Unbeaten Turkish lightweight Alibeg Rasulov has waited a full year to claim what he believes is his destiny, and on Sunday, November 16, he will finally get his long-awaited rematch with two-division MMA king Christian “The Warrior” Lee at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri in Tokyo, Japan.
Their five-round tilt will determine who truly reigns atop the ONE lightweight MMA throne after their first meeting at ONE Fight Night 26 last December ended abruptly due to an accidental eye poke that rendered Rasulov unable to continue.
For the 14-0 Turkish contender, this is the realization of a dream he’s carried since the beginning of his professional fighting journey — competing in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and proving he belongs among the elite.
The 32-year-old said:
“I am very happy to compete in this league. It is, so to say, a very good league, and everyone knows it. I dreamed of getting into this league, and I am very happy to compete here. Christian Lee is a very strong fighter, a champion in two weight classes, and I knew there would be no easy fight.”
Rasulov has replayed the events of his first encounter with Lee numerous times. The opening round was challenging, but once the second stanza kicked in, he believed the tide of the fight began to shift. His pressure increased, his shots landed with greater rhythm, and in his mind, the fight was starting to lean his way.
Now, after a full year of reflection and preparation, Rasulov says this rematch offers him the chance to pick up exactly where he left off.
He said:
“In the last fight with Christian Lee, maybe I even lost the first round, but I already felt in the second round that I was starting to pressure, and he had gotten a bit tired. And if not for that eye poke, maybe I would have won the fight.”
But that unwanted result and inconclusive outcome didn’t just sting, it carved motivation in the Hyperion Fighters representative. For that fight, Rasulov had endured a full training camp, built toward a performance he was proud of, and he watched it disappear in a matter of seconds.
This upcoming rematch isn’t only about proving he is better than Lee, it’s also about reclaiming a moment he believes was rightfully his.
Rasulov said:
“It was very frustrating that it happened that way, I prepared so much, trained so much, and it ended like that. Moreover, I had already started to gain momentum in the second round, and everything was in my hands.
“But Christian Lee is a very serious fighter and a champion in two divisions, so finishing him early is difficult. I think it’ll be much easier for me now, because I have already fought him once.”
Rasulov Vows To Dictate Rematch, Bring Gold To Dagestan
When Alibeg Rasulov enters the Circle at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, he expects a very different kind of battle against two-division MMA World Champion Christian Lee.
The Dagestani powerhouse has spent an entire year refining the tools he intends to bring into this highly anticipated rematch. He knows that Lee’s offense thrives on pace, timing, and pressure, and he plans to deny him in every area.
The key to victory, he believes, will lie in forcing the reigning king backward. If he can make the first move, win the positional battles, and turn their clash into his kind of fight, the result will look nothing like their unfinished first meeting.
He said:
“I plan to wrestle more, impose my wrestling, not let him be the aggressor, and generally take the lead myself. Since he is the champion, I need to pressure him.”
Rasulov also enters this rematch with something he didn’t have before: experience sharing the Circle with Lee. That knowledge, combined with the lingering doubt many fans and analysts cast in his direction, has only strengthened his resolve.
Critics may question whether he can dethrone the lightweight MMA king, but he welcomes that skepticism. He proved his caliber immediately upon arriving in ONE, defeating former divisional titleholder Ok Rae Yoon in his promotional debut last year.
He said:
“Many people do not believe in me, so let me be the underdog, and I will prove that I am the champion.”
More than anything, Rasulov is driven by what victory would mean beyond the coveted belt. Bringing home the lightweight strap would represent the culmination of years of sacrifice, countless hours in the gym, and the unwavering support of the coaches who molded him.
Rasulov, who was born and raised in the Dagestan region of Russia, has dreamed not just of winning, but of placing that World Title belt in the hands of the people who guided him from the very beginning.
He said:
“I have everything I need to win this belt and take it home, to Dagestan. I prepared for this fight for a very long time. It would be ideal for me to finish with submission, and take the belt and the bonus. Becoming the World Champion of such an organization is very prestigious.
“More than anything, I dream of putting this belt on for my coaches. I want not only Japan to look at me. I want the whole world to look at me as the undisputed champion.”
