Tang Kai views Kim Jae Woong’s KO power as bare minimum, fancies beating the South Korean easily

Tang Kai has knocked out 11 of his 15 opponents. At ONE: Only the Brave, the 26-year-old wants to further improve on his 85 percent finishing rate.

However, he will have a tough task at hand against No.1-ranked featherweight ‘The Fighting God’ Kim Jae Woong, a fellow athlete known for his knockout abilities.

Still, the Chinese MMA fighter is confident of his chances and laughed off any debate about whether his South Korean rival possesses better tools than him in the stand-up department.

Ahead of their clash at the Singapore Indoor Stadium next Friday, January 28, Tang Kai told ONE Championship:

“I don’t think Kim Jae Woong is a KO artist. He only has the entry-level of KO [skills]. I’m very excited to play this game with him because it will be very intense and wonderful. I will teach him how to become a real KO artist.”

Kim owns some exciting knockouts throughout his time in the promotion. Most notably, his right hand knocked out former ONE featherweight world champion Martin Nguyen last September, while his ruthless strikes and huge left hammerfists put Japanese fighter Tetsuya Yamada to sleep on the canvas a year prior.

When his fists could not get the job done, the South Korean athlete unloaded stinging knees to take out Rafael Nunes in his promotional debut.

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Tang Kai points out to his speed, power and technique as pivotal tools

No.4-ranked Tang Kai, too, has demonstrated the tools within his striking arsenal on the global stage.

His cracking left foot sent Sung Jong Lee to the mats in his first outing, while the Chinese fighter’s powerful left hand left Ryogo Takahashi and Yoon Chang Min flat on the canvas.

He believes his knockout abilities and three other aspects are what sets him apart from ‘The Fighting God.’

“My style is different to his. I’m good at looking for opportunities in the fight because I think my speed is faster than his and my power and technique are more mature than his... In fact, my style is changeable. I will change my style according to the different opponents in each fight. Whether it’s striking or on the ground, I have a way to defeat him.”

We'll find out if Tang Kai's confidence is for good reason or misplaced on January 28.