As the days count down to ONE Championship’s return to the United States, the card for the thrilling show keeps getting bigger. This week, it was announced that an interesting lightweight MMA pairing and a clash of flyweight Muay Thai knockout artists have been added to ONE 168: Denver.

The event will go down on Friday, September 6, inside Denver, Colorado’s Ball Arena, and broadcast live on U.S. primetime via Prime Video. Well ahead of the clash, let’s have a closer look at the added fights.

The matches added to ONE 168: Denver roster

First, Switzerland’s Maurice Abevi and promotional newcomer Samat Mamedov are set to collide in lightweight MMA action, and their bout comes at a pivotal time for the stacked division.

Reigning titleholder Christian “The Warrior” Lee is finally set to return at ONE 169: Atlanta in November after a two-year hiatus, meaning the weight bracket’s rankings will likely be reinstated sometime soon. Therefore, a win for either man at ONE 168 could put them in a favorable position.

Abevi rebounded well after losing his debut fight at ONE Fight Night 9 in April last year against Halil Amir. He has scored back-to-back wins against rising star Blake Cooper and Chinese veteran Zhang Lipeng and will hope to add to that momentum against Mamedov.

However, the Kazakhstani powerhouse will be looking to impress in his first fight in ONE, and his professional record of 10-0 suggests he could do just that. Mamedov blends elite grappling with heavy hands to pressure his foes, making him an all-round threat.

Flyweight Muay Thai showdown: Climaco vs. Estupinan

Elsewhere, in flyweight Muay Thai, Filipino-American striker Sean “The One” Climaco will square off against Johan “Panda Kick” Estupinan as both seek recognition in the stacked division. Climaco, a Road To ONE winner, was spectacular in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 22 last May. He destroyed Mexico’s Josue “Tuzo” Cruz in the first round of their encounter to put his name on the map.

Joining the planet’s best striking roster is certainly a step up in competition for “The One,” and he intends to challenge more prominent fighters after defeating Estupinan. Of course, it won’t be easy against the first-ever Colombian fighter to sign with ONE Championship. “Panda Kick” is currently 24-0 in his professional career, including two victories in as many outings in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Claiming a third straight win will surely put Estupinan into contention in the flyweight Muay Thai division, so fans should expect him to bring the heat against the similarly-motivated Climaco.

ONE 168: Denver will be headlined by three World Title bouts, and the rest of the card will feature promotional mainstays and rising stars. The action will be broadcast in over 190 countries around the world – going live across North America via Prime Video for Amazon subscribers.