Look: 3 Fights That Could Set the Circle on Fire at ONE 161 on September 29

ONE Championship’s next event is stacked from start to bottom and is set to feature everything from submission specialists to knockout artists – all ready for their opportunity to impress inside the ONE Circle. 

ONE 161, broadcasting live on Thursday, September 29, may be headlined by a captivating ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title showdown between divisional king Petchmorakot Pechyindee and striking phenom Tawanchai PK.Saenchai, but the rest of the card promises electrifying entertainment in the leadup.

Here, we take a look at three fights that could stand out from the rest inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium in just under two weeks.

#1 Ritu Phogat vs. Tiffany Teo 

Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat will battle Tiffany “No Chill” Teo on the evening’s main card in what promises to be a fascinating matchup between two grappling-heavy fighters. 

Phogat makes her return after slumping to a defeat against Stamp Fairtex in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship Final last year. 

Teo, on the other hand, will be making her debut in the atomweight division, having twice challenged Xiong Jing Nan for the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Title. 

“The Indian Tigress” loves to impose her dominance in a fight, especially on the canvas, so fans can expect her to lock Teo up in some tight duels. 

“No Chill” can hold her own on the ground, however, and her striking is something Phogat must not underestimate either. The Singaporean star has showcased that she can stand and bang against some of the biggest names in the strawweight division. 

#2 Saygid Izagakhmaev vs. Zhang Lipeng

“The Warrior” Zhang Lipeng has been on a steady course of wins in the lightweight division, but his opponent at ONE 161 could be a very different test altogether.

Enter Sayid Izagakhmaev, a grappling specialist with 13 submission finishes from 20 career wins who trains alongside one of the biggest names in the sport, Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

The Dagestani fighter showed what he is made of in his ONE debut earlier this year, when he submitted James Nakashima via a head and arm triangle choke at ONE: HEAVY HITTERS, and he’ll be keen to turn that win into a streak against his Chinese foe on September 29.

Zhang has been known to pressure rivals with his great offensive tools, however, and he can put up a fight on the canvas, too. 

“The Warrior” has forced 13 opponents to tap in the past, but a ground-based approach could come at a big price, given Izagakhmaev’s sound ground game.

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Both fighters will fancy their chances in this one, and a win for either man could see them start to scale towards the top of the lightweight division.

#3 Roman Kryklia vs. Guto Inocente 

ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia is set to meet Brazilian powerhouse Guto Inocente in the ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix semifinals at ONE 161.

Both stars share plenty in common when it comes to fighting style, but it will be the man who can successfully shut down their opponent’s power inside the Circle that will proceed to the illustrious tournament’s final.

Kryklia has used his striking weapons to pick up three back-to-back wins in ONE Super Series, knocking out the likes of Tarik Khbabez and Murat Aygun in the process.

Inocente impressed everyone with a stellar debut outing against Portuguese colossus Bruno Susano this past February. And at ONE 158, he bettered that performance with a stunning finish over Rade Opacic, becoming the first man to knock out the giant Serb in three years.

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A knockout seems like the most likely scenario in this battle, so be sure not to blink an eye when this pair locks horns on September 29.