B-Sides: ONE 171

In which ONE gets a bunch of Qatari money to remember they have MMA fighters.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 FROM LUSAIL SPORTS ARENA, QATAR
PRELIMS: 9:00 AM EST
BROADCAST: ONE’s YouTube Channel

The ONE Championship machine rolls on, and this time it’s heading all the way out to Qatar with ONE 171: Haggerty vs. Wei. An MMA heavy card, this one is seeing several rematches, a jiu jitsu prodigy trying to establish a solid MMA career, and a smattering of kickboxing to, I assume, stop the people from falling asleep.

A quick note to keep in mind: fight records used below display the fighter’s record in that specific division. For example, if a 14-0 MMA fighter does their first Muay Thai fight, they will appear as 0-0.

ONE Bantamweight (145 lbs) Kickboxing World Championship: Jonathan Haggerty(c) (1-0) vs. Rui Wei (12-2)

The UK’s golden boy, Haggerty had a rocky start in ONE’s flyweight division, where he lost twice to Rodtang. Though, considering its Rodtang, that’s not really too bad. Since his move to bantamweight, Haggerty has reinvented himself and scored a spectacular knock out against Nong-O Hama for the bantamweight belt. Following this up, Haggerty popped over to the kickboxing division and took on Fabricio de Andrade for the inaugural ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship. It took Haggerty two rounds to end the affair and become a two-sport champion in ONE, probably the closest the organization has to a comparison to a two division champion in the UFC.

Haggerty would head back to muay thai to defend his title against a very game Felipe Lobo who, again, Haggerty dispatched of in the third round helping further cement his status as one of the most dynamic strikers in the sport. Things seemed to be going Haggerty’s way until he came up against Superlek Kiatmoo9 for his next defense for his muay thai title. There wasn’t much going for Haggerty in that outing, being put away by a very dangerous Superlek inside of a round, losing his first title belt. Now he is back, and looking to defend what’s left of his gold against a very game challenger who themselves brings a whole list of issues.

Standing across the ring will be Wei Rui, who, if you’ve not been watching K-1 over the past few years, you may not have heard of. Arguably one of China’s most decorated kickboxers on a global stage, Wei brings a wealth of experience and a technical, methodical approach to the ring. Known for his crisp boxing combinations and devastating low kicks, Wei is a master of controlling the pace and breaking down his opponents over time. So much so this brought him a K-1 championship back in 2017. On paper, Rui has all the credentials to be in this title fight that is doubling as his debut in ONE.

Meanwhile, Haggerty’s style is built on precision, speed, and versatility. He has mastered distance management and when successful, it becomes a big problem for his opponents. With that said, Haggerty’s rhythm being disrupted is Wei’s way in to claiming their first ONE championship belt. If he can cut off the ring and force Haggerty into a slower, more technical fight, he has the tools to dethrone the Brit.

ONE Strawweight (125 lbs) MMA World Championship: Joshua Pacio(c) (22-4) vs. Jared Brooks (ic) (21-4)

The Philippines’ Joshua Pacio has firmly established himself as a mainstay in ONE’s strawweight MMA division, let alone being his country’s premier MMA competitor. After a short run in the UFC which included a controversial deicison loss to Deiveson Figueredo and an accidental “I KO’d myself with a slam”, Pacio still put together some solid performances as a young prospect but the UFC weren’t as impressed and let him go. Moving on to RIZIN then ONE, Pacio continued to string wins together as he developed as a fighter. Over time, Pacio has shown to be a threat in pretty much every area and has helped make the division meaningful. Well, about as meaningful as an MMA division in ONE is, but that’s not really his fault! His use of fluid striking and crisp precision in addition to effective counter grappling has allowed him to dismantle opponents en route to being a multi-time ONE champion.

In fact, since 2019 Pacio has been one of two people who have held the Strawweight belt. It’s been a back and forth affair between and Jared Brooks and, much like the Moreno-Figueiredo series, its been a barn-burner each and every time that has effectively been a level 50:50.

With a moniker like “The Monkey God” it’s hard not to like Jared Brooks as a fighter. A wrestling powerhouse, Brooks utilizes an aggressive style that combines high-pressure forward movement with suffocating top control. Since joining ONE Championship after a middling performance in UFC, he put a string of dominant wins together en route to his first meeting with Pacio in 2022 which saw the American claim his first world title. His next two outings came with back-to-back loses to Mikey Musumeci in a grappling match which to be fair is like losing to Michael Jordan in a one-on-one game, and then to Pacio in a rematch for the title, which Brooks loss via an illegal slam. I did mention he has an aggressive style, right? That loss of the title put the pair at an even 1-to-1 in their rivalry, though arguably Brooks is ahead of Pacio if you consider that DQ loss moot. Regardless, this required Brooks to keep pushing forward to earn a shot at the title again. As luck would have it, opportunity came in the form of an interim title fight against Gustavo Balart which saw Balart being disqualified from winning the title due to missing weight. Like I said, luck definitely played a role in that one.

