Under The Radar: 3 Fights To Watch At ONE 166: Qatar

ONE Championship ventures back to the Middle East this Friday, 1 March, for ONE 166: Qatar at Lusail Sports Arena. The re-arrival of the world's largest martial arts organization to the region brings with it a jam-packed card offering 10 contests across four different fighting disciplines.

The talk surrounding the card highlights the three MMA World Title bouts, but there are a litany of other world-class contests taking place flying under the radar. Some hold World Championship ramifications, while others are a spectacle in their own right.

Arjan Bhullar vs. Amir Aliakbari

As far as World Title eliminators go, they literally don't come much bigger than Arjan Bhullar versus Amir Aliakbari. The two behemoths square off in a pivotal bout for the division, with both men gunning for a second chance at ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin.

ONE 166: Qatar marks Bhullar's first appearance since parting with the gold against Malykhin at ONE Friday Fights 22 in June 2022. A win over Aliakbari would certainly put his name back in the conversation. But his Iranian adversary is in the hottest form of his career.

Aliakbari has put three wins together in the hardest-hitting division. The giant mauled Mauro Cerilli, Brandon Vera, and Dustin Joynson - all inside the distance to pounce up the rankings. And a victory over a former king could see a World Title opportunity come his way.

Zuhayr Al-Qahtani vs. Mehdi Zatout

Outside of the primary martial arts showcased in ONE Championship, boxing makes its return when Zuhayr Al-Qahtani makes his first promotional appearance against Mehdi Zatout in a 147-pound catchweight matchup.

A decorated boxer in his own right, Al-Qahtani brings an unblemished 9-0 record into the ring. The Saudi Arabian is the most successful boxer stemming from the region, and his handiwork has seen him feature on the undercards of some of the sport's biggest events.

However, Zatout's stern skills will offer up an interesting affair at ONE 166: Qatar. The accoladed striker enjoyed six thrilling bouts in ONE Championship, one of which almost ended the World Title run of Capitan Petchyindee in 2021.

He then faced Asa Ten Pow at ONE Fight Night 3 in October 2022, scoring a first-round TKO win. Soon after, the Algerian hung up his gloves. But after a successful tenure coaching, Zatout is ready to test his hands once more in what's sure to be a thrilling scrap.

Zafer Sayik vs. Vladimir Kuzmin

Elsewhere, Zafer Sayik and Vladimir Kuzmin will collide in 147.75-pound catchweight Muay Thai. And with the striking repertoire both men boast, this one isn't expected to see the judge's scorecards.

As a promotional stalwart, Kuzmin is a deadly striker that isn't afraid to tussle with the best of them. The Russian swinger has faced a who's who of strikers in ONE, including Fabio Reis, Muangthai PK Saenchai, and two-weight ONE World Champion Jonathan Haggerty.

And after defeating Reis, Kuzmin would love to make it two wins in a row against the debuting Sayik. But for the Turk, ONE 166: Qatar offers a huge opportunity to shake up the division upon his arrival.