ONE on Prime Video 2: Xiong vs. Lee III Preview and Predictions

The second half of ONE Championship’s doubleheader will be ONE on Prime Video 2: Xiong vs. Lee III. The headlining affair is the third meeting between reigning strawweight champion Xiong Jing Nan and the current atomweight queen Angela Lee. The pair split the first two fights, with Xiong taking the first matchup, which was held at strawweight, and Lee taking the rematch when they squared off with her atomweight belt on the line. This fight sees Xiong’s belt on the line with Lee once again looking to gain double champion status.

The co-main event is also a world title fight with Superbon Singha Mawynn defending his featherweight kickboxing championship against top contender Tayfun Ozcan. Both of these men are in their early thirties and have looked seemingly unbeatable as of late, with just one loss between the pair over their combined last twenty-seven contests. If Ozcan can defeat Superbon, he will become only the second champion in the division’s history as Superbon has held the belt since its inception.

Atomweight champion Angela Lee moves back up to strawweight to try for the second time to become a double champion; is she successful this time against Xiong Jing Nan?

The only times Angela Lee has lost is when she fought at strawweight. One of those losses came against her upcoming opponent Xiong Jing Nan. This is the third time the pair will meet in total, as they also fought at atomweight with Lee retaining her title in that bout. Nearly 70-percent of fight trilogies are won by the fighter who was victorious in the second bout. However, most trilogies aren’t fought across weight classes the way this one has been contested.

I’m going with the historical odds on this one. Angela Lee will come away with the win and double-champion status. Not only did she win the most recent meeting between the pair but she is also the much younger fighter. She is just 26 years old while Xiong Jing Nan is 34. That eight year difference is a huge gap in the combat sports world, as Lee is still in the improving phase of her career and Xiong Jing Nan is slightly past her prime. This will be the best version of Lee we have ever seen, and that improvement she continues to make will be enough to get past an aging Xiong in a close and competitive conclusion to this trilogy.

The featherweight kickboxing world championship is on the line in the co-main event; will Superbon Singha Mawynn emerge with a win and his second title defense?

These two kickboxers have both been on a tear recently. Superbon has won 12 bouts consecutively and his opponent Tayfun Ozcan has won 14 out of his last 15 contests. These fighters are both in their physical prime in their early thirties and there is no better time for them to meet. This showdown might very well prove in the future to be a clash between two of the greatest featherweights ever to step into the kickboxing ring.

Ultimately, this fight will go the distance and Superbon will get his hand raised in a close fight. It will be the kicks of Superbon that make the difference on the judges’ scorecards. The pair will prove to be mostly even with their hands and elbows but the snapping kicks of Superbon that get up to his opponent’s head lightning fast will land on the forearms of Ozcan early and eventually make their way through to the side of his head and slow him down considerably. Because he is fearful of a head kick, Ozcan will become more defensively minded and allow Superbon to lead the dance on his way to victory.

The first flyweight submission grappling world championship will be won this weekend; will it be Mikey Musumeci or Cleber Sousa who earns the belt?

It really is great that ONE Championship is showcasing submission grappling as part of their combat sports offerings, and they don’t mess around with the talent they sign to their roster. Not only have they added stalwarts like Garry Tonon and Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida to compete in both MMA and submission grappling contests but this addition of Mikey Musumeci speaks volumes about their commitment to the art of grappling. The five time IBJJF black belt champion will notch yet another victory, and the 26-year-old New Jersey native will go on to hold this belt for quite some time as the promotion searches for someone to unseat him.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

I’m not sure Anissa Meksen has ever been in a boring fight, and this contest against Dangkongfah Banchamek will be no different. This is Meksen’s return to Muay Thai after competing in the kickboxing division under the ONE banner. She will have a standout performance against the debutant Dangkongfah and likely notch a finish before the final bell sounds.