“What can ONE Championship do for an encore this Friday night?” Given the events that transpired during last weekend’s ONE on Prime Video 14, this is a fair question to ask right now.
While it is never easy for any combat sports promotion to have to follow up a blockbuster event with another great show, this is the task that ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong is handling this week. From the looks of it, Sityodtong is rising to the occasion.
Barring any late cancellations between now and Friday, the final version of ONE on Prime Video 15 (8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT, Amazon Prime Video– North America only) features eight total bouts as the promotion moves its traveling show from Singapore to Bangkok. Just like last weekend, championships are on the line at the top of the card.
Kickboxing Supremacy in ONE on Prime Video 15 Co-Main Event
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok plays host to a cracking kickboxing affair in the ONE on Prime Video 15 co-main event. At stake: The ONE Strawweight Championship.
Incumbent titleholder Jonathan DiBella (11-0 kickboxing, 1-0 ONE Championship), a veteran of GLORY Kickboxing, defends his strap for the first time when he meets challenger Danial Williams (24-9 kickboxing, 0-2 ONE Championship). As with all kickboxing title fights, the ONE on Prime Video 15 co-main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at three minutes per round.
The full fight card for ONE Fight Night 15!#ONEFightNight15 | Oct. 6 pic.twitter.com/BPsvHzJweB
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) October 2, 2023
ONE on Prime Video 15 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the ONE on Prime Video 15 co-main event this Friday night, champion Jonathan DiBella stands as the taller man at 5-foot-8, with Danial Williams countering at 5-foot-6. Williams owns a 67.7-inch reach, with no such information available for DiBella.
Jonathan DiBella Fighting for New York City
Champion Jonathan DiBella enters the ONE on Prime Video 15 co-main event undefeated in his professional kickboxing career. Last time out, he was successful in his ONE promotional debut with a unanimous decision victory after five rounds against Zhang Peimian (16-2-1 kickboxing, 3-1 ONE Championship), netting him the belt.
Although DiBella was born in Montreal, he has spent the vast majority of his fighting career in New York City and the surrounding area. He explained that this was born out of necessity.
“In Montreal, kickboxing is illegal,” DiBella said. “So that’s why Brooklyn means a lot to me because that’s where I had almost all my pro fights, and that’s where I started my career. It means a lot to come from there and represent them, as well. I feel like they adopted me. I feel like a big part of my heart is in New York, for sure.”
Williams Ready to Give DiBella Fits in ONE on Prime Video 15 Co-Main Event
In the other corner, Danial Williams has gone 3-2 in his last five fights across all competitions, but he’s fallen on hard times of late. At the moment, “Mini T” is on a two-fight losing streak.
Last time out, he sustained a third-round knockout due to punches against Superlek Kiatmuu9 (136-29-4 Muay-Thai, 12-1 ONE Championship) on March 25 during ONE on Prime Video 8. Williams is eager to stop the skid this week, mentioning that he wants to be the toughest customer DiBella’s ever seen in the shop.
“I feel like [DiBella] got bumped up to fight for the title straight away, so I don’t feel like he’s fought the experienced guys here,” Williams said. “Zhang Peimian is probably the most experienced guy, I feel like, and yeah, that was a close fight. Very close. Head kick. If you didn’t get the head kick, I think they’d have given it to ZPM. I just feel like he hasn’t fought someone like me before.”
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Stylistically, the ONE on Prime Video 15 co-main event looks to favor Jonathan DiBella, a black belt in Kyokushin karate, compared to Danial Williams’ status as a Muay-Thai fighter.
DiBella Can Be Brutal
When Jonathan DiBella steps into the ring or the cage, violence is likely going to be on the menu, like it was in 2019 against Nick Burgos. During the second round of a scheduled three, he immediately turned up the volume with a variety of strikes.
Burgos was forced to go to the clinch several times, but it would prove immaterial since DiBella scored a knockdown in the process. From there, it was clear that this was Jonathan DiBella’s fight to win.
Nick Burgos had no answer for Jonathan DiBella on this night, and as the fight entered its third round, it was only a formality that DiBella would win it. Burgos grew increasingly frustrated with DiBella’s attacks and he resorted to holding him in the clinch repeatedly, causing the ref to wave it off as a TKO.
Watch Williams’ Shots to the Body
In the other corner, just as Jonathan DiBella is known for systematically wearing his opponents down, Danial Williams can go to the body to write a fitting ending to the story. The second round of his fight vs. Dejadmrong Sor Ammuaysirichoke is proof of that.
Right from the bell, Dejadmrong and Williams exchanged blows, but these guys wouldn’t be fighting in close spaces for very long. Upon landing a leg kick, Williams dropped Dejadmrong with a push.
Although Dejadmrong did briefly take top mount, Williams escaped and assumed control of the fight, landing a flurry of punches, including one to the body to cause Dejadmrong to go down and out in under two minutes.
Final Thoughts
This looks to be a great start to a huge championship weekend of combat sports. ONE Championship usually delivers the goods when it comes to title fights, so there’s no reason why that shouldn’t be the case here in the co-main event.
Prediction: Jonathan DiBella by Unanimous Decision.
