Hu Yong is known as the “Wolf Warrior,” and he will howl again for ONE Championship at ONE Fight Night 22. The #5-ranked flyweight contender will battle #4-ranked Reece McLaren on Friday, May 3, in U.S. primetime. Known as a warrior, it’s unsurprising that he is gunning for a finish in Bangkok, Thailand.
“I don’t want to have a boring fight, so I like to fight early and directly. I like to fight like a warrior. I enjoy the feeling of a firefight. It gets me excited, and that’s why I do so well at the beginning of fights,” Hu told ONE.
McLaren is known for his grappling and never-say-die attitude. However, in recent outings, he has focused on sharpening his standup skills to make sure he is ready for anyone. What McLaren does best and how he has improved is not lost on the Chinese athlete.
“I don’t prepare specific weapons. What I need to do is keep striking and find a chance to knock him out,” the 28-year-old said.
Given the nonstop forward movement from both athletes, Hu is not expecting this one to go the distance. It is not a shocking prediction from an athlete with two knockout finishes in his last three bouts. Confident in his abilities, “Wolf Warrior” plans to get the match standing and to KO “Lightning” before he can return with thunder.
“I think it will not be a full three-round fight. For me, the perfect fight is to KO my opponent and ignite the passion of all the people watching,” the Chinese star predicted.
In this camp, Hu has been working hard at his defensive grappling. He is working on stuffing takedowns and getting back to his feet quickly. There are little surprises in this classic grappler vs. striker battle, but each man is honing their weakness to try and stifle their opponent where they are best.
“He’s a strong grappler. I’ve prepared for a lot of avoiding getting it to the ground. I’m sure it won’t be that easy for him to take me down, and even if he does, he’ll have a hard time controlling me on the ground, and I’ll definitely want to stay in a standup fight.”
On May 3, the flyweight division will get clearer as these two contenders go toe-to-toe. Although McLaren is eyeing a shot at the gold, Hu is ready to leapfrog him in the official ONE athlete rankings with a win. “Wolf Warrior” is not mincing words about McLaren’s power as he beams confidently ahead of ONE Fight Night 22.
“He has poor knockout ability in striking, and he’s weak in physical strength and fitness. My advantages are heavy punches and great physical strength and fitness.”
ONE Fight Night 22 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, May 3. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
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