ONE 166: Qatar Press Conference Recap: Fierce Rivals Make Bold Proclamations

Ahead of its monumental return to the Middle East this weekend, ONE Championship brought some of the biggest stars competing on the card to the stage to address questions that fans have been eager to ask.

The ONE 166: Qatar press conference was held at the Mondrian Doha Ballroom in Doha ahead of the historic event at the Lusail Sports Arena this Friday, March 1.

Chatri Sityodtong reveals the fighters headlining ONE 167; and more

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong hyped up the pivotal matches set to go down, including Saudi Arabia’s Zuhayr Al-Qahtani’s boxing match, Iran’s Amir Aliakbari’s clash with former heavyweight MMA king Arjan Bhullar, and Yemen’s Osamah Almarwai’s submission grappling tilt.

Of course, the three World Title bouts at the top of the lineup were also highlighted, and the main protagonists of each match were in attendance. With the return of numbered events for ONE, Sityodtong was asked when and where the next one will be held.

“Our next numbered event is ONE 167 in Bangkok, in Impact Arena, on June 8. The main event is going to be Stamp Fairtex versus Denice Zamboanga, the co-main event is Tawanchai versus Jo Nattawut,” he answered.

Fans then took turns asking the athletes questions, and Anatoly Malykhin and Jarred Brooks stole the show. The two-division MMA king constantly provoked his opponent, Reinier de Ridder, by saying he planned to knock him out again and claiming he was only good at jiu-jitsu.

He also took a swipe at Aliakbari, who requested that ONE give him Kang Ji Won and the two-division champ next so he can try and avenge his losses. Malykhin warned the Iranian star that he has no problems showing why he is the best.

Meanwhile, “The Monkey God” stepped onto the stage in style by giving away bananas to the crowd and eating one as he sat down. When it was time for him to speak, he made the most out of it by interacting with the surprisingly Filipino-filled crowd. Brooks took the opportunity to claim that no one could beat him in the Circle, and he once again called out ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson.

Thanh Le and Tang Kai make bold predictions for their fight

Thanh Le and Tang Kai both promised definitive finishes in their rematch for the undisputed ONE Featherweight MMA World Title, while Al-Qahtani said Mehdi Zatout stepping into his world of boxing is a bad idea for the Algerian veteran.

Things also got physical when Aliakbari and Bhullar faced off in the middle of the stage, with Sityodtong having to separate the two giants before things got out of hand. With all the athletes looking confident heading into fight night, expect fireworks this Friday when there will be less talk and more action in Qatar.

Also Read: Chatri Sityodtong Says MMA Will Be “Back in Full Force” in 2024 After Monumental Year for Muay Thai

ONE 166: Qatar will be ONE Championship’s first event in the Middle East, and it will be broadcast live to 190 countries around the world, including in North America, where Prime Video subscribers can watch all the action for free.

Also Read: “He’s in Trouble This Time” – Thanh Le Out for Revenge on Tang Kai in Rematch at ONE 166