While the ambitious One Championship organization continues to spread its tentacles far and wide, it still butters its bread in Southeast Asia.
Here are three reasons to watch ONE on Prime Video 15:
1. Double Trouble
A pair of title fights headline the event. Thanh Le will confront Russian knockout artist Ilya Freymanov for the interim ONE featherweight crown in the featured attraction, with incumbent champion Kai Tang awaiting the winner in a unification bout sometime in the not-too-distant future. Le has compiled a stellar 13-2 record over his past 15 outings, all while cementing himself as a must-see attraction abroad. The Kentucky-born taekwondo practitioner and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt held sway over the ONE featherweight division for almost two years, having surrendered the 155-pound title in a unanimous decision loss to Tang at ONE 160 in August. On the other side of the equation, Freymanov enters the cage on the strength of a five straight victories, all of them finishes. He last fought on June 9, when he subdued Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their ONE on Prime Video 11 clash. Meanwhile, Jonathan Di Bella puts his ONE kickboxing strawweight championship on the line against Danial Williams in the co-main event.
2. Generational Divide
Multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Mikey Musumeci will test his world-class skills against former One Championship, Dream and Shooto titleholder Shinya Aoki in an openweight submission grappling showcase. Musumeci owns a perfect 5-0 record under the ONE banner. The 27-year-old Marlboro, New Jersey, native last appeared at ONE on Prime Video 13, where he submitted Jarred Brooks with a triangle armbar 7:30 into their Aug. 4 contest. Aoki, now 40, has competed twice as a submission grappler since he linked arms with Sityodtong more than a decade ago: “Tobikan Judan” tapped to a Garry Tonon heel hook at ONE “Dynasty of Heroes” in May 2017 and lost a unanimous decision to Kade Ruotolo at ONE 157 in May 2022.
3. No Soft Landings
Former strawweight champion Joshua Pacio finds himself on the rebound after surrendering his title, as he collides with the undefeated Mansur Malachiev in a three-round showcase at 125 pounds. The 27-year-old Pacio remains a One Championship pillar, even after a unanimous decision loss to the aforementioned Brooks at ONE 164 on Dec. 3 cost him his belt and snapped a four-fight winning streak. He holds a 10-4 mark in One Championship and has never suffered back-to-back defeats in his 23-fight career. Malachiev stands as an imposing obstacle. He made his organizational debut and improved to 11-0 at ONE on Prime Video 11, where he put away Jeremy Miado with a guillotine choke in the first round of their June 9 battle. Malachiev has secured nine of his 11 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.