"He hasn't changed much" - Fabricio Andrade still sees same old Kwon Won Il despite various improvements
Fans are in for a real treat as the upcoming ONE 170 boasts a stacked fight card with three title matches, two of which are highly-anticipated rematches. One of these rematches features 'Wonder Boy' Fabricio Andrade and 'Pretty Boy' Kwon Won Il.
Following his loss against Andrade, Kwon went on a vindictive three-match winning streak and ultimately challenged the now-champion for a rematch with some choice words.
Andrade, however, seems nonplussed, saying that while there had been improvements, Kwon's game remains largely the same.
"He has improved considerably. He has shown in his last performances a slight improvement in his striking game. Nothing much different, his game remains the same. He is very good at boxing, but he hasn't changed much."
The pair first met in June 2022 at ONE 158 for an eliminator match, with the victor gaining the privilege of challenging a title shot against then-bantamweight champion John Lineker.
Kwon Won Il's aspirations of claiming MMA gold were dashed when Andrade shot him down with a show-stopping liver kick that knocked him right out of the game in just over a minute.
Andrade went on to challenge Lineker and become the ONE bantamweight world MMA champion.
Fabricio Andrade says Kwon Won Il is masking his fear by talking trash: "He's not confident"
Despite Kwon Won Il's choice words for him, 'Wonder Boy' Fabricio Andrade is unaffected by all the noise. Rather than intimidation, Kwon's words had the opposite effect, giving Andrade the impression that the Korean fighter may be lacking in confidence.
"I think all his trash talk just shows that he's not confident. He knows I'm dangerous, that I can knock him out any moment. So, I think he should be more respectful."
ONE 170 will be on Jan. 24 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch on watch.onefc.com.