Jonathan Haggerty Determined to Deliver a Spectacular Performance at ONE 171

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ONE Championship returns to the Middle East for ONE 171: Qatar on Thursday, 20 February. There, Lusail Sports Arena will host some of the biggest names in martial arts, with Jonathan Haggerty and Wei Rui headlining this blockbuster card.

The Englishman will defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against a legend from China. Haggerty attended ONE's debut event in Qatar last year. But, he wasn't on the card. Still, he was mesmerized by the show and hoped to be a part of the event in future.

Now, his wish has come true, and he is headlining the show. He will be up against Wei, who hasn't lost a single match since 2018. Haggerty praised his challenger but also stated he can demolish him.

"I went out in March 2024 for ONE 166, and I told Mr. Chatri [Sityodtong] I'd love to be a part of the next show. Obviously, we are here now, and it's up to me to go in there and put the W in front of the L," Haggerty said.

"I'm going from the pound-for-pound best in Superlek to another world-class striker in Wei Rui. He beat Hiroki Akimoto, who is great opposition in his own right. So we are not taking him lightly. But we do think we can do a demolition job on him for sure."

"The General" is often considered one of the best pound-for-pound strikers. But his stature took a hit when Superlek Kiatmoo9 crushed him in just 49 seconds in 2024. In the process, "The Kicking Machine" also took Haggerty's Muay Thai belt.

Now, he is back to restore the same respect on his name. In 2023, Haggerty ran through divisional MMA World Champion Fabricio Andrade to claim the kickboxing belt. He aims to follow the same path and secure the victory in the second round.

"I feel confident that I can put on a spectacular performance,"' he said. "I want to go down the same route as I did against Andrade, so I'm thinking a second-round stoppage. I'm coming to show everyone why I'm still the best in the world."