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The lights sparkled across the ceiling of Lumpinee Stadium as ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video hit U.S. primetime last Friday, December 6.
Two World Championships were on the line and a number of contenders looked to leave last impressions on a card that included kickboxing, MMA, Muay Thai, and submission grappling.
After another wild event in Bangkok, Thailand, these are five key takeaways from ONE Fight Night 26.
Lee Returns In Top Form, But Rasulov Is Up To TaskThe no-contest result was not what anybody wanted. Still, Christian Lee’s return after a two-year layoff against Alibeg Rasulov showed he has not missed a beat.
From the opening bell, it was a vintage performance from “The Warrior” in defense of his ONE Lightweight MMA World Championship.
He pushed the pace, stunned Rasulov with a stiff jab, and attempted to implement his wrestling attack. Although the Turkish challenger stymied those attempts, there was certainly no ring rust from the two-division king.
Rasulov then stepped things up in the second frame, drawing the Singaporean-American into a firefight on the feet with both men scoring. Unfortunately, those exchanges led to the accidental eye poke from Lee, which forced an untimely end to the tilt.
Lee looked exceptional, and seeing him back on the global stage was a feel-good moment.
The intensity of the match was starting to ramp up before it was taken off the stove prematurely. Fans should expect the flame to be reignited in 2025, as both men will eye a World Title rematch to settle the score.
Kongthoranee Makes Case To Enter Flyweight Muay Thai RankingsNakrob Fairtex entered his flyweight Muay Thai contest with a five-match winning streak and the #4 contender spot, hoping to prove he is ready to contend for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.
Instead, Kongthoranee Sor Sommai crashed the party with a jaw-dropping three-round performance.
Kongthoranee’s left hand was a missile in the first round, rocking Nakrob on three separate occasions. The clean punches may have resulted in knockdowns against other athletes, but Nakrob’s toughness kept him upright.
The match didn’t get easier in the second and third rounds, as the damage accumulated on Nakrob’s right eye.
Ultimately, the 28-year-old Kongthoranee stole his opponent’s shine with a unanimous decision victory and may have crashed the rankings to throw his name into the World Title conversation.
Two Flyweight MMA Contenders Get Closer To World Title ShotYuya Wakamatsu outslugs Gilbert Nakatani for a fiery decision win 
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With the flyweight MMA throne now vacant, the division’s top contenders are racing to fill the empty seat left by former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson.
Following #1-ranked contender Adriano Moraes’ second-round submission victory at ONE 169, four talented athletes set out to state their own cases at ONE Fight Night 26.
In the first match, #2-ranked Yuya Wakamatsu gave a rude welcome to highly touted debutant Gilbert Nakatani with a unanimous decision victory. Although Nakatani was game, Wakamatsu employed his improved defensive grappling to keep the action upright and pick the American apart with a dynamic striking attack.
Later in the show, #4-ranked Reece McLaren outdueled current ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks in a three-round war. Although Brooks had early success, McLaren was slicing and dicing his new rival with a bevy of strikes by the end of the match.
The decision of who shall compete for the gold will be difficult. The top contenders have all shown they are worthy of vying for the crown, showcasing why the flyweight MMA division remains among the most talent-rich in the sport.
Di Bella Gets Back On Track In StyleFormer ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella was out to put on a show and send a message to divisional king Prajanchai PK Saenchai – the man who took his belt last time out.
Di Bella was clinical in his three-round victory over Rui Botelho, appearing quick, precise, and crisp with all of his tools.
The Italian-Canadian mixed up his arsenal, attacking the legs, body, and head throughout the nine-minute battle. If Botelho circled away to reset, Di Bella quickly pointed to the mat and demanded his foe to exchange.
It was dominance from the Team Di Bella Kickboxing representative, who said afterward that he plans to be more active in 2025. The mission to regain the 26 pounds of gold is in full effect, as Di Bella showed he remains the division’s most dangerous contender.
Leon And Abate Star In Big DebutsCole Abate and Dante Leon each made a splash when they signed on the dotted line and joined ONE’s elite roster of submission grappling stars. And both BJJ black belts dazzled in their lightweight debuts with swift finishes that highlighted their incredible skill sets.
Leon was first up and wasted no time taking Bruno Pucci’s back.
After failing to secure a rear-naked choke, the Canadian soon switched to a triangle choke and then secured the armbar for an emphatic stoppage just 2:01 into the match.
Abate needed an additional 24 seconds to defeat Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in their collision.
The 20-year-old American prodigy had a triangle of his own, but Aoki defended well to prevent the choke. Instead, Abate transitioned to a leg attack and torqued an outside heel hook for the win.
The two new submission grappling aces won decisively and quickly, setting the stage for a red-hot slate of potential dream matchups in 2025.
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