Five reasons why you have to go see ONE 166: Qatar at Lusail Sports Arena on March 1
A must-see sporting event is headed to our beautiful country as ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosts its first show in Qatar at the Lusail Sports Arena on Friday, March 1.
ONE 166: Qatar, presented by Visit Qatar, will feature some of the best fighters on the planet from the Middle East and all around the world competing in various combat sports.
ONE is famous for putting on world-class matches and one of the most exciting global live sports productions, so fans should expect fireworks all night long.
As the event rapidly approaches, Qatar Living reveals the five biggest reasons why you should attend ONE 166 at the Lusail Sports Arena.
1 - The Biggest Combat Sports Event In The History Of Qatar
Qatar is becoming known as a hot spot for international sporting competitions, and on the heels of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar will now hold the biggest combat sports event in the nation’s history with ONE 166.
The card is loaded with high-stakes matches across various combat sports, including MMA, Muay Thai, submission grappling, and even boxing, and the athletes who will be participating in these contests come from elite martial arts backgrounds and are considered to be among the best in their respective fields.
Never before has a major combat sports organization entered “The Pearl of the Gulf,” but that changes on March 1, and you can come to the Lusail Sports Arena to witness everything live.
2 - Heavyweight MMA Superstar Could Enter The Record Books
Anatoly Malykhin is standing on the precipice of history.
The undefeated Russian superstar is the reigning ONE Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight MMA World Champion, and if he were to beat Reinier de Ridder for his middleweight belt in the main event of ONE 166: Qatar, he would become the first fighter to ever hold MMA World Titles in three divisions.
And it is a very real possibility. Malykhin knocked out the Dutchman and handed him his only career loss in December 2022.
3 - A Stacked Card With 3 World Title Rematches
The De Ridder vs. Malykhin II battle isn’t the only World Title rematch on the card. There are a few other World Championship tilts scheduled for the event.
In the co-main event, reigning titleholder Tang Kai will square off against his longtime rival and current interim titleholder Thanh Le in a ONE Featherweight MMA World Championship unification bout. Tang originally edged out the American for the gold in their August 2022 classic, and a year and a half later, the two will run it back for featherweight supremacy.
Plus, ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks goes head-to-head with #1 contender Joshua Pacio – the man he defeated for the gold in December 2022 – in an action-packed rematch.
4 - The Middle East Vs. The World
The finest martial artists from the Middle East will look to make the region proud when they test their skills against some of the world’s best combat sports athletes across multiple disciplines.
Iran’s Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion Amir Aliakbari will collide with former ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion Arjan Bhullar in a three-round clash. If Aliakbari were to defeat the Indian star, then he would put himself on a four-bout winning streak and potentially secure the next shot at Malykhin’s heavyweight belt.
In addition, Saudi-Yemeni sensation Osamah Almarwai – the first-ever IBJJF Black Belt World Champion from the Middle East – faces Brazilian Cleber Sousa, and unbeaten WBC Middle East Boxing Champion Zuhayr Al-Qahtani squares off against French-Algerian striker Mehdi Zatout in a three-round showdown.
Plus, Morocco’s Zakaria El Jamari and Turkey’s Zafer Sayik will make their ONE Muay Thai debuts against a pair of dangerous Russians in Ali Saldoev and Vladimir Kuzmin.
5 – A Live Sports Spectacle Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Seen
Unlike other international combat sports promotions, ONE puts a unique spin on its presentation and is truly unmatched in production value.
When fans enter the arena, it’s as if they are stepping into a night club. There are LED lights and pyrotechnics, and the intensity really ramps up when athletes make their entrances with custom walkout songs and video packages.
Simply put, it’s a vibe, and it could change your entire perception of combat sports.
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