ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash comes your way this Friday, July 22, with a fun-filled slate of action.
While the focus may be on the two ONE Championship title matches at the top of the card, Reinier De Ridder vs. Vitaly Bigdash and Janet Todd vs. Lara Fernandez, plenty of other bouts should not escape your attention heading into the weekend.
What are some of those bouts? We’re glad you asked.
Three Can’t Miss Fights at ONE 159
Bokang Masunyane vs. Hiroba Minowa
With Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks atop the division, keep a close eye on the matchup between ranked contenders Bokang Masunyane and Hiroba Minowa.
Both men are getting a chance to take control of the #2 spot in the rankings currently held by Masunyane. That means the winner could be next in line.
More so than the stakes is the matchup itself. Strawweights are always exciting, but these two are at the front of the list when it comes to bringing aggression into the Circle. There will not be a dull moment between the two athletes who constantly seek to put on a show.
Before the double main event of title tilts gets started, the strawweight battle of top contenders could end up stealing the show.
Ariel Sexton vs. Marat Gafurov
The lightweight division could get a new player thrown into the mix when Ariel Sexton and Marat Gafurov mix it up inside the Circle on the lead card.
Gafurov, a former ONE Featherweight World Champion, is looking to pick up another victory to generate momentum as he rises in the division. However, Sexton is returning for the first time since February 2019 and plans to show everybody he has not lost a step.
Sexton was a possible title challenger before injuries stopped his ascent in the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix. He had won back-to-back matches and posted a 100% finishing rate. Returning with a win over Gafurov could be a statement that he deserves to jump right back into the hunt for gold.
The lightweight scrap between the rear-naked choke machine known as “Cobra” and the Costa Rican grappling sensation may be one of the most significant bouts flying under the radar.
Lea Bivins vs. Zeba Bano
The lead card will open with the ONE debut of Lea Bivins. Everybody who enjoys checking out the future of the sport should tune in to see if Bivins could be the next great star of women’s mixed martial arts.
She has the pedigree. Much like the talented Lee family, who Bivins has trained alongside, the California native has competed all over the world in international youth tournaments.
The teenage warrior already has more experience against global competition than most and now can put that to the test inside the Circle in the professional ranks. How will she handle the bright lights, media obligations, and increased competition? We will find out, and that is incredibly thrilling to see.
This is the Bivins’ first step onto the global stage against another talented young athlete like Zeba Bano, and she still has years to develop her skills to a championship level. But ONE 159 will be the first time we can catch a glimpse of a potential superstar. Let’s get in on the ground floor.
ONE 159 airs live and free on watch.onefc.com at 6:30 a.m. EST/3:30 a.m. PST on Friday, July 22.
