There will be no tune-ups for Christian “The Warrior” Lee as he returns to defend his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 26 on Prime Video.
After two years out of action, the reigning two-division king will step back into competition and face unbeaten challenger Alibeg Rasulov live in U.S. primetime this Friday, December 6.
Lee is hungry to prove he remains in top form, but with a 14-0 professional record, the Turkish destroyer could be his toughest test yet.
It’s an enthralling matchup, as “The Warrior” will pit his fierce striking and relentless offense against Rasulov’s elite close-quarters skill set. Here are the keys to victory for both men as they aim for lightweight MMA supremacy.
#1 Rasulov’s Clinch Game
If there’s one guarantee against Lee, it’s that he will get in his opponent’s face and look to land heavy shots.
While that can be hard to deal with, Rasulov could use it to his advantage, knowing the Singaporean-American will come charging in his direction.
The Dagestan-bred athlete has a strong clinch game, where he could find ways to tie up the champ and slow down his offense while also opening up avenues to attack.
In his ONE debut, Rasulov slowed down Ok Rae Yoon with a grinding clinch game, and when he had the opportunities to unleash his strikes, he did it with venom.
He scored with heavy dirty boxing and elbows in the tie-ups, found room for knees, and punished the former World Champion on the break.
Against another striker who would prefer to be out in the open, the Hyperion Fighters representative can use the close quarters for both offense and defense as he attempts to dictate the match.
#2 Lee’s Early Aggression
Fans can’t wait to see Lee back in action because he’s a whirlwind of aggression who will always go for the finish from the first bell.
As the fighter with the most wins (17) and finishes (16) in ONE history, the stats prove that Lee only has one thing on his mind – and his 11 first-round stoppages show that he doesn’t like to hang around.
With Rasulov partaking in only his second ONE bout and his first World Title contest, he could need some time to shake off those big-fight nerves – and “The Warrior” could capitalize with a fast start.
Rushing out of the blocks comes naturally to him, and he has no shortage of weapons in his arsenal to throw at the challenger.
Lee should look to land with his fists, elbows, kicks, and knees before Rasulov can take a breath and steady himself.
Lethal on the front foot and on the counter, standing and on the ground, there won’t be many places for respite if “The Warrior” forces his pace on the battle early.
#3 Rasulov’s Takedowns
As well as in the clinch, Rasulov could temper Lee’s offense by putting him on his back and minimizing his ability to attack.
Rasulov has Dagestan blood running through his veins and started freestyle wrestling as a child, which means he has world-class takedowns that can help him achieve that goal.
An explosive fighter can be subdued much more easily on the canvas, and the Turk can wear Lee down even if he doesn’t keep him there.
It’s extremely taxing to get back up against a strong top player who will make you carry his weight as you try to return to your feet.
It’s even more demoralizing to get back up only to be dragged back down again, and Rasulov has good mat returns that allow him to repeatedly dump his rivals back down.
Lee hasn’t fought in two years and it’s not clear what his fight fitness will look like, but the Turkish star can ask some major questions across five rounds with a relentless takedown offense.
If the defending ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion tries to take a breather on the canvas, Rasulov will let rip with his ground-and-pound, especially heavy elbows that he employs from every position.
#4 Lee’s Takedown Defense And Scrambles
Lee is a BJJ black belt with submission and ground-and-pound wins, but he still doesn’t want to spend too long with a strong wrestler on top of him.
It can lead to lost rounds if he stays there or lost energy as he tries to escape, so fending off the attempts will be crucial.
As a true mixed martial artist, the Prodigy Training Center athlete can make the most of the transitions between ranges to land powerful strikes as Rasulov is still adjusting – and he only needs one shot to change the complexion of a fight.
“The Warrior” has a 61 percent success rate in defending takedowns in ONE, but he hasn’t faced many wrestlers of Rasulov’s caliber, so this will be a real test of his skills.
Even if he’s forced to his back, Lee’s scrambles could present chances to get on top, where he has punishing ground-and-pound.
