WATCH: Jonathan Di Bella goes to war against Zhang Peimian in exhilarating ONE Championship debut in Kuala Lumpur

Jonathan Di Bella couldn’t have scripted a more spectacular promotional debut than the one he delivered in October 2022.

Making his first appearance under the ONE Championship banner, the Italian-Canadian striking specialist stepped into the main event of ONE 162, vying for the vacant ONE strawweight kickboxing world title against Chinese phenom Zhang Peimian.

Watch the highlights of that matchup below:

Before an energetic crowd at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Di Bella turned in an emphatic statement, dismantling his highly touted opponent to cement himself as the division’s new king in his very first outing.

From the opening bell, Di Bella came out firing, pressuring Zhang, who found himself backed up against the Circle wall. As the then-undefeated debutant pressed forward, “Fighting Rooster” looked to counter, relying on a steady diet of leg kicks to slow his foe down.

However, Di Bella’s lightning-fast punching combinations kept Zhang on the defensive, forcing the Chinese standout to respect his power.

Heading into the fifth and final round, the bout remained tightly contested — until Di Bella landed a stunning left head kick that sent Zhang crashing to the canvas.

With Zhang on unsteady legs, Di Bella attempted to close the show, but the Chinese warrior held on until the final bell.

When the dust settled, all three judges scored the fight in favor of Di Bella, who walked away with a unanimous decision victory and 26 pounds of gold draped over his shoulder.

Di Bella successfully defended the crown against Danial Williams but was later stripped of it after failing his hydration test in April 2024. Two months later, he suffered his first career loss, dropping a razor-thin decision to Prajanchai PK Saenchai in a bout for the vacant title.

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Jonathan Di Bella competes for interim title at ONE 172

Now, Jonathan Di Bella is determined to reclaim his place atop the division. He will take on Sam-A Gaiyanghadao for the ONE interim strawweight kickboxing world championship at ONE 172, set to happen at Japan’s legendary Saitama Super Arena on March 23.

Fans can catch all the action live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.