ONE Championship will start its October 21st doubleheader with ONE 162: Zhang vs. Di Bella in the morning, and its nine-bout lineup features strong matchups from top to bottom. The vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship will cap off ONE 162 as Zhang Peimian and Jonathan Di Bella try to stake their claim as the division’s new king. But before the bell rings for the first round, there are plenty of other matches to keep in mind.
Notable names like Nieky Holzken and Reece McLaren return to the Circle on the main card among more great martial arts action. What should you highlight on the card? Here are three matches to watch out for at ONE 162.
Alex Silva vs. Gustavo Balart
Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex Silva is trying to make his way back into the official ONE athlete rankings, and he’ll have a great shot against #4-ranked Gustavo Balart. Silva has won three of his past four matches, including a revenge bout against Adrian Mattheis at ONE 158 after a controversial stoppage in their first meeting. One more victory against a ranked opponent should elevate him back into the title hunt.
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But the Cuban wrestling sensation is finally putting all of the pieces to the puzzle together. After a rough 2019, Balart has put together back-to-back victories to step into the rankings. If his wrestling can out-duel Silva’s BJJ, Balart could make a strong case to be next up for a shot at the title.
This is an excellent matchup between two outstanding grapplers. It significantly impacts the division’s landscape ahead of the highly-anticipated title tilt between Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks. Circle this one on the bout order, and make sure you’re tuned in when the bell rings.
Jimmy Vienot vs. Niclas Larsen
The featherweight Muay Thai division got a new king when Tawanchai PK.Saenchai toppled Petchmorakot Petchyindee at ONE 161, and this matchup could continue to stir the pot in a heated division. Niclas Larsen fell short against Tawanchai in June, while Jimmy Vienot narrowly missed snagging the title from Petchmorakot in a split-decision loss. Now the two meet to try and climb back to contendership.
Vienot has the inside track. He is currently ranked #4 in the division, and the performance against Petchmorakot showed he is at the top of the division. A dominant performance could bolster his case for another crack or at least put him in the cat bird’s seat. But Larsen is not a slouch by any stretch.
The Danish striker wants to get back at Tawanchai, and now that the Thai holds the gold, it is an even bigger goal. He can usurp Vienot’s position in the rankings and be close to earning his shot. The pressure will be on in Kuala Lumpur.
Eko Roni Saputra vs. Yodkaikaew Fairtex
The flyweight division is loaded with talent, and this matchup features two exciting up-and-coming stars wanting to break through to the next level. Yodkaikaew Fairtex started his ONE campaign strongly and wants to recapture that magic against Eko Roni Saputra. However, the Indonesian feels he is on the cusp of crashing the flyweight party in the rankings.
“Y2K” has excellent striking coming from Fairtex Gym, but he has also flashed his developing ground game. That will be important against Saputra, who will have a decided advantage on the canvas. If he can jump back into the win column by shutting his grappling down, it will go a long way to proving he is ready for the next step at flyweight.
Saputra is on a six-bout win streak, and all six wins have been finished inside the first round. The Evolve MMA talent’s steady development has made him a dark horse in the division. One more win could bring him closer to the upper echelon as he tries to become the face of Indonesian MMA.
