3 Bouts To Watch At ONE Fight Night 31

ONE Championship’s latest offering in U.S. primetime will be a blitzkrieg of martial arts action. On Friday, May 2, ONE Fight Night 31 takes center stage in Lumpinee Stadium on Prime Video. In the main event, Kongthoranee Sor Sommai and Nong-O Hama run it back.

Outside of the main event, there’s plenty of action to check. That includes an important title tilt in the co-main event slot. Here are three matches at ONE Fight Night 31 that will get your weekend started off on the right foot.

ONE Fight Night 31 Co-Main Event: Tye Ruotolo vs. Dante Leon

Tye Ruotolo has been dominant in ONE competition. While that domination may continue in his latest ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title defense in the ONE Fight Night 31 co-main event, it is not a given. Dante Leon enters as a top contender, holding a prior win over the American star.

Ruotolo did level the series against the Canadian, but there is proof that Leon can upend the Atos BJJ representative. After quick wins in ONE, Leon has already shown the global viewing audience his grappling prowess. It adds a little more intrigue to an already exceptional title tilt.

The trilogy aspect of the match will give both men motivation to take the lead against the other. The title is a bonus to asserting their dominance over the other and standing as the top grappler in the world. This co-main event is an early contender for Submission Grappling Match of the Year.

ONE Fight Night 31: Zhang Lipeng vs. Lucas Gabriel

All eyes are on 25-year-old Lucas Gabriel.  The undefeated Brazilian is beginning to earn his flowers and creep into the lightweight title picture. Zhang Lipeng will be his latest litmus test, and the Chinese star hopes to steal his momentum for his own.

Gabriel is 3-0 in ONE competition and is only getting better. Tackling a crafty veteran such as Zhang will serve to prove he is ready for the division’s elite and possibly notch himself a title bid with a win in ONE Fight Night 31. It is a key matchup in his ascent to stardom.

Zhang is coming off an impressive TKO win over Hiroyuki Tetsuka at ONE Fight Night 28 in February. His power is still a game-changer, and he will look to impose it against the Brazilian. This clash of eras is a possible show-stealing affair.