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Zhang Lipeng vs Lucas Gabriel set to electrify ONE Fight Night 31

Zhang Lipeng vs Lucas Gabriel set to electrify ONE Fight Night 31

Provided by Nation.

The stage is set for an explosive clash as ONE Championship added a compelling lightweight MMA bout to their May 3 event at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Chinese veteran Zhang Lipeng will face off against Brazilian phenom Lucas Gabriel at ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II, live in US primetime. 

This matchup has all the ingredients of a potential fight of the night. At 35, "The Warrior" Zhang represents the seasoned professional looking to turn away Father Time in a division teeming with young talent. With his ONE journey beginning in 2021 by defeating former champion Eduard Folayang, Zhang has been a model of resilience despite his win-loss pattern in recent years. Zhang's most recent outing showed he was still very much a force when he ousted welterweight contender Hiroyuki Tetsuka with a devastating first-round TKO. A second consecutive finish would undoubtedly propel him toward the upper echelon of the division and possibly into title conversations. 

Across the ring, a 25-year-old Gabriel embodies the new wave of mixed martial artists taking  ONE by storm. Undefeated in his three ONE Friday Fights appearances and boasting an impressive 9-1 professional record, the Nova Uniao Phuket standout has been turning heads with each performance. Gabriel's resilience and finishing instinct were on full display in his last bout, where he overcame early adversity to submit the previously unbeaten Russian prospect Gadzhimurad Amirzhanov in the third round. His US primetime debut represents a golden opportunity to announce himself as a legitimate threat to the lightweight elite. 

As the lightweight division continues to deepen, this clash between experience and youthful exuberance will send one man up the ranks for the second half of 2025. The only thing that is for certain is that when the bell rings, both men will be out for a show-stopping finish.

ONE Fight Night 31 will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Select 2 at 5:30 a.m. India Standard Time (IST) on Saturday, May 3

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