly and are wired to just go for the kill inside the circle. Predicting this matchup is like taking a pick on a coin toss.
Vince Richards: Kwon Won II via second-round KO
High-stakes matches can’t get any better than this. Kwon Won Il and Fabricio Andrade are both in the come-up in the bantamweight division and are targeting that sweet title shot against ONE bantamweight world champion John Lineker.
This fight has the makings of an all-out brawl, with one man surely getting knocked out. Kwon is on a three-knockout streak, while Andrade has won all four of his fights in ONE Championship. As brawls are often unpredictable, this fight will come down to the one with the smarter game plan.
James De Rozario: Fabricio Andrade via second-round KO
'Wonder Boy' claims to be the uncrowned king of the bantamweight division, and this match against Kwon will show just why.
Both knockout artists will engage in a dirty brawl from round one, and Fabricio Andrade’s technical prowess to hit harder while absorbing damage should get him across the end of the first canto. By then, Kwon might realize that he needs to do something different, but the one-trick pony should struggle to find different avenues to succeed against the Brazilian slugger.
Andrade would notice this and advance with his Muay Thai weapons to send his rival to sleep midway in the second frame.
Atilano Diaz: Fabricio Andrade via first-round KO
At this point, you can’t question the toughness these two men possess. Both Kwon and Andrade have proven themselves in the circle, and both are riding an incredible wave of momentum heading into this pivotal bantamweight clash.
Kwon has certainly been around the block. But his experience advantage may not be enough to offset Andrade’s momentum.
Given their shared propensity to separate opponents from their senses, it’s highly unlikely this fight will go past the first round. While either man is capable of landing that finishing blow, I feel Andrade is the slightly more technical striker, with more of a method to his madness compared to the South Korean.
Look for ‘Wonder Boy’ to hurt ‘Pretty Boy’ and finish him early, with the Brazilian finally getting his bonus.
