“I will continue to win” - Former lightweight king Ok Rae Yoon to restart ascent to throne against Alibeg Rasulov
Ok Rae Yoon has always proved the naysayers wrong throughout his fight career, and he is ready to do that once more at ONE Fight Night 23.
The former ONE lightweight MMA world champion resumes his quest on the global stage of martial arts on July 5, squaring off against debutant Alibeg Rasulov in a matchup with major world title implications for him.
In his last outing, the Team Mad affiliate fired on all cylinders with a classic performance over Lowen Tynanes at ONE Fight Night 10 in May last year.
With plenty of time to rest and plan, the 33-year-old veteran is all primed to get his hand raised for a fifth occasion, whether or not there are evil eyes keen on seeing him go down come fight night.
Speaking to ONE Championship, Ok Rae Yoon shared:
"People can make predictions, but I will continue to win. I ask the ONE fans for their love and support as I do this. I will make it back to the title.”
Back in September 2021, following successive triumphs over Eddie Alvarez and Marat Gafurov, the South Korean fighter scored a massive win over Christian Lee to secure his spot atop the talent-jammed weight class. However, he came short in his bid to protect his throne as 'The Warrior' finished him early in the second round of their rematch in August 2022.
With an eye on redemption and a feisty trilogy possibly on the horizon, Ok Rae Yoon should be at his best when he returns at ONE Fight Night 23.
Ok Rae Yoon will be tested to the fullest vs Alibeg Rasulov
On the opposite corner, Dagestani-born Alibeg Rasulov will be ready to leave it all on the line when he opens his promotional account at ONE Fight Night 23.
The 14-0 martial artist has finished ten fights inside the distance, with six coming by KO/TKO and another four via submission.
With an equally good stand-up to pair alongside his world-class acumen on the canvas, the debuting star is expected to provide a stiff test to Ok Rae Yoon.
Should he come out victorious over the former divisional king, the Turkish fighter should likely cause a massive stir in the upper echelons of the lightweight MMA division.
North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card live in U.S. primetime for free.