Former ONE Lightweight MMA World champion Ok Rae Yoon is all set to return to the circle after being absent for one year. He will compete in the main event of ONE Fight Night 23 against newcomer Alibeg Rasulov for the ONE Interim Lightweight MMA World Title. The event is slated for July 5, airing in US primetime, at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Alibeg Rasulov may be new to the promotion but holds a 14-0 record outside of it, which must be a nightmare for his opponents. However, Ok is not affected by his opponent’s impressive resume and has outlined some plans for him.

Ok Rae Yoon aims to defeat Alibeg Rasulov at ONE Fight Night 23

Alibeg Rasulov looks to extend his undefeated win streak against Ok Rae Yoon. Their match was elevated to the main event after Jackie Buntan’s withdrawal from the originally scheduled main event, a match for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title, against Anissa Meksen. The winner of Rasulov’s fight with Ok Rae Yoon will earn a chance at unifying the division’s top prize against the reigning king, Christian Lee.

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Ok Rae Yoon revealed that he’s not afraid of Rasulov’s winning streak, claiming that ONE Championship has a higher standard of competitors. He said, “My opponent, Alibeg Rasulov, holds a 14-0 record. He is a formidable challenge, but what matters is who you have fought against. Now that he is debuting on the world stage of ONE Championship, he will be facing competition at the highest level.”

Ok Rae Yoon continued, “He needs to prove himself in ONE. He is undefeated, but I think I will gift him his first loss. I will prepare well and hope to show everybody a great performance. Thank you.” On the other hand, Alibeg Rasulov believes that his style will outmatch Rae Yoon’s experience in their upcoming MMA fight, as he claimed in his recent interview.

Alibeg Rasulov is confident his style will overcome Ok Rae Yoon

Stepping into the circle for the first time, Rasulov is determined to make a strong impression in the promotion and on the audience’s minds when he squares off against the South Korean star, just one day away.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Alibeg Rasulov emphasized Ok Rae Yoon’s significant experience in the fight game, particularly his nearly four years in the promotion. He said, “Despite his experience and everything, I think it will be harder for him to fight me.”

With his debut in the ONE Championship and a perfect 14-0 record, it will be intriguing to see how Alibeg Rasulov’s fight against Ok Rae Yoon goes. If Rasulov wins, it will be a rare event because he could then fight for the title against two-division king Christian Lee in the future. Stay tuned for further updates.