ONE 171: Qatar – Wei Rui Aims To End Jonathan Haggerty’s World Title Reign

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Acclaimed striker Wei Rui is just one step away from making history. He could become the first Chinese fighter to claim the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title when he faces Jonathan Haggerty at ONE 171: Qatar this Thursday, 20 February.

Last year at Lusail Sports Arena - where he'll contend for divisional gold - his compatriot Tang Kai cemented his own legacy by becoming the undisputed featherweight MMA king. Now, Wei has the chance to add another feather to his country's cap.

The 33-year-old superstar has had clear goals since joining ONE Championship in 2024. Now, Wei believes he is ready to take the belt from Haggerty and won't give him any chance whatsoever.

"When I joined ONE Championship, my goal was to fight for the belt, no matter who the opponent is. It's currently Haggerty. I'll take down Haggerty first. No matter who holds the belt in the future, I've come to ONE Championship to get the belt," Wei said.

"Instead of failing and then just falling apart, I believe that Haggerty won't be affected by the last fight. Instead, that loss will motivate him even more. I think he's trying to prove himself with this fight. But, sorry, I won't give him that chance."

That said, the hard-hitting Haggerty is a formidable opponent. Having won Muay Thai World Titles in two different divisions in ONE, he has fought and defeated some big names in striking world. "Demon Blade" is fully aware of that.

Wei, however, hasn't lost a single match since 2018 and is riding a 21-fight winning streak. He analyzed his opponent's strengths and weaknesses, stating that his power will be far superior to Haggerty's.

"I think Haggerty's speed and explosiveness, those are his strengths. His weakness is also visible to everyone - his abdomen. His ability to take body shots is definitely a disadvantage," Wei said.

"I'm confident in my speed as being equal, and my output and power of my strikes I think are superior to his. I did a lot of homework for this fight."