ONE Championship is back in U.S. primetime with a stacked card from the Impact Arena in Bangkok. ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II will be an electric card on June 7. Headlining the action will be a rematch between Tawanchai PK Saenchai and Jo Nattawut for the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship.
But what outside of the main event will whet your appetite? Let’s dig deeper into the action on the tremendous lineup of bouts. Here are three matches to have your popcorn ready for when ONE hits Prime Video for ONE 167.
Mikey Musumeci vs. Gabriel Sousa
Mikey Musumeci has become one of the faces of submission grappling. He has dominated the ONE ranks and shown why the sport can be exciting and ruthless. Now, he gets Gabriel Sousa, the last man to defeat him.
Additionally, the match will be contested at bantamweight. How will Musumeci handle the move up in weight, and could he let his emotions get the better of him? Or will those factors only bring out the best in the American?
This is an elite grappling matchup, but the added factors make it a compelling showdown. As soon as the bell rings, expect “Darth Rigatoni” to go after his opponent. This grappling encounter will be fast-paced and one tiny mistake by either will likely result in a submission.
Kade Ruotolo vs. Blake Cooper
Speaking of grapplers, Kade Ruotolo is also on the card. The ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion will make his MMA debut against Blake Cooper. It will be the first look into what Ruotolo can do on the feet.
Ruotolo will still have the expectation to take the match to the mat, but all bouts begin standing. Getting a glimpse into where his striking acumen is will be a good sign of how long he has to go before contending with the division’s elite. Is he ready to jump right into the fire or does he need more seasoning during this transition?
They are big questions and ones that will be answered as Cooper has no plans to shy away from the Californian. The Hawaiian has all the motivation to stop Ruotolo’s hype train before it leaves the station. The lightweight scrap has all the ingredients to sizzle in Bangkok.
Johan Ghazali vs. Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat
Johan Ghazali may be the next big thing in Muay Thai. The Malaysian-American has shined since arriving in ONE as a 16-year-old prodigy. After a blistering body shot win in his last performance, he will take a massive step up in competition at ONE 167.
Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat will test Ghazali in every single area. “No. 1” can use this to erase the taste of defeat from his last outing and jump right back into the thick of things at flyweight. Duy Nhat is more than a litmus test; he is a motivated opponent who can easily prove Ghazali is not ready for the elite.
With three-minute rounds, this match is going to be adrenaline-personified. Both men are aggressive from the outset and will want to try for a highlight-reel finish. Whoever shines the brightest will elevate their stock to new heights in a jam-packed flyweight division.
ONE 167 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, June 7. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
