ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug will be headlined by heavyweight action on Friday, November 8. However, the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Championship main event athletes will want to take notice of another matchup earlier in the night.
ONE Championship announced the addition of Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida vs. Amir Aliakbari to the star-studded lineup. The winner will be in prime position to be called the division’s top contender.
Aliakbari has been on a tear as of late. After a rough 0-2 start in the promotion, the Iranian has rebounded with four dominant performances.
None of Aliakbari’s four victories have made it to the final bell. The talented wrestler has his eyes set on a rematch with Anatoly Malykhin, should they both come out victorious in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Buchecha” will have a lot to say about those plans, as the Brazilian is looking to get back in the win column and re-establish himself as the biggest threat at heavyweight.
The BJJ legend started strong in ONE with four impressive finishes. In a meeting with “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane, Almeida was bested on the scorecards in a tiring three-round battle with the Senegalese superstar.
Almeida gets the chance to redeem himself against another elite wrestler, and Aliakbari can prove he is worthy of a title shot. The stakes are incredibly high for this incredible heavyweight MMA showdown.
ONE 169 airs live and free on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Friday, November 8, to all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.