ONE Championship will be back in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 4. ONE Fight Night 13 features two title bouts at the top of the card and eight additional contests featuring outstanding martial artists. But which matches should captivate your attention heading into the event?
The stakes are high with champions defending, challengers leaving it all on the table, and up-and-comers trying to make noise with a big showing. This card has a little bit of everything, and that is exactly why fans need to have Prime Video loaded up on August 4. Ahead of the action-packed lineup, here are three bouts to make sure you see on Friday.
Chingiz Allazov vs. Marat Grigorian
The main event is not a bout that is flying under the radar, but it deserves every bit of attention it is receiving. Anytime the pound-for-pound king enters the ring, the world should be watching. When he enters against another pound-for-pound foe and one who has a win over him previously, it is imperative to highlight it on the lineup.
That is the case with ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Chingiz Allazov vs. Marat Grigorian. Allazov has soared to the top of the division and is recognized as the pound-for-pound king. On August 4, he has a chance to get redemption against Grigorian, who beat him nearly a decade ago. It has been a long time coming, but the rematch is finally here.
What makes this matchup even more enticing is that both men love to be aggressive when the bell rings. Although both featherweights are tactical and precise, they come forward and throw. This main event has everything an elite title tilt should have and a little bit more. Allazov vs. Grigorian is one of, if not the best, kickboxing matchup of the year.
John Lineker vs. Kim Jae Woong
Anytime John “Hands of Stone” Lineker competes, MMA fans want to be locked in. The Brazilian always goes for the finish and has been one of the most exciting competitors over his long career. Coming off a losing effort to Fabricio Andrade and losing his bantamweight belt, Lineker will be as motivated as ever.
South Korea’s Kim Jae Woong will be looking for his biggest win to date against Lineker. The 30-year-old has a perfect 100% finishing rate in ONE competition, including three KO/TKOs. And with a nickname like “The Fighting God,” he is the perfect opponent for Lineker.
Fans can use whatever superlative they want with this bantamweight clash because it warrants all of it. These two warriors are always out to deliver excitement and seek knockouts. Expect leather to be slinging at a high rate when the bell rings as both men try to get back into contention for the gold.
Marcus Almeida vs. Oumar Kane
Heavyweight contenders will seek to stake their claim as the next challenger in this massive matchup. It will also be an interesting stylistic battle pitting wrestling against jiu-jitsu one more time. BJJ icon Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida and “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane will lock horns in a huge showdown.
It will be very interesting to see the game plans for both men, specifically Kane. Will he utilize his wrestling offensively, or due to “Buchecha’s” outstanding ground game, will he prefer to use it defensively to keep the bout standing? Or will Almeida find a way to the canvas regardless? That detail alone may determine the outcome of the bout.
With Amir Aliakbari and Anatoly Malykhin seemingly on a collision course, this matchup could provide the next challenger after that battle of titans. This is a massive platform for them to make their case, and the winner will be in a very good position to call for their shot. With the sheer size of both men, this one is unlikely to reach the judge’s scorecards.
ONE Fight Night 13 will air live on Friday, August 4, on Prime Video. The action will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all U.S. and Canadian Prime Video subscribers.
In a recent episode of the Couch Warrior Podcast, host Mike welcomed Charalampos Grigoriou, who recently won a contract during season 7 of Dana White's Contender Series after knocking out Cameron Smotherman one minute into the fight. The conversation delved into Grigoriou's martial arts journey, his feelings on representing Cyprus and Greece, and future plans.
