ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio Andrade will defend his title against fourth-ranked contender Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in the main event of ONE Fight Night 38 on Friday, December 5, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Andrade captured the bantamweight championship with a fourth-round technical knockout over John Lineker at ONE Fight Night 7 in February 2023. The Brazilian striker dominated their rematch after their initial encounter at ONE on Prime Video 3 ended in a no contest due to accidental fouls while Andrade was controlling the action.
The 27-year-old successfully defended his title with a 42-second knockout of Kwon Won Il at ONE 170 in January, landing a devastating liver shot that immediately ended the contest.
Andrade has established himself as one of mixed martial arts' most dangerous strikers through his dynamic Muay Thai and finishing instincts. He defeated Mark Abelardo, Jeremy Pacatiw, and Kwon during his initial rise to title contention before earning his championship opportunity.
Baatarkhuu represents a different challenge from Andrade's previous opponents, bringing a suffocating grappling game and relentless pressure to their title fight.
The 36-year-old contender won Road To ONE: Mongolia before compiling a strong record in ONE Championship. Baatarkhuu scored notable victories over Jhanlo Mark Sangiao via second-round kimura at ONE Fight Night 13 and Carlo Bumina-ang with an arm-triangle choke in the final second at ONE Fight Night 24.
The challenger demonstrated his grappling versatility by moving up to featherweight at ONE Fight Night 27, where he finished Aaron Canarte with a kimura in the first round. Baatarkhuu returned to bantamweight at ONE Fight Night 29 and earned a unanimous decision over Pacatiw through three rounds of dominant grappling.
The stylistic contrast creates an intriguing matchup between Andrade's elite striking and Baatarkhuu's submission-oriented approach. The champion will look to keep the fight standing and utilize his striking advantage, while the challenger seeks to impose his grappling and hunt for submissions.
Andrade previously attempted to capture the bantamweight kickboxing title against Jonathan Haggerty but fell short in that cross-sport challenge. The champion has since refocused on defending his MMA strap.
Baatarkhuu enters the biggest fight of his career with momentum from his recent winning streak and the confidence that comes from finishing elite competition in multiple weight classes.
