WATCH: Ok Rae Yoon upsets former ONE world champion Marat Gafurov to kick things off in style
Through just four fights under the ONE Championship banner, Ok Rae Yoon has already established himself as one of the best lightweights in the world.
The South Korean standout first introduced himself to fans at ONE on TNT III in April 2021 when he scored a stunning upset against former ONE lightweight MMA world champion, Marat Gafurov. Below, we look back at Ok's impressive showing against 'Cobra,' and how that performance paved his way to his own ONE world title.
"Former ONE Lightweight World Champion Ok Rae Yoon announced himself on the global stage when he bested former featherweight king Marat Gafurov in their hotly contested matchup!"
Perhaps even more impressive than his win over Marat Gafurov was the fact that Ok Rae Yoon returned to the Circle just seven days later to face former UFC and Bellator titleholder Eddie Alvarez at ONE on TNT IV.
Ok scored another decisive decision victory, setting himself up for his first shot at 26 pounds of ONE gold after just one week with the promotion.
Ok Rae Yoon looks to hand Turkish standout Alibeg Rasulov his first loss in MMA
Ok cashed in on his first ONE world title opportunity, shocking the world with a unanimous decision victory over Christian Lee to steal away the ONE lightweight MMA crown. However, his reign was short-lived as he handed the belt back to 'The Warrior' a year later at ONE 160.
He has since bounced back with a big win over Lowen Tynanes at ONE Fight Night 10 when ONE Championship made its critically acclaimed debut in the United States.
The South Korean will look to build off that momentum on Friday, July 5 when he heads steps inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium for a clash with undefeated Turkish standout Alibeg Rasulov.
Hailing from Dagestan, but representing Turkey, Rasulov is a perfect 14-0 in his MMA career with 10 of his victories coming by way of finish.
Will Rasulov take a page out of Ok's book and deliver a big performance in his promotional debut, or will the former ONE world champion take a step toward climbing back into title contention?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 23 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, July 5.