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ONE Championship: Three MMA Fights We Want To See In 2023

The ONE roster is jam-packed with talent across all four of its featured sports, so the possibilities for exciting matchups are endless.

ONE Championship

Singapore, January 20: 2023 is already shaping up to be a bumper year for ONE Championship. With World Title blockbusters lined up for every event on the calendar so far, there is plenty for fans to look forward to over the next 12 months.

The ONE roster is jam-packed with talent across all four of its featured sports, so the possibilities for exciting matchups are endless.

But here we focus on mixed martial arts and break down three showdowns we want to see inside the Circle this year.

Jarred Brooks vs. Gustavo Balart

Newly minted ONE Strawweight World Champion Jarred Brooks is a man in demand in 2023. "The Monkey God" ousted longtime divisional king Joshua Pacio last year, and he has a plethora of options in front of him for his first defense of the much-coveted crown.

One intriguing opponent for Brooks would be surging Cuban contender Gustavo Balart. "El Gladiador" is on a three-fight win streak, including victories over top contenders Yosuke Saruta and Alex Silva.

He is also a three-time Pan-American Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, and a matchup with Brooks, a former state champion on the U.S. wrestling circuit, would make for a thrilling spectacle.

Shamil Gasanov vs. Garry Tonon

Russian featherweight star Shamil Gasanov announced himself in a big way on his debut at ONE FIGHT NIGHT 3 last October, where he made short work of top contender Kim Jae Woong.

"The Cobra" ran through Kim after the fight hit the mat, demonstrating the grappling prowess that has earned him an incredible nine submission wins across his 13-0 record.

Gasanov was propelled into the #5 spot in the divisional rankings with the win, and he could arguably claim to be the best grappler in the featherweight division at the moment.

However, multiple-time BJJ World Champion and #2-ranked contender Garry Tonon would quickly refute that assertion.

"The Lion Killer" is fresh from a dominant submission win over Johnny Nunez at ONE FIGHT NIGHT 6 earlier this month, and his grappling record speaks for itself.

Gasanov has his hands full preparing for his clash with Martin Nguyen at ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II in February. But should he get past the former two-weight World Champion, a matchup with Tonon would provide a pulsating follow-up battle.

Danny Kingad vs. Reece McLaren II

Flyweight contenders Danny Kingad and Reece McLaren went to war in the ONE Flyweight MMA World Grand Prix semifinals at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES in 2019.

"The King" took out a razor-thin split decision win on that occasion, leaving McLaren feeling understandably hard done by when the judges call came down.

Third-ranked divisional contender Kingad's focus will be on his bout against a blistering-hot Eko Roni Saputra at ONE Fight Night 7 for now. But a win over the Indonesian wrestling star could set him on a collision course with #4-ranked McLaren.

McLaren, for his part, has won his last two bouts in ONE inside the distance, and he would relish an opportunity to level the score with Kingad.

Source: Media Release

Story first published: Friday, January 20, 2023, 15:39 [IST]
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