ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon 2 Preview and Predictions

On Friday, Jan. 24, ONE Championship will travel to the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand for the stacked ONE 170 event. The upcoming event features three title fights, the promotional debut of BJJ legend Marcelo Garcia, Seksan’s latest Muay Thai appearance, and more.

In the main event, Tawanchai looks to solidify his spot as a top pound-for-pound striker in ONE. To do so, the featherweight Muay Thai world champion must defend his throne in a rematch against Superbon, the featherweight kickboxing world champion.

ONE 170 also features the return of bantamweight MMA king Fabricio Andrade. Following a year-long layoff, the Brazilian world champion will defend his title in a rematch against Kwon Won Il, who’s coming off three consecutive knockout wins.

Both Tawanchai and Andrade won their respective first fights against Superbon and Kwon.

Friday’s event will showcase Marcelo Garcia vs. Masakazu Imanari (openweight submission grappling), Johan Ghazali vs. Johan Estupinan (flyweight Muay Thai), Seksan vs. Soe Lin Oo (catchweight Muay Thai), Nico Carrillo vs. Nabil Anane (interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title), and more.

ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon 2 airs live on the ONE Championship website starting at 6:30 a.m. ET.

The card is headlined by a featherweight Muay Thai world championship fight; will it be Tawanchai PK Saenchai or Superbon who leaves with the belt?

In December 2023, Tawanchai and Superbon fought in Muay Thai for the ONE Friday Fights 46 main event. On that night, Tawanchai emerged victorious by unanimous decision, adding another legendary name to his resume.
Since then, Superbon returned to Muay Thai and secured a first-round knockout against Jo Nattawut, warranting another shot to dethrone Tawanchai. The question is, will Superbon make the adjustments needed to become a two-sport world champion?
Tawanchai’s ability to fight while moving backward and make in-fight adjustments makes him a nightmare opponent for anyone. Meanwhile, Superbon’s fast and powerful kicks give him an opportunity to dictate the pace and inflict significant damage to his opponents.
Superbon is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous strikers in the promotion. Unfortunately for him, Tawanchai will likely be too much for him to handle, leading to another unanimous decision win to retain his featherweight Muay Thai gold.

Fabricio Andrade’s bantamweight championship is on the line in the co-main event; can Kwon Won Il get revenge in this rematch and become champion?
Fabricio Andrade started his ONE Championship tenure with six consecutive MMA wins.
In November 2023, Andrade pursued greatness by fighting Jonathan Haggerty for the vacant bantamweight kickboxing world title. Andrade endured a second-round knockout loss and remained inactive in 2024 to heal from lingering injuries.
One of Andrade’s most impressive promotional wins was a first-round knockout against Kwon Won Il. Following the disappointing result, Kwon bounced back with three consecutive knockout wins to earn a rematch against Andrade at ONE 170.
Andrade has a Muay Thai background, while Kwon possesses more of a boxing style. Nonetheless, the upcoming bantamweight MMA world title fight is expected to play out in the striking department primarily.
Kwon has the tools needed to pull off the upset win against Andrade. On the contrary, Andrade has proven to be on a different level than the rest of the bantamweight division, which should lead to another knockout win in his first title defense later this week.

Nico Carrillo has not lost under the ONE banner; can he continue that unbeaten streak?

Nico Carrillo was preparing for the biggest opportunity of his life, an undisputed bantamweight Muay Thai title shot against Superlek. Unfortunately, Superlek pulled out due to an injury, creating the interim title matchup between Carrillo and Nabil Anane.

Anane was scheduled to face Kiamran Nabati at ONE 170, so he will be fully prepared for a tough battle against Carrillo. This matchup will showcase two of the biggest size advantages in the division, as Anane is a 6’4” bantamweight, while Carrillo could easily fight at featherweight.

Carrillo has utilized his power advantage to run through the bantamweight division, even taking out the legendary Nong-O along the way. At ONE 170, the Scottish contender’s physical attributes will be too much for Anane, creating his fifth knockout win in ONE.

Which fight is the sleeper matchup on this card?
The sleeper matchup at ONE 170 is a flyweight Muay Thai bout between Johan Ghazali and Johan Estupinan.
Ghazali is an 18-year-old Malaysian-American with a ONE Championship record of 6-1, including five wins by knockout. The rising superstar has received added attention for his close relationships with legends like Superlek, Seksan, and Superbon.
Meanwhile, Johan Estupinan was a surprising addition to the ONE flyweight Muay Thai division in 2024. The Columbian Striker fought four times starting in May of last year, leading to four wins, including three by knockouts.
Ghazali and Estupinan have separated themselves as entertaining prospects with world title potential. At ONE 170, they will clash in a dark horse Fight of the Night contender.