Brandon Vera-Amir Aliakbari showdown announced for ONE 164

Brandon Vera is back! Rick Dela Cruz (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Team Lakay will not be the only main attraction for ONE 164.

ONE Championship chief executive officer Chatri Sityodtong announced on Friday that former ONE heavyweight champion Brandon Vera is making his way again to the Circle.

As he told CNN Sports Desk's Andrei Felix, Vera takes on Iran's Amir Aliakbari in an apparent grudge match considering how Aliakbari has been hurling some choice words at Vera recently.

"Two heavyweight KO artists are coming to meet. There is bad blood. Amir Aliakbari has talked trash to Brandon, Brandon originally wanted to welcome Amir Aliakbari, and now we have it," Sityodtong said.

The executive even predicted that the fight would not last 15 minutes.

"I guarantee: this fight is going to end in the first or second round," Sityodtong further said.

Vera is making a return for the first time since losing the title belt to Arjan Bhullar last year.

One spectator who would be interested in the match happening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Dec. 3 is interim heavyweight champ Anatoly Malykhin.

Malykhin is currently holding the title belt while ONE is still addressing its concerns with Bhullar.

Malykhin, however, will slide down to light heavyweight as he challenges Reinier De Ridder for one of his two championship golds in the main event of ONE 164's morning session, ONE on Prime Video 5 also on Dec. 3 at the MOA Arena.

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