Reigning two-division ONE World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee has unfinished business with Alibeg Rasulov – and he plans to settle it in emphatic fashion.
Nearly a year after their controversial no-contest ending, Lee will defend his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title against the undefeated Turkish powerhouse in a highly anticipated rematch at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which emanates live from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, November 16.
The first encounter between these two elite lightweights ended in frustration for both mixed martial artists and the fans alike.
At ONE Fight Night 26 last December, Lee was building momentum and appeared to be taking control when an inadvertent eye poke from the two-division king left Rasulov unable to continue in the second round, resulting in a no contest.
For the 27-year-old Singaporean-American, who co-holds the record for most wins in ONE Championship history alongside Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon with 17 victories, the inconclusive ending has only added fuel to his competitive fire.
Speaking to onefc.com ahead of the blockbuster World Title rematch, Lee recalled the pivotal moment when their first battle was waved off:
“In the moment, 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 could feel him starting to break.
“So when the initial eye poke happened, I was like, ‘Okay, give him some time.’ I thought he was just trying to get a breather. But when it was called off, I really felt like the victory was right there.”
That feeling hasn’t diminished with time. Weeks and even months following that showdown, Lee had studied the footage extensively, and his confidence in what would have transpired has only grown stronger.
So now, as he puts the finishing touches on his training camp, “The Warrior” strongly believes he will produce an even more dynamic performance in their rematch.
Lee explained:
“Looking back on the tape, I still feel the same way about it. And I feel so much better going into this one because having been in there, sharing the ring with him and then now coming back a second time, I always feel like it’s a little better getting ready the second time around.”
While some observers noted that Rasulov was becoming more competitive as the fight progressed, Lee maintains that he was still firmly in control and that the momentum was shifting decisively in his favor when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Though the Singaporean-American didn’t get the definitive conclusion he was seeking last December, he envisions a completely different outcome on November 16.
The lightweight king offered:
“I think that him being more competitive didn’t change the fact that I was dominating the fight, and the way that we felt in there, I felt that the momentum was shifting. That’s why I was upset about the ending.
“I definitely would have loved to have had a conclusive ending right there. But I’m not taking anything away from Alibeg. It was an accidental eye poke. I’m very confident going into this rematch because I can already picture the victory.”
Lee Shares His Fight Prediction And Training Camp Insights
The first meeting with Alibeg Rasulov marked Christian Lee’s return to MMA competition after a two-year layoff, his longest period of inactivity since making his ONE Championship debut as a 17-year-old phenom in December 2015.
While the two-division king proved he could still compete at the highest level despite a little ring rust, Lee acknowledges that he wasn’t operating at full capacity during their initial encounter. This time, “The Warrior” promises that a completely different version of himself will step into the Circle on November 16.
His confidence has translated into a bold prediction for how the rematch will unfold. Lee, who owns an impressive 17-4 record with 16 finishes in the world’s largest martial arts organization, doesn’t plan on letting the rematch go the distance.
He said:
“I think I’m gonna just take him down and submit him in the first round. I plan on going in there and wasting no time. I see it ending in a few different ways, but if I could just stay straightforward, I think that I’ll take him down, and I’ll submit him within the first five minutes.”
The prediction is particularly striking given Rasulov’s reputation as an elite grappler in his own right.
The 32-year-old Turkish wrecking ball carries a perfect 14-0 record into the rematch and earned his initial title shot by defeating former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Ok Rae Yoon via unanimous decision at ONE Fight Night 23 in July 2024.
Rasulov’s Dagestani wrestling pedigree – characterized by powerful takedowns, suffocating pressure, and a relentless grappling attack – makes him one of the most dangerous figures in the lightweight division. Yet Lee remains unfazed, confident that his own grappling prowess will prove superior.
The training camp for ONE 173 has been meticulously structured, with Lee covering all aspects of his game while implementing smarter methods that prioritize recovery and longevity.
Lee explained:
“My camp has just been a lot of work improving everything. I set up a strict training regimen for myself, and I cover striking, I cover wrestling, I cover the grappling. I’m doing my sparring, I’m doing my conditioning. So really, it’s not changing anything cause, you know, if it’s not broke, then there’s no need to fix it.
“What I’ve been doing works. I just feel like I’m making small changes to train smarter, like adding more recovery to my routine, and I feel like just small changes make the big differences.”
As Lee prepares to step into the Circle for the rematch, he expects Rasulov to arrive in peak condition and ready for battle.
However, the reigning two-division ONE World Champion believes that when the dust settles, the result will be clear and decisive.
Lee concluded:
“I think he’s going to come out prepared. I think he’s going to come out ready to fight. But, at the end of the night, I don’t think he’s going to know what happened. I think that it’s going to be too much for him, and I’m going to get the job done.”
