ONE Championship returns to the Singapore Indoor Stadium for ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee on Friday, November 18. The latest edition to the Prime Video series will see nine bouts in U.S. primetime across three sports. But what ones should you make sure to see as we near the holiday season?
The card is headlined by two title tilts and is bolstered by stars such as Bibiano Fernandes, Cosmo Alexandre, and Danielle Kelly. The fire these athletes will bring into the Circle will be a perfect way to stay warm as the temperature drops outside. Here are three matchups you will want to have circled on the bout sheet this Friday.
Kiamrian Abbasov vs. Christian Lee
Christian Lee will have a chance to become a two-division World Champion at ONE on Prime Video 4, but that’s not the sole reason to make sure to watch the main event. The matchup against former ONE Welterweight World Champion Kiamrian Abbasov pits two exciting finishers against one another. Abbasov will have much to prove after his last outing, and that could lead to a firefight in the center of the Circle.
The storyline of Lee’s pursuit is intriguing enough, but we will get to see how he looks against a strong middleweight opponent. How much will size come into play? It’s a storyline that perhaps became more interesting after Abbasov missed weight. Will that fact lead to “Brazen” fading into the championship rounds?
There is a lot of unknown with the tactics for this matchup. Both men love finishing early but could try to drag this one out into the later rounds. We won’t know until the bell rings. Regardless, the welterweight division will be shaken up one way or the other by night’s end.
Rodtang vs. Joseph Lasiri
Much like the main event, the co-main features a champion moving up in weight in an attempt to get double gold. In this instance, ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Joseph Lasiri will attempt to dethrone Rodtang Jitmuangnon for the flyweight belt. But it would be a jaw-dropping result to see Rodtang fall, which is why it is a can’t-miss matchup.
At this stage, Rodtang seemingly has an aura around him. That aura that is so rare in combat sports that only a few reach. “The Iron Man” seems almost unbeatable in his division at this moment. He is on that kind of roll and has generated that sort of buzz. But Lasiri knows how to pull off a staggering upset. He did it earlier this year against Prajanchai PK.Saenchai.
Whether you tune in to see a possible upset or just to witness the greatness of Rodtang, the co-main event is essential viewing for combat sports fans. It will be special either way. Either a legend grows, or a legend is defeated. Those are the types of things that make this sport amazing.
Jonathan Haggerty vs. Vladimir Kuzmin
The Muay Thai battle between Jonathan Haggerty and Vladimir Kuzmin will be the featured lead card matchup when the event hits Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The contest will be a must-watch to see how “The General” performs moving up in weight against a talented bantamweight striker. If successful, Haggerty could jump right into the title picture.
The Brit believes that he will carry greater knockout power up in weight when not depleting his body. If true, that will make him a tough out for anyone in the division. Because of this, he already has eyes on Nong-O Gaiyanghadao and the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. However, Kuzmin will test that theory right out of the gate.
The former flyweight king is making the move as his body matures. He already feels as if he has accomplished everything at flyweight and is seeking bigger challenges. This bout is almost like a proof of concept. Kuzmin can derail that hype train at the station and build his way back to the top off Haggerty’s name by stopping him right at the beginning of his bantamweight journey.
ONE on Prime Video 4 airs live and free to all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, November 18, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
