"He'll pound you out" - Christian Lee says he's already figured out Alibeg Rasulov's game plan ahead of ONE 169: Atlanta clash
Two-division MMA world champion Christian Lee believes Alibeg Rasulov will bring a trademark heavy grappling game into their world title tilt at ONE 169: Atlanta on November 8.
The Evolve MMA and Prodigy Training Center affiliate makes his hotly anticipated return on the loaded card inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. There, the 26-year-old puts his lightweight gold up for grabs against the undefeated Dagestani-born Turkish sensation.
In an interview with Cageside Press recently, Christian Lee noted how Rasulov will stick to doing what he does best — relying on his bread and butter on the canvas — to try and frustrate him. He said:
"He has to come forward, throw heavy hands, engage in the clinch, and then if he can, take you down. He'll pound you out and look for basically whatever finish comes first."
Though it seems like a straightforward strategy that could work against the titleholder, Lee has more than enough in his tank to sort the Hyperion Fighters athlete in that department.
'The Warrior' has punished a list of world-class opponents on the canvas against grappling specialists Shinya Aoki and Kazunori Yokota, and he's always been able to blend his striking on the canvas whenever a chance at a submission doesn't show up.
And with another tough test on the way against Rasulov, Lee should come prepared to guarantee that he has his foe's number wherever the fight unfolds at ONE 169: Atlanta.
Watch the interview with Cageside Press here:
Adrian Lee "excited" to see Christian Lee back in action
Like most martial arts enthusiasts, Adrian Lee is thrilled to witness his elder brother, Christian Lee, take to martial arts' grandest stage in Atlanta.
The teenage MMA wizard, who moved to 2-0 in his career at ONE 168: Denver, told Sportskeeda MMA previously:
"I'm so excited for my brother to make his comeback. I think a lot of people have been overlooking him just because he's been out, but I'm really excited for him to shock the world."
North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card live in U.S. primetime for free. Tickets for the show are available on Ticketmaster.