Former champion Yosuke Saruta battles Mansur Malachiev at ONE Fight Night 19

Former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Yosuke Saruta will make a grand return to action at ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video this February 16.

The Japanese dynamo faces #5-ranked contender Mansur Malachiev. The card emanates live in U.S. primetime from the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

This showdown promises to be a pivotal moment for Saruta. He aims to regain his momentum and prove that he still belongs among the elite in the division.

Saruta burst onto the ONE Championship scene with a bang, defeating former divisional king Alex Silva in December 2018.

“The Ninja” continued his impressive run by causing a major upset against Joshua Pacio in January 2019. There, he captured the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title.

However, his reign was short-lived. Pacio reclaimed the belt by knockout in a rematch just three months later.

The rivalry between Saruta and Pacio reached its climax in September 2021. The Filipino delivered another knockout victory, leaving the Japanese with a bitter taste of defeat.

Despite his efforts to bounce back against Gustavo Balart in April 2022, Saruta fell short, suffering a unanimous decision loss.

Since then, he has been out of circulation. This left fans wondering if he can recapture his past glory.

Now, Saruta has the chance to redeem himself against Malachiev at ONE Fight Night 19.

Reentering the winner’s circle is far from easy for Saruta, as he is pitted against Malachiev.

Malachiev first turned heads on the global stage, swiftly dispatching Jeremy Miado by submission in June 2023.

The Russian took it a notch higher by going the distance with Pacio four months later. Unfortunately for him, the Lions Nation MMA representative managed to eke out a close unanimous decision win at his expense.

Mansur Malachiev stakes ranking against Yosuke Saruta

For Mansur Malachiev, this bout against Yosuke Saruta is a crucial one.

With the recent developments in the division, a victory over Saruta is imperative to tighten his grip on the #5 position among the top contenders.

Meanwhile, a setback could see Malachiev slipping down the rankings and losing ground in the highly competitive strawweight landscape.