With his win over Balart, a rubber match against Pacio was set and now it is upon us. While Brooks’ grappling presents a clear threat, Pacio’s striking, movement, and vastly improved defensive wrestling make him a formidable challenge. This fight is likely to come down to whether Pacio can keep the distance and avoid being taken down, or if Brooks can impose his grappling dominance like he has done against Pacio in the past. Striking and tactical defensive wrestling should give Pacio the edge, but Brooks is known for relentless pressure, so this really a pick-em fight in my estimation.

Bantamweight (145 lbs) Kickboxing: Petchtanong Petchfergus (6-2) vs. Ilias Ennahachi (4-1)

A seasoned Muay Thai veteran, Petchtanong Petchfergus has built a career on his striking mastery, particularly his devastating leg kicks and strong clinch game. With decades of experience, he has become a standout in both muay thai and kickboxing, earning a reputation for his resilience and ability to control the pace of his fights disrupting any sense of rhythm his opponents attempt to mount for themselves.

The reigning Flyweight Kickboxing Champion, Ilias Ennahachi appears always game for a challenge and determined to take another divisional title for himself. Rising to prominence for his speed, movement, and versatile striking Ilias has steadily been transitioning from muay thai to kickboxing, and has excelled due to his clean technique, fast footwork, and the ability to control distance and timing in his fights. He is known for his ability to exploit openings and land counter-strikes with precision, as demonstrated in his dominant performances within the promotion. Whereas Petchfergus has resiliency to his benefit, Ennahachi is a dynamic, technical kickboxer, utilizing superior footwork, counter-striking, and fluid movements to his benefit. Something that is hard to counter against.

This fight is, at its core, a pairing of a powerful striker taking on a very agile and hard to hit opponent. For Petchtanong, a victory would offer him another shot at the title, something that may become less available as age starts to catch up on him. For Ennahachi, a win in this division would help him make a case for a shot at the winner of the night’s main event for the belt and an opportunity to become a two-weight division champion.

Middleweight (205 lbs) MMA: Aung La Nsang (30-14) vs. Shamil Edrogan (10-0)

A former, and ONE’s first ever, two-division champion, Aung La Nsang has long since been the dominant threat to the Middleweight division in ONE. Despite this, he is still arguably ONE’s first ever breakout stars and he has not been as easy as a walkover as his record may imply. Known for his explosive knockout power and ability to finish fights in a variety of ways, Nsang has numerous highlight-reel finishes and strong victories, including since he lost his belts to Reinier de Ridder back in 2020.

For Nsang, this fight is an opportunity to reassert himself as the top middleweight contender and regain momentum after losing his championship titles. That however, comes with a big caveat as he is re-matching a man who flatlined him last time out.

Turkey’s Shamil Edrogan, can best be described as a wrestler with heavy hands. I know, not very new or stylish but also easily one of the strongest core foundations an MMA fighter can ask for. He has developed a reputation for having suffocating pressure and strong control once on top. Which, again, isn’t surprising given his wrestling pedigree. Coming in with an undefeated record heading into this bout, Edrogan has quickly established himself as a possible title contender whenever ONE remembers they have upper weight class championships to have defended.

A classic striker-versus-wrestler matchup, Nsang's knockout power will be a major threat if the fight stays standing, while Edrogan will likely look to close the distance early and take the fight to the ground. The question will be whether Nsang has what’s left in the tank to defend against Edrogan's wrestling or whether Edrogan can avoid being caught on the feet. Given that the last time these two faced off, it came with an Edrogan win I am leaning more towards the Turk in this one.

Welterweight (185 lbs) MMA: Roberto Soldić (20-4) vs. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev (9-2)

Roberto Soldić, a devastating knockout artist, has earned a reputation in KSW for his ferocity in the welterweight division. With a blend of technical striking and raw power, Soldić has finished most of his fights early, making him one of the most feared strikers in the division. His ability to land a fight-ending shot at any moment is his biggest strength, and he has proven himself against a variety of top-tier competitors. However, this is his third outing for ONE and he has yet to solidify a win. His first bout ended in a no-contest due to a groin shot, and then a loss via TKO. This is a do-or-die situation in any other context for Soldić and an opportunity to establish his presence in the division.

