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A pivotal bantamweight MMA clash is set for ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video, and reigning divisional king Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade is sure to be one of the millions of fans around the world tuning in live in North American primetime. On Friday, June 9, South Korean knockout artist Kwon Won II will square off with surging Russian standout Artem Belakh, live from the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Fresh off his stunning World Title-winning victory over rival John Lineker in February at ONE Fight Night 7, Andrade is well aware that the showdown between the #4-ranked Kwon and the #5-ranked Belakh could be a glimpse at future challengers to his divisional crown.

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Artem Belakh and Kwon Won II will trust their strengths

Indeed, both men come into the contest with heads full of steam. Revered for his crispy boxing combinations and shocking power, the man from Seoul known as “Pretty Boy” has won four of his last five and sports an absurd 100 percent finishing rate against the elite of the elite in ONE.

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Belakh, meanwhile, has already made a statement just one fight into his ONE career. Last October, at ONE 162, the 27-year-old employed a devastating blend of wrestling and explosive striking to secure a dominant decision win over former ONE Bantamweight World Title challenger Leandro Issa, announcing his presence in a big way.

READ MORE – The Better My Opponent, the Better Version of Me” – Regian Eersel Eyes an Expansion of His Legacy Against Dmitry Menshikov

Andrade says he’s looking forward to this Friday’s battle and believes it will play out like a classic striker-versus-grappler matchup, “I believe it will be a good fight. The result will depend on who manages to put their game into practice first. I believe that Artem Belakh will try to put the fight down, and Kwon Won Ill will try to keep the fight standing.”

Fabricio Andrade thinks the application of skills will be an important factor

The key for each athlete, Andrade says, will be sticking to a game plan and creating a fight that favors his individual skillset. For the South Korean, that means avoiding takedowns and dictating the action on the feet with his top-tier stand-up game. Conversely, the Russian must bring the fight to the canvas where he can implement his smothering grappling attack and land massive ground strikes.

READ MORE – YouTube Documentary Revealed Why the ONE Championship Boss Chatri Sityodtong Poses a Significant Threat to the UFC’s #1 MMA Promotion Spot

Andrade explained, “Everything will depend on who will be able to impose their game. If the fight goes to the ground, Artem will have the advantage. But if Kwon avoids Artem’s takedowns and keeps the fight standing, he will have the advantage.”

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Souvik Roy

1,315 Articles

The coveted scrap between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson in 2002 was when I realized the passion for combat sports within my family. My interest in combat sports began watching scripted pro wrestling shows. It was my father who directed me towards combat sports and it wasn’t until the late 2010s that I discovered the world of MMA and the UFC. Like many of you, I too, tuned in for the infamous Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor bout live on October 6, 2018. Being an ardent fan of the UFC (and Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier), I was always looking to have conversations about the same with others. But to my disappointment, I hardly found any followers of the sports to interact with. So I took it upon myself to do my part in popularizing the thrill and the agony behind the purest form of unarmed combat. At EssentiallySports, I try to bring the readers closer to the athletes and focus my coverage on exploring the human side of these martial artists. I’m a musician during my time free from reporting MMA. I operate as the lead vocalist of a rock band that aims to make their mark among the audiences with their original alternative-hard rock songs. You can hit me up at-

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Hitesh Nigam

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