Christian Lee promises quick finish of Alibeg Rasulov in rematch at ONE 173: “Take him down and submit him”

Unfinished business demands resolution. Christian Lee carries the frustration of an inconclusive ending into his rematch with Alibeg Rasulov, promising to deliver the emphatic finish that eluded him last December.

The reigning two-division ONE World Champion defends his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title against the undefeated Turkish powerhouse at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Ariake Arena at Tokyo, Japan. Their first encounter at ONE Fight Night 26 ended in frustration when an inadvertent eye poke left Rasulov unable to continue in the second round, resulting in a no contest.

The 27-year-old Singaporean-American co-holds the record for most wins in ONE Championship history alongside Rodtang Jitmuangnon with 17 victories. That inconclusive ending added fuel to his competitive fire as he prepares for this highly anticipated rematch. Lee believes he was building momentum and taking control when the unfortunate incident occurred.

His confidence in what would have transpired hasn’t diminished with time. Weeks and months following that showdown, Lee studied the footage extensively. His belief in the outcome has only grown stronger through repeated analysis. Now he puts the finishing touches on his training camp convinced he will produce an even more dynamic performance.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Christian Lee predicts first-round submission victory over Alibeg Rasulov

Christian Lee’s first meeting with Alibeg Rasulov marked his 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 showed some rust.

The two-division king proved he could still compete at the highest level despite that extended absence. Lee acknowledges he wasn’t operating at full capacity during their initial encounter. This time he promises that a completely different version of himself will step into the Circle on November 16.

“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,” Lee said.

“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.”