When “ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash” goes down live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on July 22, combat sports fans are guaranteed another night of memorable fights.
The 12-match bill will be headlined by two intriguing world title affairs, featuring four warriors who are fired up to get the biggest victories of their respective careers. But the other 10 fights promise just as much excitement, drama and entertainment.
Across the card, there are a plethora of rising stars stepping into action. Here, we take a look a look at three appearing at ONE 159 who could put on show-stealing performances.
Zhang Peimian
The number of teenagers making waves in ONE is growing rapidly, and 18-year-old sensation “Fighting Rooster” Zhang Peimian can be added to the list.
The Chinese striker announced his arrival in the world’s most stacked striking league with a breathtaking display against former ONE world title challenger Josh “Timebomb” Tonna earlier this year.
Every time “Fighting Rooster” stepped forward and got in his opponent’s range, he made sure he connected with power and precision. When Tonna slowed down due to the sheer intensity of his attacks, Zhang upped his aggression and unloaded with more stinging shots to the head and body.
All that was enough to get a TKO win over the experienced Australian slugger.
Zhang will be hoping those skills can push him to another stunning triumph against Aslanbek Zikreev on July 22.
Hiroba Minowa
Hiroba Minowa (13-3) has graced the ONE circle with a string of impressive displays that have showcased his fluidity across various aspects of the sport.
In his debut in 2020, the No. 3-ranked strawweight contender went toe-to-toe with striking specialist Lito Adiwang. The Team Lakay representative caught the Japanese star with a couple of heavy hands and kicks, but Minowa got himself out of deep waters to take home the win by a narrow margin.
The enigmatic fighter maintained his winning run in the promotion with another strong outing less than six months – this time, taking out MMA veteran and former strawweight king Alex “Little Rock” Silva.
Though he slipped to a decision loss against Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks in January this year, Minowa was still able to hang with the grappling specialist, becoming the first man to bring Brooks to the judges’ scorecard in his ONE tenure.
At ONE 159, the Japanese stalwart squares off with No. 2-ranked Bokang “Little Giant” Masunyane (8-1).
Lara Fernandez
A victory for Lara Fernandez at ONE 159 will probably go down as the biggest upset on the stacked card. But if anyone can do it, it’s the debuting Spanish star.
Fernandez has won both the WBC muay Thai and ISKA kickboxing world championships, and now she steps into the ONE circle for the very first time to compete for another world title.
The 26-year-old striking phenom will meet Janet Todd in the second to last fight of the evening at ONE 159, and she will be vying to become the ONE interim atomweight muay Thai world champion.
The Spaniard will have her work cut out for her, however, as “JT” will be looking to win her second strap at The Home of Martial Arts. The American sensation already holds the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title, so she will throw everything she has at Fernandez in order to achieve two-sport glory.
Fernandez has heavy hands and is intelligent in her ability to cut angles. When she finds herself in the counter-attacking role, she can also hit with calculated shots that will hurt.
Todd might be able to handle that. But should Fernandez capitalize on a slight opening, she can capture the interim belt.
