Alkass Digital
The energy was palpable at West Bay Beach as ONE 166 open workouts unfolded yesterday, paving the way for ONE Championship's historic on-ground debut in Qatar.
Eight elite martial artists showcased their skills in anticipation of the blockbuster event, capturing the attention of both media and enthusiastic fans.
Jarred Brooks, the reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion, known as 'The Monkey God,' exuded confidence and enthusiasm.
Speaking to The Peninsula, he expressed his excitement about being in Qatar and his readiness to bring the house down in his upcoming rematch against Joshua Pacio.
Meanwhile, Pacio, the former strawweight MMA king, displayed unwavering focus while hitting pads in preparation for his rematch. The Filipino star is determined to reclaim the 26-pound gold belt he lost to Brooks in 2022.
The return of ONE featherweight MMA world champion Tang Kai after a knee injury layoff added another layer of anticipation. Tang Kai, facing interim divisional king Thanh Le, expressed to The Peninsulahis honour to compete in Doha.
He stated: "There are so many great fighters from all over the world to compete at ONE Championship, this makes me want to work harder and get better to defeat them and to be the champion."
In his turn, Middle East Champion Zuhayr Al-Qahtani showed confidence ahead of his first appearance inside the ONE Championship Circle.
The Saudi Arabian athlete, celebrating 20 years in the sport, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in Qatar in front of ‘his people and family’, and is set to face French-Algerian striker Mehdi Zatout in a 147-pound boxing match.
The event, scheduled for this Friday at Lusail Sports Arena, promises three colossal world title rematches, making it a historic and eagerly awaited spectacle.