“It Will Be An Interesting Fight” – Confident Rui Botelho Seeking A Shot At ONE Gold By Defeating Zhang Peimian At ONE Fight Night 16

Add us on Google

Souvik Roy

Nov 3, 2023 | 5:54 AM EDT

“It Will Be An Interesting Fight” – Confident Rui Botelho Seeking A Shot At ONE Gold By Defeating Zhang Peimian At ONE Fight Night 16

Add us on Google

Souvik Roy

Nov 3, 2023 | 5:54 AM EDT

Portuguese striker Rui Botelho believes he’s primed for a breakout performance this Friday, November 3, at ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade on Prime Video. The 28-year-old is now less than a day away from his strawweight kickboxing clash against former World Title challenger Zhang Peimian live in U.S. primetime from the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

A former European Kickboxing Champion with a well-rounded, ultra-aggressive style, Botelho has struggled to win consistently in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Rui Botelho wants to present himself as a strong title contender with a victory over Peimian

Despite suffering defeats, the Dinamite Team representative has done plenty to prove he belongs among the elite, going the distance with top talents like Taiki Naito and kickboxing kingpin Superlek Kiatmoo9. When he squares off with Peimian, he’ll be facing a dangerous knockout artist who just last year challenged for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.

With that in mind, Botelho believes a victory on Friday night could propel him to a crack at divisional titleholder Jonathan Di Bella. “This fight will be the beginning of my journey toward the ONE [Strawweight] Kickboxing World Title. I think a victory over him could put me in a fight for the World Title next.” Known for his heavy hands, durability, and willingness to engage in a firefight, the Portuguese star is ready for a barnburner against “Fighting Rooster.”

Botelho is confident about being the one who gets interviewed by Mitch Chilson first

For his part, Permian is one of the fastest and most explosive strikers in the strawweight kickboxing division, already revered for his electrifying style at just 20 years old. According to Botelho, fans can look forward to a thriller at ONE Fight Night 16, and he’s confident he’ll be leaving Bangkok a winner.

He added, “I think it will be an interesting fight for the public. But, without a doubt, at the end of the fight, I’m the one who will talk to Mitch Chilson”. ONE Fight Night 16 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, November 3. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is free for all Prime Video subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.

Written by

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-

Know more

Edited by

Joyita Das