ONE Championship is bringing a fun slate to U.S. primetime with 12 exciting matches on Prime Video at ONE Fight Night 26. ONE Lightweight and Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian Lee defends the lightweight strap against Alibeg Rasulov, and ONE Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mayssa Bastos battles Danielle Kelly in a rematch. But there is so much more on the lineup.
Before the bell rings in Lumpinee Stadium, let’s select three more bouts you will want to watch on Friday, December 6. ONE Fight Night 26 has plenty for everyone and is sure to be an exciting night to start your weekend. Here are three matches to watch when the action begins in Bangkok, Thailand.
Petchtanong Petchfergus vs. Nabil Anane
Former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus made a triumphant return in June against Alaverdi Ramazanov. Now, he can reaffirm his spot as one of the most dangerous bantamweights against a surging phenom. That phenom, Nabil Anane, enters the showdown looking for validation that he has emerged as a true title contender.
Petchtanong could punch his ticket to a title bout with a win. As the former divisional king, a battle for the gold against current champ Jonathan Haggerty would be a main event-worthy matchup. Can he handle the pressure in the co-main event against an ultra-hungry young gun?
Anane was ousted in his debut against Superlek Kiatmoo9. Since then, he has reeled off five straight victories against some of the best strikers on the planet, but that was in Muay Thai. The 20-year-old is ready to show his kickboxing chops and supplant himself as an elite striker for years to come.
Reece McLaren vs. Jarred Brooks
There are two high-stakes flyweight matchups on the docket. The first will see #2-ranked contender Yuya Wakamatsu welcomes Gilbert Nakatani to the promotion. However, the second matchup, between Reece McLaren and Jarred Brooks, is intriguing beyond just the possible ramifications.
Brooks is the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Champion and has only lost by unfortunate disqualification against Joshua Pacio. Outside of that result, he has been dominant. However, he has his sights set on two-division gold and moving up in weight against McLaren is the first step toward that goal.
McLaren will get the chance to show off his improved defensive wrestling against the American, and Brooks must prove the size is not too much to overcome. How this match plays out could lead the winner to the shot at the vacant crown or at least leave them as the top threat to whoever fights for the belt. There is a distinct motivation to be aggressive and go for broke, which fits perfectly for both of these men and this incredible matchup.
Shamil Gasanov vs. Halil Amir
Among all the other action at ONE Fight Night 26, the featherweight showdown between Shamil Gasanov and Halil Amir seems to be flying under the radar. However, you should not sleep on this critical matchup. It is guaranteed to be exciting and the victor will walk right back into title contention.
Gasanov is the #4-ranked featherweight contender in the division and has back-to-back wins in the division. Adding Amir to his list and officially starting a winning streak would make him an intriguing contender for the winner of ONE Fight Night 27’s title tilt between Tang Kai and Akbar Abdullaev. However, Amir could easily steal his spot.
Amir was unbeaten until Abdullaev knocked him out in May. He will return rejuvenated, looking to march back to the top. This is an electric matchup on paper and has the stakes to make it one of the most important on December 6.
ONE Fight Night 26 airs live on Friday, December 6, on Prime Video. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