Turkey’s Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev…look I’m just gonna call him SGA I can’t type that name out easily OK? Anyway, SGA is an aggressive and relentless wrestler, is known for his non-stop pressure and grappling. Not surprising that his last bout was against Tye Ruotolo in a submission match, which while he lost isn’t really an indictment. In fact, SGA’s only loses have been to Ruotolo in a grappling match which is not awful considering who Ruotolo is; an MMA fight against Christian Lee who is not really great to lose to but also he’s ONE’s golden boy so again, fair enough I guess; and Georgi Stoyanov via an illegal kick which yeah, OK that’s a legit dumb way to lose but he was also fairly green to MMA at the time. Over his career he has developed into a top-tier fighter in the welterweight division with his ability to overwhelm opponents with his relentless pace and suffocating control. SGA’s aggressive style poses a significant challenge for any opponent, particularly those who struggle with grappling. A win here for SGA would push him closer to a title shot and establish himself as one of the division’s most dangerous wrestlers.

This fight ultimately comes down to whether SGA can close the distance and avoid being caught by Soldić’s explosive strikes. If SGA can get the fight to the ground, his wrestling and control may prove to be too much for Soldić. However, if Soldić can keep the fight standing and land his powerful strikes, he could easily finish the fight early.

Bantamweight (145 lbs) MMA: Bibiano Fernandes (24-6) vs. Kevin Belingon (20-10)

This is a fairly odd one as its a rematch, except its a series that is 2-1 in Fernandes’ favor. Its….well, its a very ONE thing to do I guess.

One of the best, and oddly ignored, bantamweight and featherweight fighters in the world, Bibiano Fernandes has a career spanning multiple organizations almost all exclusively outside the UFC. Over that time Fernandes has built a reputation for his submission skills, relentless pressure, and well-rounded game that set himself far far apart from his non-UFC counterparts. A former champion in ONE Championship, his grappling acumen remains his most dangerous weapon. As age has caught up to him, Fernandes has been the longest losing skid in his career, at two loses back to back. I want to point that out as that helps explain how good and consistent he has been in this very unforgiving sport. The only other time he has faced this many losses in a row was in 2006 when he had just started MMA. While he is on the older side of things, a win would potentially put him back in the title picture given his tenure and history with reigning champion John Lineker.

Kevin Belingon, a dynamic striker and former title challenger, is known for his fast-paced, aggressive style. His striking is built around his explosiveness, and he can land powerful blows from a variety of angles. While his wrestling and grappling have been areas of growth, Belingon’s primary focus has been on using his athleticism and speed to outpace opponents on the feet. For Belingon, a victory is needed. He’s 0-5 and the last win he had was against Fernandes back in 2018. He desperately needs this win at this point in his career, else he ends up in a more regional scene given the lack of competition he presents.

As I mentioned, this is the fourth fight between the two dating back to 2018. Belingon took their first fight in a shocking decision loss for Fernandes who, by all accounts, was at the peak of his career. Since then? Fernandes has just dominated the Filipino each time out with finishes. I pretty much expect the same given Fernandes’ far more formidable skill set.

Featherweight (155 lbs) MMA: Shamil Gasanov (14-1) vs. Martin Ngyuen (15-7)

A rising star in the featherweight division, Shamil Gasanov, is a well-rounded fighter who carries with him the age old “really good wrestler who can smother you” that has become somewhat the norm for any of Russia’s MMA prospects these days. With an undefeated record, Gasanov has impressed with his ability to control opponents on the ground and his strategic approach to each fight. While his striking is solid, but his grappling remains his biggest asset, which should give him the edge. With a victory, Gasanov would establish a case for a title fight given his consistent string of wins over the past year.

A former featherweight champion, Australia’s Martin Nguyen has been a mainstay at the top of the division due to his dynamic striking and finishing ability. Known for his precise technique and knockout power, Nguyen has proven himself against elite competition, but he faces a new challenge in Gasanov’s wrestling-heavy game. A victory would revive his career and push him back into the championship picture, making this a critical bout for both fighters.

The bout centers around whether Gasanov can impose his wrestling to take Nguyen to the ground and neutralize his striking. If Nguyen can keep the fight standing and use his knockout power, he has the advantage, but Gasanov’s grappling could make it difficult for Nguyen to land clean shots.

Heavyweight (265+ lbs) MMA: Mauro Cerilli (15-5) vs. Kirill Grishenko (6-2)

Known for his knockout power, Italy’s Mauro Cerilli is a heavy-hitting heavyweight with a reputation for finishing fights quickly. This aggressive style has led to several notable knockout wins, and he looks to end the fight as soon as possible. His career in ONE has, like all heavyweights, been a yo-yo of wins and losses. Which, to be fair to Cerilli, included two bouts against a then-champion Brandon Vera and a future “champion” in Arjan Bhullar. It is ultimately a fight that Cerilli needs to win in order to keep any momentum he has going as he’s not been able to string two fights together since he joined ONE back in 2018.

