Malatesta Eyes Knockout of Formidable Yod-IQ in ONE Friday Fights 117 Main Event
Alessio Malatesta is preparing for a stern test against Yod-IQ, a fighter who boasts an impressive nine wins in ten ONE Friday Fights appearances. Yod-IQ’s sole promotional defeat occurred in September 2023 against Alexey Balyko. since that loss, Yod-IQ has secured seven consecutive victories, including a unanimous decision win over Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev, who recently set a new ONE Championship record for the fastest Muay thai knockout at ONE Fight Night 33.
Despite acknowledging Yod-IQ’s striking prowess, Malatesta, representing PK Saenchai, believes he has the tactical approach to challenge his opponent in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 117.
“The most important tool for me in this fight is to control the rhythm and control the game,” Malatesta stated. “I have to maintain distance and constantly bother my opponent with strikes to disrupt his focus and make it difficult for him to fight. Then, I’ll use my strengths to attack.”
Malatesta, a member of Team Malatesta, is aiming for a decisive finish, mirroring his previous victories on the ONE Friday Fights series. The 23-year-old italian expressed his ambition to silence the Lumpinee Stadium crowd with another impactful performance.
“I intend to disrupt him with my weapons,” Malatesta told onefc.com. “I’ll keep attacking him until he gets confused, and then I’ll knock him out.”
While a fourth knockout victory could considerably boost his chances of securing a US$100,000 contract, malatesta is focused on the immediate challenge. He views a win over Yod-IQ as a personal achievement and a crucial step in his ONE Championship career.
“For me, beating Yod-IQ – it’s personal satisfaction,” Malatesta explained. “It proves that I can overcome opponents of this caliber. And simultaneously occurring, of course, it’s a significant advancement in my career at ONE Championship.”
