Christian Lee believes he was on the verge of victory when his first encounter with Alibeg Rasulov ended prematurely, and the reigning ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion expects to leave no doubt in their November 16 rematch.
Lee will defend his lightweight title against the undefeated Turkish contender at ONE 173 inside Ariake Arena in Tokyo, nearly a year after their initial meeting ended in a no-contest. An inadvertent eye poke from Lee left Rasulov unable to continue in the second round at ONE Fight Night 26 last December, creating an inconclusive result that has fueled his motivation.
The 27-year-old Singaporean-American maintains that momentum had shifted decisively in his favor before the unfortunate stoppage. Lee landed significant strikes and defended Rasulov's takedown attempts before sensing his opponent beginning to falter, making the ending particularly frustrating for the two-division king who co-holds ONE Championship's record for most victories with 17 wins.
"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," Lee recalled.
"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."
Lee has studied the footage extensively in the months since their first meeting, and his confidence in what would have transpired has only strengthened. He believes his analysis confirms his instincts from inside the Circle, reinforcing his conviction that he was controlling the fight before it ended.
"Looking back on the tape, I still feel the same way about it. And I feel so much better going into this one because having been in there, sharing the ring with him and then now coming back a second time, I always feel like it's a little better getting ready the second time around," Lee explained.
While some observers noted Rasulov becoming more competitive as the fight progressed, Lee maintains he remained firmly in control despite any adjustments from the challenger. He acknowledges the eye poke was accidental but emphasizes his frustration stemmed from losing the opportunity to finish what he had started.
"I think that him being more competitive didn't change the fact that I was dominating the fight, and the way that we felt in there, I felt that the momentum was shifting. That's why I was upset about the ending," Lee said.
"I definitely would have loved to have had a conclusive ending right there. But I'm not taking anything away from Alibeg. It was an accidental eye poke. I'm very confident going into this rematch because I can already picture the victory."
The first meeting marked Lee's return after a two-year layoff, his longest period of inactivity since making his ONE Championship debut as a 17-year-old in December 2015. While the champion proved he could compete at the highest level despite the extended absence, he acknowledges he wasn't operating at full capacity. Lee promises a significantly improved performance this time around.
His confidence has translated into a specific prediction for the rematch. Lee owns a 17-4 record with 16 finishes in ONE Championship, and he expects to add another early stoppage against Rasulov.
"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.
