"It's been some crazy times" - Fabricio Andrade ready to pick up where he left off in ONE 170 return
Brazilian knockout specialist Fabricio Andrade can't wait to strap the four-ounce gloves and step onto the global stage of ONE Championship again.
The ONE bantamweight MMA world champion will return to defend his throne at ONE 170 inside Bangkok's Impact Arena on Friday, January 24.
Looking to spoil his dream is none other than longtime foe and No.3-ranked contender 'Pretty Boy' Kwon Won Il.
Though he's had to wait a little bit longer than expected, with a couple of injuries and fight postponements derailing his return, 'Wonder Boy' admits that his championship-winning mindset hasn't gone anywhere.
Speaking to Nick Atkin during last week's ONE 169 in Bangkok, Thailand, Fabricio Andrade shared how he's been occupying himself over the past couple of months:
"After I recovered, I had to wait a little more. It's been some crazy times, ups and downs, but I'm just working a lot to keep improving. And trying to focus on the positive things and staying ready."
The Evolve MMA and Tiger Muay Thai star has chalked up an unbeaten streak (six victories and one no-contest) in the discipline under the ONE banner so far, which includes a blistering 62-second finish of his South Korean foe.
Fabricio Andrade should be up against a far improved Kwon Won Il this time around
While his style could yet again prove to be the kryptonite to crush Kwon's goal of clinching the 26 pounds of gold, the latter has been on an impressive roll as of late, and it'll be unwise to completely rule out his chances when they lock horns at ONE 170 next year.
Since being sent to the canvas by Fabricio Andrade, 'Pretty Boy' has steamrolled past Mark Abelardo, Artem Belakh, and Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg.
At the same time, he spots a 100 percent finish rate across his tenure under the ONE spotlight, which would be kept intact should he see off Andrade early in this hotly anticipated rematch.
ONE 170 will be available to active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America.