Brooks vs. McLaren, Wakamatsu vs. Nakatani, Gasanov vs. Amir confirmed for ONE Fight Night 26

ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video is fast approaching and three more must-watch matchups have been confirmed for the card at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The event, which will take place in primetime in the US on Friday, December 6, will feature a pair of high-stakes flyweight MMA bouts, in addition to a key featherweight MMA showdown.

In Flyweight MMA action, reigning ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks will move up in weight to take on the No. 4 flyweight MMA prospect Reece ‘Lightning’ McLarenwhile number 2 is on the rankings Yuya ‘Little Piranha’ Wakamatsu will compete against the critically acclaimed American rising star Gilbert Nakatani.

With the retirement of former titleholder and MMA GOAT Demetrious ‘Might Mouse’ Johnsonthe ONE Flyweight MMA World Title is vacant, so all these men are hoping to make their case for a shot.

Brooks, a former undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion who currently holds the interim title, will begin his quest for glory in two divisions against Australian fan favorite McLaren.

“The Monkey God” is an immensely powerful takedown artist with a dangerous submission game and dynamic striking skills that seem to improve every fight by leaps and bounds.

In his most recent performance, he made quick work of the Cuban powerhouse Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart to claim the interim strawweight MMA crown.

Brash and outspoken, Brooks will certainly push for a shot at a world title if he can get past McLaren.

However, ‘Lightning’ is a mainstay of the upper echelon of the flyweight MMA division and appears to be in the best shape of his career.

He is a veteran of 16 exciting fights in ONE and will enter this bout having won three of his last four fights and picked up a crucial victory over the #5-ranked contender “Wolf Warrior” Hu Yong.

Stylistically, McLaren has the elite jiu-jitsu chops to give Brooks problems on the ground, which could lead to a quick stand-up battle.

Before that, former ONE Flyweight MMA world title challenger Wakamatsu will look to give promotional newcomer Nakatani a rude welcome.

The 29-year-old Japanese star, an explosive knockout artist who has spent the past six years fighting the best competitors in the flyweight MMA division, is hungry for another shot at the gold.

And with back-to-back wins in his last two outings, he is packed with momentum and confidence.

For his part, Nakatani will be hoping to use his prodigious athleticism and ruthless finishing instincts to stay ahead and take Wakamatsu’s place in the division rankings.

The 31-year-old Syndicate MMA product has a career record of 8-1 with a mix of both TKO and submission finishes. His versatile skillset and aggressive, crowd-pleasing style have made him one of MMA’s top talents outside of ONE.

Nakatani could make waves on the world stage at ONE Fight Night 26, and fans can look forward to a blast with Wakamatsu.

In addition to the pivotal flyweight MMA fights, ONE Fight Night 26 will feature an intriguing featherweight MMA tilt.

Russian wrestling ace Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov will be looking to extend his winning streak to three when he takes on the talented Turkish sensation Halil “No Mercy” Amir.

As the fourth-ranked featherweight MMA prospect, Gasanov knows he will have to come out victorious to maintain his spot in the top five and keep his world title aspirations alive.

The 29-year-old Russian has lost just once in his professional career and comes into the fight coming off a three-round loss Aaron Canarte in August at A Fighting Night 24.

Amir will try to put an abrupt end to Gasanov’s rise and steal his place in the rankings. Like his opponent, “No Mercy” has only tasted defeat once and has all the skills needed to reach the top of the MMA mountain.

The 30-year-old scored a trio of impressive victories at lightweight before dropping down to featherweight in his most recent outing, suffering a knockout loss to the rising Kyrgz phenom. Akbar ‘Bakal’ Abdullaev.

Now he will look to spark another winning run and establish himself as a dangerous contender in the 155-pound division.

Keep checking onefc.com for more news and announcements about ONE Fight Night 26 on December 6.