“He could switch up the gears” - Ok Rae Yoon ready to mix it up with Alibeg Rasulov wherever the fight takes him
Former ONE lightweight MMA world champion OK Rae Yoon expressed readiness to take on promotion-debuting Alibeg Rasulov whichever their scheduled title clash this week would go.
The veteran South Korean fighter will battle Rasulov for the interim lightweight MMA championship belt at ONE Fight Night 23 on Prime Video on July 5, which will be the headlining contest of the event emanating from the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
OK Rae Yoon is out to get a victory at ONE Fight Night 23 that would thrust him a step closer to reclaiming the world title he lost to now-champion Christian Lee.
In an interview with ONE Championship ahead of the marquee showdown, the Team MAD standout sized up his opponent and said he is every bit ready for what is coming.
He said:
"Alibeg may have seen Christian's success against me in our second fight and could switch up the gears and look to trade with me. I'm preparing for this too, just in case."
Ok Rae Yoon lost the ONE lightweight MMA belt in August 2022 to Lee, the same fighter he took the belt from in September 2021.
Seeking to frustrate him is Rasulov, winner of all his 13 professional fights to date and is making his ONE Championship debut.
ONE Fight Night 23 will be available live and for free to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Ok Rae Yoon hopes striking will hold up against Alibeg Rasulov
Ok Rae Yoon hopes his striking will not fail him against noted wrestler Alibeg Rasulov in their duel for the interim lightweight MMA championship belt at ONE Fight Night 23 on Prime Video on July 5 in Thailand.
He said he is banking on his strikes to anchor his attack against Rasulov come fight night and notch a victory that would earn him another title clash with rival and reigning ONE lightweight king Christian Lee.
Ok Rae Yoon shared this in a recent interview with ONE Championship, saying:
"I think we both are going to do what we are good at. Alibeg is going to bring his Dagestan werestling to try and take me down. I'm going to do my best to not get taken down and hit him with good shots."
The Ok vs Rasulov title clash headlines ONE Fight Night 23, which also boasts of 10 other world-class matches of MMA, Muay Thai, submission grappling and kickboxing.