His opponent, Kirill Grishenko, is himself a well-rounded heavyweight with a solid all-around mixture of solid striking and effective grappling. He has shown composure and control, especially in close-quarters exchanges, and has the ability to wear down opponents with his steady pace and pressure. The sole losses on his record are from former champion Anatoly Malykhin who himself was en route to a title shot, and a heelhook loss to Marcus Buchecha, both of which aren’t really all that embarrassing of losses for someone who is less than 10 fights into their career.

The fight boils down to whether Cerilli can land his knockout punch early or if Grishenko can impose his pace and control the fight with a more well-rounded approach. If Grishenko can avoid the early flurry from Cerilli, he may be able to grind out a decision with his ability to mix up his techniques. With a solid win here, Cerilli has an opportunity to prove that he can be a top contender and make a case for Reug Reug’s title. Meanwhile a victory for Grishenko would also result in an opportunity to make a case for the title as well. Making this fight a significant one for the, rather bleak, heavyweight picture in ONE.

Bantamweight (145 lbs) MMA: Jake Peacock (4-1) vs. Shinji Suzuki (7-6-1)

Jake Peacock, a talented Muay Thai practitioner, has developed a strong reputation in the bantamweight Muay Thai scene. His aggressive style and technical prowess make him a dangerous fighter, and he will look to impose his striking skills in this matchup. And he all does this with only one arm. To be a formidable threat despite what on paper would be considered a disadvantage is quite a big deal in combat sports. He is, for lack of a better analogy, the muay thai Nick Newell.

Japan’s Shinji Suzuki is an explosive and dynamic Muay Thai fighter, known for his speed and power. His ability to land clean strikes with both hands and feet makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the division.

Peacock’s skills in Muay Thai focus on his clinch, knees, and leg kicks, while Suzuki is known for his fast-paced striking and ability to switch between offense and defense seamlessly.

This fight will feature a battle between two highly skilled Muay Thai practitioners. Peacock’s ability to close the distance and control Suzuki in the clinch will be key, while Suzuki will need to use his speed and movement to avoid being caught in close exchanges. A win for Peacock would further establish his place among the top contenders in the bantamweight Muay Thai scene. For Suzuki, a victory here could help him revitalize his middling career, making a significant step towards working his way up the rankings.

Women’s Atomweight (115 lbs) MMA: Ritu Phogat (7-3) vs. Ayaka Miura (14-5)

With a background as an accomplished wrestler, Ritu Phogat has made a successful transition to MMA with a strong grappling-based style. Her wrestling pedigree has been the cornerstone of her career, allowing her to control opponents and impose her will in the cage. It’s not shocking though, that the wrestler does struggling in some areas, especially striking. With recent losses to Stamp Fairtex and Tiffany Teo, Phogat is on a recent skid that they’re looking to turn around.

A fellow grappler, Ayaka Miura caries with her specialization less in wrestling and more on submission grappling. With a dangerous ground game, Miura has built her career on her ability to lock in submissions and finish fights. Comparatively, Miura has a lot more experience at the upper ranks of the division having challenged for the title against Jingnan Xiong back in 2022.

The fight will hinge on which fighter can control the grappling exchanges. Phogat will aim to implement her wrestling, while Miura will look to use her submissions to neutralize Phogat's offensive takedowns. The clinch and ground game will likely be where this fight is decided.

Lightweight (170 lbs) MMA: Kade Ruotolo (2-0) vs. Nicolas Vigna (7-0)

Kade Ruotolo is, by far, one of the best jiu jitsu competitors in the world and has recently transitioned to MMA as well. To say he is known for his technical proficiency on the ground would be an understatement. It’s not everyday that you’re a young 20-something who within the past few years won an ADCC World Championship, $1 million tournament at Craig Jones Invitational, and also are the current ONE Welterweight Submisison Grappling champion. Those three accomplishments alone make Kade eligible for a Hall of Fame career in just grappling. Only two fights into his career, Ruotolo has quickly become a standout in the lightweight division, with an ability to finish fights both quickly and efficiently.

Facing him in Qatar is the much older Nicolas Vigna, who himself is a well-rounded lightweight fighter with a focus on striking and grappling. While not as decorated in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as Ruotolo, Vigna has solid fundamentals and has shown the ability to mix up his striking and ground game. As a versatile fighter, Vigna has the ability to be able to adapt his game plan depending on Ruotolo given his more balanced skill set that includes solid striking and grappling.

This bout will be a clash between Ruotolo’s ground dominance and Vigna’s all-around approach. Ruotolo will likely look to take the fight to the ground, where his submission skills could be a significant threat. Vigna will need to keep the fight standing and avoid Ruotolo’s submissions in order to have a chance to land his own strikes. A win for Ruotolo will, most likely, see him challenge for the divisional title relatively soon given his popularity and strength of dominant performances. For Vigna, victory enables him to establish himself as a genuine contender in the division, as well as derail a the Ruotolo hype train.