Reece McLaren will return to the ONE circle for the first time in over a year at ONE 158 on June 3. Leading up to his bout, McLaren spoke to Tom Taylor with the South China Morning Post to discuss his upcoming contest.
One of the biggest changes McLaren will experience on his return is the potential to earn a $50,000 performance bonus. When talking about the possibility of earning bonuses with his high-octane style of fighting, McLaren said:
“For me it’s not even the bonuses, it’s bringing that, it’s the change of environment for me. I’m bringing war. I’m bringing Muay Thai to the cage now. You might have to change my fight name to the demolition man. I’m doing demolition as work at the moment so it’s fitting.”
'The Demolition Man' would be a fairly appropriate name for McLaren, who has earned his reputation as a fast-paced competitor who can get the job done on the feet or on the ground. In his last 11 victories, McLaren has earned seven by way of submission and two via knockout.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Reece McLaren returns to face rising ONE star Wei Xie at ONE 158
Currently ranked No. 5 in ONE Championship's flyweight rankings, McLaren is looking to work his way towards a title fight with a big performance at ONE 158 on June 3. Standing in his way is Chinese phenom Wei Xie.
Xie is riding a three-fight win streak, all by stoppage. 'The Hunter' has put away Chan Rothana, Kantharaj Shankar Agasa and Dae Hwan Kim. The 25-year-old is now looking to add McLaren to the list on his rise to the top.
Undeterred, Reece McLaren is excited to get back in the ONE circle and face a challenge like Xie. While speaking to ONE Championship, McLaren said:
"His hands, his hands [are dangerous]. He looks neat. He looks pretty fearless, to be honest. He looks like he stands in the pocket and trains, so it’s good. Xie Wei, what is he on, a three-fight win streak? He’s definitely surging. I’m excited about the matchup. It’s been a long time coming. I can’t wait, man.”