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As the year enters a new month, so does ONE Championship. While the impact of ONE on Prime Video 3 is still felt throughout the martial arts community, the fourth Amazon Prime Video card is fast approaching.
Those who are set to figure at ONE on Prime Video 4 are slowly giving their thoughts on the card that will take place on November 18 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
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ONE lightweight world champion, Christian Lee, will try to become a two-division world champion when he challenges Kiamrian Abbasov for the welterweight crown in the main event.
Rising Filipino star Stephen Loman, meanwhile, will head into the biggest fight of his career when he takes on former ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano Fernandes. The fight will be Loman’s third in the promotion and it looks like a win will push him straight into the world title picture.
Expect fighters and coaches to continue giving out their predictions, observations, and overall takes heading into ONE on Prime Video 4 while also looking back at ONE on Prime Video 3. That said, here are the top ONE Championship news from yesterday.
#3. Christian Lee is up for a tough test against Kiamrian Abbasov, says Mark Sangiao
Christian Lee is undoubtedly one of the greatest fighters of his generation, but famed coach Mark Sangiao believes the young lightweight king will have his toughest test against ONE welterweight world champion Kiamrian Abbasov.
Sangiao, the head coach of Team Lakay, knows of Lee’s incredible conquest of the lightweight division but taking on the ruler of the welterweights is a task that could bring out all he’s got.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Sangiao said:
“This is going to be a huge test for Christian Lee since he’s going up a weight class. We already know his capabilities and we’ve seen his body mature physically as he got older. However, welterweight is unfamiliar territory for him and he’ll be fighting the world champion in his nest right away.”
Lee, 24, will try to become the fourth fighter to simultaneously hold two world titles across as many divisions. So far, this club consists of Martin Nguyen, Aung La N Sang, and Reinier de Ridder. Still, getting another world title in a heavier weight class will be a tough ordeal.
Abbasov is a heavy-handed striker who can also grapple with the best of them. The 29-year-old has held the welterweight belt since his unanimous decision win over Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE: Dawn of Valor in October 2019.
#2. ONE Championship fighter says Bibiano Fernandes is as dangerous as ever
Stephen Loman is enjoying a steady ascent in ONE Championship and his third fight in the promotion is the biggest bout of his career at this point. The Filipino star will face the legendary Bibiano Fernandes at ONE on Prime Video 4, and a win could give him an outright shot at the vacant ONE bantamweight world title.
The 27-year-old Loman, who’s 2-0 in ONE Championship, is 15 years younger than Fernandes but the No.5-ranked contender doesn’t see his age as too much of an advantage against the former bantamweight king.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Loman said:
“Even if he’s an older fighter, he hasn’t lost a step. I expect that his explosiveness is still there, as well as his striking. I will be especially watching out for his wrestling and obviously, his jiu-jitsu. Those are the things that I need to prepare for. The match will be fought under MMA rules, so I have no problems battling on the feet or on the ground.”
Fernandes is one of the best fighters of his generation and his two reigns atop the division were two of the longest ONE Championship has ever seen.
‘The Flash’ had his first reign in 2013 and it lasted until 2018, while his second ran from 2019 to 2022.
#1. Joe Rogan is in complete awe of Fabricio Andrade
Fabricio Andrade may not have claimed the ONE bantamweight world title, but his mauling of John Lineker at ONE on Prime Video 3 certainly captured the attention of the sporting world. One such man who was in complete awe of Andrade was UFC color commentator Joe Rogan.
Rogan had ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson as his guest in the recent The Joe Rogan Experience episode, and it was in their conversation that Rogan preached his admiration for ‘Wonder Boy’:
“F**king beast man... F*cking beast. I’m like, look man, these guys are out there. He was putting the boots to Lineker.”
Johnson, who once said that Andrade is one of his favorite fighters, chimed in:
“He’s a nasty man. Fabricio Andrade, absolutely amazing, his fight with John Lineker. John Lineker, he throws punches straight, hardly. It’s usually the wild, winging punches, right? He was timing that hook.”
Andrade couldn’t capture the gold after his knee strike accidentally landed on Lineker’s groin area, resulting in the match ending in a no-contest. A bummer to say the least, but what Andrade showed firmly placed him as arguably the best bantamweight in ONE Championship.
