Preview: One Championship 'Conquest of Heroes'

Lightweights

Timofey Nastyukhin (12-3-0) vs. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev (5-1-0)

Nastyukhin will face surging lightweight prospect Turkey-based Dagestani Arslanaliev in a lightweight clash that could set the winner of the bout on a path to a title fight. Nastyukhin is on a two-fight winning streak after stoppage victories over fellow contenders Koji Ando (Japan) and Amir Khan (Singapore). The 28-year-old is a well-rounded fighter with six KO and four submission wins to his name. Nastyukhin started out as a wrestler and was a FILA Pankration champion before turning his attention to MMA. Since his switch he has developed an equally impressive stand-up game developed over time at Thailand’s renowned Tiger Muay Thai gym.

In Arslanaliev, Nastyukhin will face an opponent unlike any he has recently shared the cage with. The 23-year-old is originally from Dagestan but moved around as a child due to his family situation. Before becoming an MMA fighter he was an Azerbaijan No Gi Grappling Champion and also a competitive Wushu fighter. Since arriving at ONE Championship Arslanaliev has ripped through his competition, often overwhelming them with strikes and vicious ground and pound. Arslanaliev fluid transitions between his stand-up and ground game make him a difficult fighter to prepare against. In his last bout, a third round submission victory over Japanese veteran Tetsuya Yamada. Arslanaliev’s constant pressure was so intense that by the mid-way mark of the second round Yamada was almost refusing to engage on his feet due to fatigue. Arslanaliev’s sole loss came via disqualification after he launched a kick at a grounded Georgi Stoyanov. This is a fight that is unlikely to go the distance, and if it does, should prove to be one of the most entertaining of the evening.

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