By:  | October 8, 2022 10:20 am

Eko Roni Saputra will go in search of his seventh straight ONE Championship win in Malaysia this month. The Indonesian strawweight has been matched with Yodkaikaew Fairtex at the Axiata Arena on October 21st.

Saputra (6-1) has won six fights in a row since suffering defeat on his ONE Championship debut. The 31 year old has finished all of those fights in the first round.

Saputra comes from a wrestling background which makes this a clash of styles because opponent Yodkaikaew (7-5-1) trains out of the Fairtex Gym and is a Muay Thai veteran. He won his first three ONE Championship fights but is coming off three straight losses.

UFC veteran

Saputra will be one of three Evolve MMA fighters on the card. In the bantamweight division UFC veteran Leandro Issa (17-8) returns after a three year absence to take on promotional newcomer Artem Belakh (9-2).

In the strawweight division his teammate Alex Silva takes on Gustavo Balart. The Brazilian is a former champion while the Cuban is the smallest man on the entire roster.

Title tilt

As previously announced the newly vacated strawweight kickboxing title will be on the line when Zhang Peimian faces Jonathan Di Bella at ONE 162. Former champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao has vacated the belt and either Zhang Peimian or Jonathan Di Bella will be crowned his successor on October 21st.

The event is set for the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur and will be headlined by this title fight. Chinese teenager Peimian has been rewarded for winning two ONE Championship fights out of two in 2022 with a shot at the belt.

At ONE: ‘Lights Out’ in March he stopped Josh Tonna in the second round with body shots. In July he earned a decision win over Aslanbek Zikreev with both fights taking place in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

While Peimian has ben busy competing in kickboxing bouts for ONE Championship this year his opponent appears to have been more focused on boxing. Di Bella has fought twice in his home of Montreal this year, winning both bouts.

Di Bella has fought for Glory in the past and won the ISKA featherweight title in 2018. He will be making his ONE Championship debut in Malaysia.

Best of the rest

The c0-main event will also be a kickboxing fight, with just two MMA bouts on the ONE 162 card. Islam Murtazaev takes on Nieky Holzken in a match that had originally been scheduled for March.

The Cuban is the smallest man on the roster but is coming off to very entertaining decision wins.

Meanwhile the experienced Reece McLaren will take on Windson Ramos in the flyweight division. Both men are BJJ black belts but the Brazilian is a no gi grappling world champion.

Prime time

ONE on Prime Video 3 is set for the Axiata Arena the following day. It ill take place on Saturday morning local time and be headlined by an all Brazilian flyweight title fight between John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade.

ONE 162, Singapore, October 21st
Kickboxing: Zhang Peimian vs. Jonathan Di Bella (For vacant strawweight title)
Kickboxing: Islam Murtazaev vs. Nieky Holzken (Lightweight)
Reece McLaren vs. Windson Ramos (Flyweight)
Kickboxing: Sittichai Sitsongpeenong vs. Mohammed Boutasaa (Featherweight)
Alex Silva vs. Gustavo Balart (Strawweight)
Muay Thai: Niclas Larsen vs. Jimmy Vienot (Featherweight)
Leandro Issa vs. Artem Belakh (Bantamweight)
Eko Roni Saputra vs. Yodkaikaew Fairtex (Strawweight)
Muay Thai: Chorfah Sor Sangtiennoi vs. Denis Puric (Flyweight)