Unfinished business requires resolution. Christian Lee takes the frustration of an inconclusive ending into his rematch with Alibeg Rasulov and promises to deliver the emphatic finish that eluded him last December.
The reigning two-division ONE World Champion defends his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title against the undefeated Turkish powerhouse on AN 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Their first meeting at ONE Fight Night 26 ended in frustration when an accidental eye poke prevented Rasulov from advancing in the second round, resulting in a no contest.
The 27-year-old Singaporean-American co-holds the record for most wins in ONE Championship history with 17 victories along with Rodtang Jitmuangnon. That inconclusive ending added fuel to his competitive fire as he prepared for this highly anticipated rematch. Lee believes he was building momentum and taking control when the unfortunate incident occurred.
His confidence in what might have happened has not diminished over time. Weeks and months after that confrontation, Lee studied the images extensively. His belief in the outcome has only become stronger through repeated analyses. Now he is putting the finishing touches to his training camp, confident that he will perform even more dynamically.
“At that point, it really felt like he came out prepared. I landed some good shots on him. He was able to defend the takedowns really well. And then I felt a shift. I felt like the momentum was really starting to go my way, and I felt like he was starting to break,” he said.
“So when the first eye poke happened, I thought, ‘Okay, give him some time.’ I thought he just wanted to catch his breath. But when it was called off, I really felt like victory was there.
Christian Lee predicts a first-round win over Alibeg Rasulov
Christian Lee’s first meeting with Alibeg Rasulov marked his return to MMA competition after a two-year layoff. His longest stretch of inactivity since his ONE Championship debut as a 17-year-old phenom in December 2015 showed some rust.
The two-division king proved that despite that long absence, he could still compete at the highest level. Lee acknowledges that he wasn’t working at full capacity during their first meeting. This time he promises that a completely different version of himself will enter the Circle on November 16.
“I think I’ll just take him down and submit him in the first round. I plan on going in there and not wasting any time. I can see it ending a few different ways, but if I could just stay honest, I think I’ll take him down, and I’ll submit him in the first five minutes,” Lee said.
“I think he’s going to come out prepared. I think he’s going to be ready to fight. But at the end of the night, I don’t think he’s going to know what happened. I think it’s going to be too much for him, and I’m going to get the job done.”
#Christian #Lee #promises #quick #finish #Alibeg #Rasulov #rematch #submit #BJPenn.com