Timofey Nastyukhin returns to the ONE Championship ring

Russian lightweight Timofey Nastyukhin (14-7), who was set to fight for the ONE Championship, will return to the ring on October 6 at ONE Fight Night 15.

The Siberian from the Rat team has not played in the ONE Championship since October 2022, when he lost to Khalil Amir. It was his third straight loss. Nastyukhin, who holds the FILA World Pankration title, made a spectacular ONE debut in 2014, knocking out tournament favorite Eduard Folayang with a knee. He had 13 fights in ONE, including against Eddie Alvarez and Christian Lee.

Nastyukhin was very close to the title fight, but a right leg injury against Kotetsu Boku and a difficult recovery process sent him back in the hunt for the championship.

Now the 33-year-old Nastyukhin, who is beloved by fans for his ultra-aggressive style and knockout power, will step into the ring against Chinese promotion veteran Zhang Lipeng (33-12). Zhang also comes into this fight after a loss – he was beaten in September last year by rising Russian prospect Saigid Izagakhmaev. An MMA veteran with over 40 professional fights and one of the most accomplished finishers in the division, Lipeng has the world-class skills to take on the best of the best.

For Nastyukhin, this fight should be a milestone in his return to the big arena, and for MMA fans, a chance to see the uncompromising trademark fall in style with the best strikers in the ONE Championship. In the main fight of the evening for the belt in the bantamweight division, the Brazilian Fabricio Andrade and the Englishman Jonathan Haggerty will meet.

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