"I wouldn't be surprised" - Christian Lee expects welterweight title defense against former champion next

Two-division ONE MMA world champion Christian Lee believes that former ONE welterweight MMA king Zebaztian Kadestam will be his first challenger for the 185-pound MMA crown. Speaking with the Bangkok Post, the Evolve MMA and Prodigy Training Center affiliate shared why 'The Bandit' is likely to have first crack at the welterweight MMA world championship.

"I think that fight would definitely determine the next title contender. But I also believe that Kadestam earned that shot by knocking out [Roberto] Soldic. Either way it will work out fine for me, but I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Kadestam to me next."

Watch the entire interview here:

Kadestam reached the pinnacle of the 185-pound MMA division when he knocked out Tyler McGuire to claim the vacant throne in November 2018. He had one successful defense against Georgiy Kichigin at ONE: Reign of Valor in March 2019. However, he lost the crown to Kiamrian Abbasov in October of that same year in a thrilling five-round war.

After losing his next two bouts, the Legacy Gym and Pancrase Gym Sweden product reinvented himself and won his next three fights via knockout. His most recent victim was Croatian standout Roberto Soldic in May 2023.

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Christian Lee primed for defense of lightweight MMA crown

Before Christian Lee sets his sights on a potential showdown with Zebaztian Kadestam, he must first defend the ONE lightweight MMA world championship against Alibeg Rasulov in the main event of ONE Fight Night 26 on Friday, Dec. 6.

This will serve as Lee's first fight in two years. He went on a hiatus following the sudden and tragic passing of his younger sister Victoria Lee in December 2022.

ONE Fight Night 26 will take place inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers iin the United States and Canada.