ONE Championship’s latest marquee showcase proved crucial for a few contenders looking for a shot at glory on the global stage. ONE Fight Night 23 went down last Friday, July 6, and featured another stacked lineup of matchups across four disciplines inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Though a new World Champion wasn’t crowned in the thrilling main event, more than one star in the world’s largest martial arts organization may have emerged as next in line for a chance at gold. With that in mind, let’s look at three fights that should be made for the biggest winners at ONE Fight Night 23.

Alibeg Rasulov vs. Christian Lee

Undefeated Turkish fighter Alibeg Rasulov continued his run of dominance when he extended his winning streak to 14-0 by defeating former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Ok Rae Yoon over five rounds in the evening’s headliner.

The ONE debutant was initially set to contest the interim lightweight MMA belt against Ok, but he was ruled ineligible to win it after failing weight and hydration in the lead-up.

However, that didn’t stop Rasulov from putting together a dominant showing, and his win should put him near the top of the pecking order to challenge divisional king Christian Lee upon his return to action. It would be interesting to see how Lee fares against such an active fighter, given his long hiatus following the tragic loss of his sister, Victoria, in late 2022.

At the same time, there is little doubt Rasulov would have to have every one of his weapons at its sharpest against “The Warrior,” as the last time he competed – at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November 2022 – he added the ONE Welterweight MMA World Title to his lightweight strap by knocking out Kiamrian Abbasov.

Nico Carrillo vs. Superlek/Jonathan Haggerty

Nico “King of the North” Carrillo scored his fourth knockout in as many bouts in ONE Championship at ONE Fight Night 23. The Scottish sensation finished former World Title challenger and #4-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Saemapetch Fairtex in the second round of their bout to cement his status as the top-ranked fighter in the stacked division.

Carrillo has been calling for his shot at bantamweight Muay Thai gold for months, and he’ll likely get it now. But who will hold it when his time comes very much remains to be seen. Reigning two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty is set to defend the World Title against ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on September 6, and “King of the North” will be watching the battle with unblinking eyes.

Superlek is most certainly Haggerty’s biggest challenge to date in ONE Championship, and there is every chance there may be a new bantamweight Muay Thai titleholder when the show comes down in the United States. Regardless of who wins, though, Carrillo will be ready and waiting for them afterward.

Kirill Grishenko vs. Amir Aliakbari

Former ONE Interim Heavyweight MMA World Title challenger Kirill Grishenko emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle against the always-tough “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won at last Friday’s event, showing he’s still a threat in the ever-growing weight bracket in the process.

The Belarusian powerhouse has been away from ONE Championship since his loss to BJJ legend Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida at ONE on Prime Video 1 in August 2022. Since then, he has been busy honing his all-around skills, including his boxing, and it showed in his unanimous decision win over Kang.

With the victory, Grishenko will be looking to stay active and test himself against a divisional contender. And Amir Aliakbari may be the perfect opponent.

The Iranian star is on a four-fight win streak and is hungry to score a rematch with heavyweight MMA king Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin. Grishenko is just as driven to rise through the ranks and cement himself in the World Title conversation, though, so a meeting between these two behemoths would be an intense affair.