ONE Fight Night 19: What’s Next For Lito Adiwang After Victory Over Danial Williams

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Since returning from an 18-month layoff last September, strawweight MMA star Lito Adiwang has been quickly making up for lost time. "Thunder Kid" has lit up Bangkok, Thailand's Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with three wins on the trot.

Having beaten Danial Williams across three rounds this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 19, the Filipino thriller finds himself on the cusp of the division's top five. And with many moving parts, now's as good a time as any for Adiwang to survey the strawweight landscape.

When Adiwang steps into the ring, fans know not to blink as his rapid-fire fighting style can see a fight end on a moment's notice. So who better than Gustavo Balart, a fellow divisional contender who also brings the heat, for Adiwang to face next.

The #3-ranked strawweight rides a four-fight winning streak into 2024, having recently defeated Hiroba Minowa at ONE 165 this past January. Balart's small-but-mighty fighting stature has made him a formidable name in the division, and a clash with Adiwang has fight of the night contender written all over it.

While an attraction against Balart would be fun for all parties involved, one of the toughest fighters Adiwang could lock horns with is #5-ranked Mansur Malachiev. The Russian returned to winning ways this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 19.

With both Adiwang and Malachiev picking up landslide victories in Bangkok, the window of opportunity is open for both to clash in a pivotal showdown. And considering Malachiev's positioning in the top five, the Russian could be Adiwang's earliest shot at breaking into the strawweight MMA elite.

On top of that, Adiwang also has time to sit back and wait for the fallout of ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks' championship rematch against former king Joshua Pacio at ONE 166: Qatar on Friday, 1 March.

Brooks and Pacio first locked horns at ONE 164 in December 2022 in Pacio's home of the Philippines. Brooks defeated "The Passion" to claim the crown that night. Since then, the division has seen an emergence of credible contenders.

Adiwang is undoubtedly one of them. The winner of ONE 166's showdown will certainly shake up the division and change the dynamics. If Brooks wins, the American's era of brashness continues.

Whereas a victory for Pacio restores his former dominance. Either way, that could allow "Thunder Kid" to choose his next outing with much more pertinence for the remainder of 2024.