ONE Championship, which has become a regular fixture in Thailand’s combat sports scene, is returning to the Middle East for the third time with ONE 171: Qatar on February 20, 2025. It also marks the second time the promotion, in coordination with Visit Qatar, will host a show at the Lusail Sports Arena in the peninsular country, just 11 months after its maiden voyage. If you are planning a trip to the region in February, you can snag tickets here through the event’s official ticketing partner, Q-Tickets. 

 

Qatar is quickly becoming a world-class destination for sporting events and culture these days, thanks in part to round-trip flights to Doha dipping below B20,000 regularly and day excursions like dessert safaris and sandboarding tours in the B2,000 range. The city also burst onto the international food scene this month with its first-ever appearance in the Michelin Guide, as two restaurants earned stars for the first time, including a name Bangkokian’s will recognize: IDAM by Alain Ducasse.

 

 

In the main event, ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion and fan-favorite striker Jonathan “The General” Haggerty will put his title on the line against Chinese kickboxing star Wei Rui. Haggerty will be looking to rebound after a shocking KO loss to Thai superstar Superlek Kiatmoo9, who left the Circle with the British athlete’s ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title at ONE 168: Denver this past September. Despite the loss, Haggerty is still one of the most feared strikers on the planet, with his last three wins coming by way of knockout.

 

His opponent Wei Rui is coming off a successful promotional debut, having earned a unanimous decision victory over former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto this past May. Wei first gained notoriety in 2017 after he became China’s first-ever K-1 Champion. He is currently riding a 21-bout winning streak and poses a real threat to Haggerty’s reign.

 

The card will also feature a World Title trilogy match between reigning strawweight king Joshua “The Passion” Pacio and interim titleholder Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks. The two will meet to unify the ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship at ONE 171: Qatar.

 

These stars first clashed in the main event of ONE 164 in December 2022, where Brooks used his high-paced striking, trademark aggression, and grappling expertise to claim a unanimous decision victory and the coveted gold. In the rematch at ONE 166: Qatar this past March, the bout ended in controversy as Brooks was disqualified for spiking Pacio on his head, losing the belt in the process.