The chapter is nearly closed on July, but the month of August is set to be massive for ONE Championship.
Two stacked events will hit fans’ screens on August 26, the first of which will be ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II.
There is no need to wait for the calendar to turn. It is time to prepare for these incredible events and the matchups lining the card. The smoke is already drifting in, and the fire is not far behind.
Let’s get familiar with three of the most engaging storylines heading into ONE 160.
Ok Rae Yoon vs. Christian Lee Rematch Is All About The Details
To say that Christian Lee was not enthused with the decision of the first meeting would be an understatement. The United MMA star was vocal in his post-match interview and has since been vocal about how he deserved the nod instead of Ok Rae Yoon.
But that is not how the judges saw it, and it was their vote that mattered.
The immediate rematch is what he wanted, and now it’s here. The emphasis is on him to right the perceived wrong, but the South Korean is not going to go quietly.
Ok’s incredible 2021 allowed him to go from debuting prospect to World Champion in a matter of five months. It was no fluke. The Team Mad athlete is an imposing figure and has shown his resolve in tough matches.
High-level rematches are always interesting, and both men are going to be forced to make slight adjustments based on what they learned from the previous bout. It’s the tiny details that will separate these two in what was already a razor-thin first encounter.
Is Superlek The Tournament Favorite?
This isn’t a story to watch just because it’s a semifinal contest between two incredible strikers. It is a story to watch because Superlek Kiatmoo9 has been picked by many to win the entire tournament.
That is a huge statement with Rodtang Jitmuangnon, the division’s reigning king, also in the tournament.
But Walter Goncalves is hoping to stun the Thai star, set up a potential rematch with “The Iron Man,” and bring the glory back to Brazil. He is riding a lot of momentum into the matchup as the only man to finish his opponent in the quarterfinals.
Can Goncalves make it back-to-back finishes in the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix, or does Superlek come out the other side as the definitive favorite to take the tournament? The ONE 160 matchup will have a lot of compelling results no matter which striker gets his hand raised.
Rittewada vs. Saemapetch II
The opening bout of the ONE 160 main card will not just get the ball rolling. It will toss it down a mountain with incredible force.
#2-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Rittewada Petchyindee will meet #1-ranked Saemapetch Fairtex, a rematch from their meeting at ONE: NextGen II that saw Rittewada pick up a TKO victory in the second round.
But the bout only ended when a well-placed elbow from Rittewada sliced Saemapetch open. Up until that point, Saemapetch seemingly had control of the bout, and the Petchyindee representative was taking significant damage.
The rematch was necessary, and now it is here. If it is anything like the first encounter, fans are in for a treat. And with a shot at the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title possibly in the balance, both strikers will be out to make a statement.
