ONE Championship’s 145-pound MMA title is back in service.
Incumbent champ Fabricio Andrade will put his belt on the line for the first time early next year, going up against South Korea’s Kwon Won Il as part of ONE 170 from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. The rematch is among three title fights currently set for the January 4th show.
Andrade captured ONE’s 145-pound belt in early 2023, scoring a fourth-round stoppage over UFC vet John Lineker. The bout was a rematch from their controversial 2022 meeting, which ended in a no-contest due to a groin shot.
Andrade eyed a second title following that performance, crossing over to kickboxing for a clash against high-level Muay Thai fighter Jonathan Haggerty. His attempt at becoming a two-belt champ was unsuccessful, getting finished in the second round with punches.
While coming off a defeat in kickboxing, Andrade returns to the sport where he has loads of momentum. Andrade has put together six MMA victories since joining ONE in 2020, scoring stoppage wins over names like Shoko Sato, Li Kai Wen, and Jeremy Pacatiw on his way toward a title shot.
Kwon was Andrade’s last opponent before the Brazilian standout was given a title shot last year.
The duo’s first meeting came when they were both knocking on the door of a title opportunity. Andrade had earned four straight wins in ONE alone, and Kwon was coming off three consecutive finish victories.
The fight ended up being a major setback for Kwon, who was stopped in just 62 seconds with a liver kick.
Another run of impressive outings has earned Kwon a second chance against Andrade. He has put away three more opponents with strikes over the past two years, including a win against ONE vet Mark Abelardo. He will soon have the chance to claim a title for the first time in his career and avenge one of the four losses he has taken as a pro.
ONE 170 now has a trio of title bouts lined up for the card, as a pair of Muay Thai clashes were previously announced for the show. Here is an updated look at the show:
Bout 5: Tawanchai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs. Superbon (ONE Muay Thai Featherweight Championship) (155 lbs)
Bout 4: Superlek Kiatmoo9 vs. Nico Carrillo (ONE Muay Thai Bantamweight Championship) (145 lbs)
Bout 3: Fabricio Andrade (9-2) vs. Kwon Won Il (14-4) (ONE MMA Bantamweight Championship) (145 lbs)
Bout 2: Seksan Or Kwanmuang vs. Soe Lin Oo (Catchweight 142 lbs Muay Thai)
Bout 1: Suriyanlek Por Yenying vs. Thant Zin (Catchweight 134 lbs Muay Thai)
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