Regian Eersel (L) (ONE Championship)

Three Reasons To Watch ONE Championship: Winter Warriors

ONE Championship brings one of the hottest combat sports events of the year to your screens on Friday, Dec. 3. ONE Championship: Winter Warriors airs live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Bleacher Report and will showcase six incredible bouts of martial arts action.

The ONE lightweight kickboxing world title is on the line in the main event of the evening. And in the co-main, the ONE women’s atomweight world grand prix comes to its thrilling conclusion. On top of this, four blistering battles will take place, which are bound to shake up the ONE divisional rankings.

Here are three important reasons you will want to start your weekend off with a bang by catching ONE Championship: Winter Warriors.


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Eersel Is Out For Respect

In the main event, Regian “The Immortal” Eersel will defend his ONE lightweight kickboxing world championship against debutant Islam Murtazaev. The long-awaited title tilt was originally slated for February, but due to COVID protocols, it was delayed until the year’s penultimate event.

The reigning king, sporting a 56-4 career record, has been peerless on the global stage. Yet, even after a perfect 5-0 record at The Home of Martial Arts, “The Immortal” still feels a lack of respect. He intends to not only defend his belt but to do it in a manner that will finally garner him the worldwide acclaim he feels he deserves.

However, Murtazaev is planning to announce himself on the global stage by toppling Eersel with his stylish kickboxing. His highlight reel is full of spinning attacks and stunning knockouts, and adding the current divisional king to it will fulfill his quest to become a world champion on a global platform.

The motivation of both men guarantees that this match will be a must-see affair. The fireworks have been lit before they even make their walk to the Circle, so fans should expect an explosion when the bell rings.

A Crucial Lightweight Rematch

Number-three ranked lightweight contender Saygid Guseyn “Dagi” Arslanaliev and number-five ranked Timofey Nastyukhin step inside the Circle once again in a rematch to see who can enter 2022 with momentum.

In their first meeting back in 2018, Dagi stunned the martial arts world with a swift first-round knockout that served as the stepping stone he needed for recognition in the sport. Nastyukhin will try to even the series, while Arslanaliev attempts to prove the knockout was not just a lucky punch.

Both men are looking for a bounce-back performance in their return to the ONE Circle, and this matchup will be crucial in deciding who will feature in the lightweight title picture in the new year.

Buchecha Returns

Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida exhibited his world-renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his ONE debut against Anderson “Braddock” Silva last month. Now, he returns to face one of the fastest-rising heavyweight stars, “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won.

Kang has an unblemished professional record and has won both of his ONE bouts by stunning knockout. More importantly, for this matchup, both knockouts were against top-flight grapplers in Mehdi Barghi and Amir Aliakbari.

The match will serve as a litmus test for both contenders. For Kang, he will need to prove that the submission wizardry of the 13-time BJJ World Champion can be overcome. For Buchecha, he will need to show the world that he can handle himself on the feet against the heavy hands of the South Korean.

This match is a fast track to the ONE Heavyweight World Championship, and the winner of this bout will enter the new year as one of the top contenders in the division.

ONE Championship: Winter Warriors will air live on YouTube starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 3.


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