“I certainly rate him” - Jonathan Haggerty expects to be put through the wringer vs ‘world-class’ Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar

Jonathan Haggerty knows he's in for another tough test when he returns to the Circle at ONE 171: Qatar.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, 'The General' will put his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship on the line against the division's top-ranked contender Wei Rui.

Speaking with ONE Championship ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Circle inside the Lusail Sports Arena, Haggerty recognized that leaving with his 26 pounds of gold will be no easy task against a world-class striker like the 'Demon Blade':

"I’m going from the pound-for-pound best in Superlek to another world-class striker in Wei Rui, so I certainly rate him".

It will be Haggerty's first time competing since suffering a brutal 49-second knockout loss against Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver in September.

Before that, 'The General' was on a six-fight unbeaten streak, including highlight-reel finishes against Nong-O Hama, Fabricio Andrade, and Felipe Lobo.

---

Jonathan Haggerty faces another tough test against a former K-1 champion at ONE 171: Qatar

For Wei Rui, his clash with Jonathan Haggerty will be just his second career fight under the ONE Championship banner.

Still, the former K-1 lightweight champion has more than proven himself capable of going toe-to-toe with the absolute best inside the Circle.

In his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 22 last year, Wei earned a unanimous decision victory over former ONE bantamweight kickboxing king Hiroki Akimoto, immediately thrusting him to the top of the divisional rankings.

Will 'Demon Blade' succeed in his sophomore appearance and claim his first world title on martial arts' biggest global stage, or will Haggerty keep his last remaining title intact?

ONE 171: Qatar will emanate from the Lusail Sports Arena on Thursday, Feb. 20. Head over to watch.onefc.com to learn more about how you can watch the event live.