“Amir Aliakbari comes to bang” - ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong sees a tough test for Brandon Vera

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong is pumped for the showdown between 'The Truth' Brandon Vera and Amir Aliakbari at ONE 163 on December 3. These two heavyweights will clash at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila.

Sityodtong spoke with CNN Sports Desk to break down this fight. The ONE Championship CEO said:

"Amir Aliakbari comes to bang. He's obviously a world championship wrestler, having won the world championship in wrestling but he's also a dangerous KO striker, a heavyweight KO fighter. This is something every Filipino is going to love."

The Iranian-born Amir Aliakbari has a strong background in international wrestling, winning gold in the World Wrestling Championships.

'The Truth' Brandon Vera, a veteran MMA fighter with decades of experience, will be seeking a much-needed victory. He is the former ONE heavyweight world champion and is most recently coming off consecutive losses.

Vera is a Filipino-American fighter and will likely have the audience in Manila on his side during this fight. Sityodtong added:

"It's massive. You know, Brandon undoubtedly has the hearts and minds of every Filipino fan in the whole entire country and around the world, actually. He loves the Philippines. He represents the Philippines in such an incredible, honorable way."

See the full interview below:

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Amir Aliakbari called out Brandon Vera last year

Iran's Amir Aliakbari called out Brandon Vera for a match as soon as he signed with ONE Championship. The feud has been building for some time. In 2021, when 'The Truth' was still the ONE heavyweight world champion, Aliakbari declared:

“To all the heavyweights, I want you guys to be ready because I am coming. Brandon Vera, put down the belt and walk away because the king is here. Or I will smash your face. Me and all my brothers are here to take over and dominate ONE Championship.”

Aliakbari added:

“[Vera,] if you think my head is up in space, tell them to arrange the fight sooner to see who is the s*** loser. I want to beat you in a way that your face [will not be] recognizable by your fans.”

At ONE 164 on December 3, heavyweights Vera and Amir Aliakbari will get an opportunity to settle their differences. Both fighters will be competing for a respectable position in ONE's competitive heavyweight division.