ONE Championship prides itself on testing boundaries and keeping the combat sports world on its toes.
Here are three reasons to watch ONE on Prime Video 18:
1. Top Billing
Two of the premier featherweights in the region are set to lock horns in the makeshift main event, as the once-beaten Shamil Gasanov takes on Ho Taek Oh at 155 pounds. An injury to Elias Mahmoudi nixed the original headliner and prompted matchmakers to rebook Superlek Kiatmoo9 for a later date. Gasanov looks to be the primary beneficiary, provided he can get his hand raised. The Shikshabekov Team product debuted in 2015, started his career with nine consecutive victories and enjoyed a title run in the Professional Fighting Championship organization. Gasanov suffered his first professional setback on July 14, when he submitted to a kneebar from five-time Eddie Bravo Invitational champion Garry Tonon at ONE on Prime Video 12. Now, Oh stands in his path. The 30-year-old South Korean grappler has won seven of his past eight bouts. Like Gasanov, he finds himself on the rebound following a 44-second technical knockout loss to Akbar Abdullaev at ONE on Prime Video 8 in March.
2. A Showcase for ‘Pretty Boy’
Kwon Won Il continues to hover near the front of the contenders line in the ONE bantamweight division. The South Korean knockout artist enters his latest assignment opposite Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg on the strength of back-to-back victories. Il has not yet fought for ONE championship gold, though that could soon change so long as he maintains his current trajectory. “Pretty Boy” holds an 8-4 record across his 12 appearances in the promotion, his run highlighted by knockouts of Bruno Pucci and former bantamweight titleholder Kevin Belingon. On the other side of the equation, Zoltsetseg has won six of his nine bouts since he linked arms with ONE in 2018. The 27-year-old Mongolian last competed at ONE Friday Fights 34, where he pumped the brakes on a two-fight losing streak with a split decision over Rui Chen on Sept. 22.
3. Hierarchical Conflict
Artem Belakh wants a bigger piece of the ONE bantamweight pie. The Russian submission specialist looks to bounce back from a technical knockout loss to the aforementioned Il when he squares off with Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in a three-round feature at 145 pounds. Belakh, 27, has secured seven of his nine career victories by submission, five of them inside one round. An October 2022 unanimous decision over Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Leandro Issa highlights the Oleg Perevertunov protégé’s resume. Baatarkhuu, meanwhile, steps into the spotlight with the wind of a nine-fight winning streak in his sails. The 35-year-old Team Tungaa rep last appeared at ONE on Prime Video 13, where he put away Jhanlo Mark Sangiao with a second-round kneebar on Aug. 4. Baatarkhuu has finished four of his last five opponents.