ONE 159: Zeba Bano believes grappling will be advantage over Lea Bivins

Bengaluru, July 14: Indian competitor Zeba Bano believes that grappling will be an advantage when she faces Lea Bivins in the ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash event which is set to take place on 22 July at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.

Bano is aware of the mistakes that led to her defeat against Nat "Wondergirl" Jaroonsak at ONE 157. In that fight, she tried to match her opponent's striking game, which worked to the Thai's advantage. Wondergirl used her expertise from the clinch to land a knee on Bano's forehead before finishing the match with an armbar.

Aside from that mental mistake, she admitted that the bright lights got the best of her. However, she vows for a different outcome when she goes up against Bivins in an atomweight MMA bout on the lead card of ONE 159.

"I was a bit nervous in my first fight. You will definitely not see that. I could not showcase what I wanted to show in my debut. I will properly display it in my second fight," Bano said.

ONE 159: Zeba Bano vows to give her best against Lea Bivins

The fighting pride of Haryana wants to turn the match into a grappling contest because that's her strong suit. However, a victory isn't guaranteed if she uses her ground game because Bivins also has wrestling skills from training with Atomweight Champion Angela Lee and her siblings, former Lightweight Champion Christian Lee and upstart Victoria Lee, at United MMA.

Bano did not elaborate on Bivins' strengths and weaknesses because she prefers to work on her own game. However, there's a sense of urgency in her to win if she wants to climb the ranks and face the top competitors of the division.

"She is a wrestler. I have seen her Instagram profile. She looks like a good fighter. I see her as a warrior. Let's see what happens inside the circle," Bano said.

ONE Championship: Zeba Bano excited that more Indians embrace Mixed Martial Arts

The Indian competitor refrained from giving a fight prediction and wanted to focus on the fight itself. That's why she told Bivins to concentrate on her game. But for her Indian fans, Bano has nothing but love and appreciation to share. In fact, she hopes to win her upcoming match for her country.

"Thank you for all the support. I am what I am today because of you. I want to fly the tricolor [Indian flag] very soon. Lots of people have expectations for me, and I plan to deliver. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart," she said.

Watch ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash on Disney+ Hotstar or Star Sports Select 1, beginning with the lead card at 3:30 PM IST on Friday, July 22. Meanwhile, the main card broadcasts live on Disney+ Hotstar and Star Sports Select 1 at 6 PM IST.

Source: Media Release