Amir Aliakbari aims to sustain career resurgence at ONE 166: Qatar

Amir Aliakbari exudes confidence as he approaches the most important bout of his professional career.

The Iranian colossus faces former ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion Arjan Bhullar at ONE 166: Qatar on Friday, March 1. This historic event takes place at Lusail Sports Arena.

Aliakbari is well aware of the magnitude of the spectacle and understands the importance of making the most of this opportunity.

“I am very excited for this match, and I cannot wait for it,” he said.

His journey to this moment has been filled with challenges. He initially faced a rough patch in his ONE Championship stint.

However, this didn’t stop the Tehran native from exemplifying his grit and resilience. He rebounded with three consecutive victories. That included highlight-reel stoppage wins over Mauro Cerilli and Brandon Vera.

Now, he eyes a win over Bhullar to inch closer to a shot at the coveted ONE Heavyweight MMA World Championship, currently held by Anatoly Malykhin.

To continue his ascent in the division, Aliakbari has to take Bhullar out of his path.

“I’ve trained very hard, and based on our abilities to do a proper pre-fight analysis, I believe I’m ready for the fight,” he said.

The buildup to this clash has been intense. Aliakbari and Bhullar have been engaging in verbal sparring both in interviews and on social media.

Despite the personal animosity, Aliakbari holds a significant amount of respect for Bhullar.

“This is my biggest fight in ONE yet. We were both wrestlers and have a long history in the sport. I believe it will be a fine fight,” he said.

Amir Aliakbari predicts to decisively beat Arjan Bhullar

Looking ahead to the encounter, Amir Aliakbari foresees to prevail over Arjan Bhullar in decisive fashion.

“I will finish the match with a win if God wills,” he said.