ONE Championship is bringing another unmissable martial arts lineup to U.S. primetime this Friday, August 4.
Two World Title showdowns will headline ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video, and the exciting card features some of the biggest names in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and submission grappling.
With so much diversity in the ring, combat sports fans of all stripes have something to look forward to.
Here, we list our top five reasons to catch the action live from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
#1 Pound-For-Pound Kings Return To Defend World Titles
The main and co-main events feature two of the top pound-for-pound athletes in their respective sports.
The card will reach its crescendo with Chingiz Allazov’s first ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title defense against legendary rival Marat Grigorian.
Allazov knocked out Superbon Singha Mawynn to earn the divisional crown following his rampage through the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix last year, and his incredible run has established him as the very best in the game right now.
However, he’ll have a tough test against Grigorian, a perennial pound-for-pound contender who defeated “Chinga” when they last met 10 years ago.
Both men are known for intense, high-volume styles, and with the sport’s biggest prize on the line, they’ll surely go toe-to-toe from the opening bell.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu superstar Mikey Musumeci will also defend his gold against Jarred Brooks as they battle for the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title.
“Darth Rigatoni” is the most decorated American BJJ competitor of all time, and he’s been unstoppable in ONE so far, posting a perfect 4-0 slate during his dominance of the flyweight submission grappling division.
He’s now facing a unique challenger in ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Brooks, who has dominated the all-around sport with his elite wrestling pedigree. Will “The Monkey God’s” grappling skill set be powerful enough to dethrone Musumeci and claim two-sport supremacy?
#2 Tawanchai Begins Journey Toward Two-Sport Glory
Tawanchai PK Saenchai is also dreaming of his chance to become a two-sport ONE World Champion – and he hasn’t given any reason to doubt him.
This Friday, the reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion will make his ONE kickboxing debut against decorated veteran Davit Kiria, and he knows a win over the Georgian striker would send a strong message.
Kiria has duked it out with the best of the best in his favored rule set, so if Tawanchai can adjust his skills from “the art of eight limbs” into the realm of kickboxing and defeat his elite rival, he’ll be right in the mix with the division’s upper echelon.
The PK Saenchai representative has won his last four matches in Muay Thai, with three coming by stoppage. Another finish – especially with Allazov and Grigorian fighting for the belt in the main event – would be the perfect way for Tawanchai to show that he’s a legitimate World Title threat.
#3 Lineker Returns For Epic Stand-Up War
John Lineker is exciting no matter who you put in front of him, but when he’s faced with a concussive slugger, wild action is guaranteed.
“Hands of Stone” earned his nickname as one of the biggest hitters in any weight class, and the former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion can put his rivals to sleep with either hand in an instant.
Despite that fearsome reputation, Kim Jae Woong has vowed to showcase his warrior spirit by absorbing the Brazilian’s heaviest strikes and firing back.
For his part, “The Fighting God” owns an impressive list of finishes, and with 26 knockouts between these two knockout artists, there’s little chance this matchup goes the distance.
Expect nonstop fireworks when Lineker and his South Korean foe meet inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
#4 Heavyweight Rising Stars Meet In Long-Awaited Battle
Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida and “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane have been matched up on multiple occasions, but their bout has never come to fruition.
Now, barring any last-minute emergencies, the surging heavyweight MMA stars will throw down in a bout that’s been two years in the making.
As a record-breaking 17-time BJJ World Champion, “Buchecha” has transferred his grappling skills to MMA seamlessly en route to a perfect 4-0 slate with four first-round finishes.
Nobody has stopped him from getting the fight to the canvas – where he does his best work – but Kane’s wrestling could be the Brazilian’s kryptonite.
“Reug Reug” is a physical specimen with an impressive skill set, and if he can take “Buchecha” out of his element, he could be the first person to unlock a potential route to victory against the unbeaten American Top Team representative.
#5 Young Phenoms Take Center Stage
Two of the most prodigious talents in ONE will feature on the card in Bangkok.
Teen striking sensation Anna “Supergirl” Jaroonsak is back in action against Lara Fernandez, while unbeaten Team Lakay standout Jhanlo Mark Sangiao looks to extend his unbeaten MMA run against rising star Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu.
“Supergirl” posted back-to-back wins in her first two matches in ONE, before dropping a split decision to former two-sport queen Stamp Fairtex in a thrilling kickboxing contest earlier this year.
At just 19, the Thai sensation has a long career ahead of her, and a kickboxing win over WBC Muay Thai World Champion Fernandez would show that she can get the job done against the top tier.
Meanwhile, Sangiao has blitzed through his first three fights in ONE with a trio of first-round submissions, but Mongolia’s Baatarkhuu is a step up in competition.
The Road to ONE Mongolia winner posted back-to-back wins in ONE Friday Fights, including one over “The Machine’s” teammate Adonis Sevilleno. He’ll now carry an eight-bout winning streak into U.S. primetime, and his relentless pressure will ask a lot of questions of the Filipino up-and-comer.
