Four Fights Confirmed for ONE FC: War of Dragons in Taiwan Next Month

Four fights were announced today for ONE FC: War of Dragons on July 11 including a lightweight match-up between former Legend FC lightweight champion Koji Ando and undefeated Brazilian Rafael Nunes.

Shinya Aoki is set to return to the cage soon and the bout between Ando (8-3-2) and Nunes (10-0) is a potential title eliminator with the Japanese lightweight coming off three straight wins culminating in a successful title shot against ONE FC featherweight. Jadamba Narantungalag.

The win over Jadamba was the biggest of Ando’s career but the Judoka, who has never been stopped, faces a serious examination of his ONE FC title credentials when he takes on Nunes who has never lost a fight, holds a brown belt in BJJ and has nine wins inside the distance.

Yusup Saadulaev (13-3-1) will be looking to continue with the fine recent form which has seen him win four straight fights when he meets former Shooto 132-pound champion Koetsu Okazi (9-3-1) who is coming off his first ONE FC win.

Although Okazaki has already been beaten by reigning 135-pound champion Bibiano Fernandes in a fight for the interim title, a win for Saadulaev would potentially put him in pole position for a shot at the Brazilian belt holder, or even an eliminator against top contender Dae Hwan Kim.

Light heavyweight Jake Butler (3-1) returns to action after his surprise loss against Sylvain Potard and he faces a tough test against an Egyptian opponent who has already beaten the Frenchman and will be making his ONE FC debut.

Mohamed Ali (9-6) is a Cage Warriors and EFC veteran who has six KO/TKO wins to his name which makes this a high risk fight for rising star Butler who was stopped by strikes in the second round of his last fight.

The fourth fight to be announced today is one for the local fans with Canadian based Taiwanese heavyweight Paul Cheng returning to the city of his birth to take on Egypt’s Mahmoud Hassan (1-3).

The event is set for the National Taiwan University Sports Center in Taipei on July 11 and will be ONE FC’s first foray into Chinese territory. Other fighters rumored to be on the card include Rob Lisita, Leandro Ataides and Eric Kelly.