ONE Championship: Know How Underdogs, Jimmy Vienot, Zeba Bano and Taiko Naito, Could Leave ONE 157 With Huge Victories

Multiple World Champions will light up the Circle when ONE Championship’s next event gets underway this Friday, 20 May.

ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot is brimming with athletes who will put it all on the line, be it experienced stars or debuting warriors.

With that in mind, there definitely will be some highlight-reel knockouts and major upsets.

ONE Championship: Underdogs who could become stars at ONE 157

Here we take a look at three underdogs who could steal the limelight inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium this Friday.

#1 Jimmy Vienot 

ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee has been an indestructible force since picking up the divisional gold, but Jimmy “JV01” Vienot could be the very man who hands the superstar his first defeat in the division.

The Frenchman’s aggressive style can trouble the longtime division king. His ability to cut angles and throw a variety of weapons is also something that Petchmorakot must take note of when they square off in the night’s headliner bout.

Also Read – “I Want to Make Myself Accepted” – Petchmorakot Petchyindee Seeks Validation Among Muay Thai Greats With a ‘Knockout’ at ONE 157

Vienot is fired up and has already warned the Thai that he has never faced a fighter like him. If he can stay true to his words, he could potentially walk away with the biggest upset of the night and even the US$50,000 performance bonus.

Can the Indian ‘Fighting Queen’ crash Nat ‘Wondergirl’ Jaroonsak’s MMA debut?

#2 Zeba Bano 

Indian MMA fighter Zeba “Fighting Queen” Bano is another athlete set to make her debut at ONE 157. The star puts her undefeated 6-0 resume on the line against MMA newcomer Nat “Wondergirl” Jaroonsak in a strawweight battle.

Both women hail from striking backgrounds, so fans are in for a striking clinic when the pair meet. However, given how evenly they stack up against one another in the stand-up department, this one could very well be decided on the canvas.

Nat may own a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a couple of tournament medals in “the gentle art,” but she lacks the experience when it comes to merging her proficiency in the striking department and her technical abilities on the ground.

Meanwhile, “Fighting Queen” has been doing this for years. So expect her to take home a win and hand “Wondergirl” a forgettable debut in the all-encompassing sport.

Japanese sensation Taiko Naito is looking to upset the Thai fighter at ONE 157

#3 Taiko Naito 

Japanese striking specialist Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito has all the necessary tools to pull off an upsetting triumph at the expense of “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 this Friday.

The kickboxing specialist enters this bout as the heavy underdog, but he should be able to withstand whatever the Thai throws at him en route to a victory and a spot in the semifinals of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship.

Make no mistake, defeating an elite striker like Superlek will be a tough assignment. The Thai’s dynamo fists and rib-rattling kicks can punish anyone inside the Circle.

Also Read – ONE Championship: Joseph Lasiri to ‘Focus on Imposing a Super-High Rhythm’ to Make Prajanchai PK.Saenchai ‘Quit’ at ONE 157

However, “Silent Sniper’s” speed and footwork has seen him down some big names in the past, and at ONE 157, he hopes to replicate the very same gameplan.