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ONE Fight Night 22: Wei Rui leads Chinese contingent in Bangkok with bantamweight kickboxing clash against Hiroki Akimoto a potential title eliminator

  • Winner could get shot at Jonathan Haggerty’s belt, while Hu Yong and Zhang Lipeng also in action on May 4
  • Liam Harrison to make long-awaited comeback at ONE Fight 167 in a bantamweight Muay Thai clash with Katsuki Kitano on June 8

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Wei Rui is set to feature in a bantamweight kickboxing bout at ONE Fight Night 22. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Fight Night 22 will have a distinctly Chinese feel, with kickboxing legend Wei Rui one of three fighters from the country to have been added to the card for Bangkok on May 4.

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Wei Rui is set to take on Hiroki Akimoto in a bantamweight kickboxing bout. The Japanese fighter is a former champion and ranked No 1 in the division, meaning that the winner will be well positioned for a shot at Jonathan Haggerty’s belt.

In the flyweight division, Hu Yong (12-4) has been matched with Reece McLaren (16-9) in an MMA bout. The Chinese fighter is on a three-fight winning streak and could crack the top five for the first time with a win.

Experienced lightweight Zhang Lipeng (34-12-2) will be fighting for the first time this year against Swiss mixed martial artist Maurice Abevi (7-1) who is a decade younger, with both men coming off first-round stoppage wins.

The only man to ever beat Abevi is Halil Amir, who faces Akbar Abdullaev in a featherweight bout between two undefeated fighters that has all the makings of a title eliminator.

Hu Yong punches Yodkaikaew Fairtex on his way to a unanimous decision win in 2021. Photo: ONE Championship
Hu Yong punches Yodkaikaew Fairtex on his way to a unanimous decision win in 2021. Photo: ONE Championship

Amir and Abdullaev both have identical 10-0 records and will both be dropping down to featherweight for this fight. Reigning champion Tang Kai will surely be watching and wondering if the winner will be his next opponent.

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