‘See Who Breaks First’ – Fabricio Andrey And Owen Jones Lay Out Their Battle Plans Ahead Of ONE Fight Night 44
Pure submission grappling theater is guaranteed when Fabricio “Hokage” Andrey and Owen Jones collide at ONE Fight Night 44: Jarvis vs. Rungrawee II on Prime Video.
Three years after their very first encounter, the dynamic featherweight submission grapplers run it back live in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 26, from the fabled walls of Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Andrey enters looking to extend his perfect 3-0 ONE Championship record and immediately rebook his shot at ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo. Meanwhile, Jones seeks to introduce himself on the global stage with an emphatic promotional debut and instantly even the score against a familiar foe.
The narrative is perfectly set for a high-intensity battle of wills.
Andrey Hunts Finish To Keep World Title Shot In Sight
Fabricio Andrey carved out a scintillating 3-0 start in the world’s largest martial arts organization, earning a coveted shot at Kade Ruotolo’s twenty-six pounds of gold. However, the title fight was unfortunately put on ice when the defending champion broke his hand following an MMA victory over Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka at The Inner Circle 14 this past May.
The safe play would have been to wait out Ruotolo’s injury and protect his guaranteed shot, but Andrey’s relentless competitive spirit would not allow it. He accepted the short-notice replacement without a second of hesitation.
The Manaus native told onefc.com:
“I got kind of upset because I was training so hard for that rhythm, for that different pace, which is a very high pace that Kade imposes in a fight. So I was getting ready for that.
“I’m not afraid of risks. I fight absolute. I fight anyone. I don’t want to stay away from the ONE Championship ring. I wanted to fight and show what I’m capable of. And eventually, if I can fight Kade, that’s going to be awesome.”
Andrey also carries firsthand knowledge of his upcoming foe, having previously defeated the British standout outside the promotion in 2023. The Alliance affiliate systematically dismantled his opponent’s intricate guard, weaponizing a high-octane passing style to secure a definitive decision victory.
Despite that commanding past performance, Andrey refuses to let previous success breed complacency against an opponent who has undoubtedly evolved.
He said:
“Our first match. I passed his guard maybe two or three times. He played the guard and tried to attack my leg, but I defended all his leg locks and foot locks, and I won the match.
“I improved just the same way as Owen probably improved a lot. I’m expecting nothing less than a hard-fought battle.”
Capturing the undisputed gold remains the ultimate mission for Andrey, who fully intends to use this rematch to cement his status as next in line for the throne.
Envisioning a clear path to victory, Andrey already has the finish mapped out and expects his rival to crack under the early pressure.
“Hokage” declared:
“I think Owen Jones is going to try to attack in the first two minutes, then give up because he’s not going to succeed, and spend the rest of the fight avoiding my attacks. That’s how I see the fight going. I have a vision to take his back and submit him with the rear-naked choke.”
Jones Brings Iron Resolve To Global Stage Debut
Owen Jones recalls his first match with Fabricio Andrey with surprising fondness despite not getting his hand raised. A purple belt at the time, he was still finding his footing among the upper echelon of the sport.
Facing Andrey gave the British standout his first true taste of world-class competition and served as a pivotal early test. The 21-year-old bravely held his ground, showing flashes of brilliance that proved he belonged at the absolute highest level.
The Apex Jiu-Jitsu Academy representative recalled:
“I viewed that match as a win-win, just like gaining the experience and competing against someone high level, and then not getting actually like dog walked.
“He was a good kind of benchmark to see where I was at that time. It wasn’t just like he was doing whatever he wanted to. It was very much a back-and-forth match.”
Jones is a completely different animal today, and this high-profile rematch is his golden chance to prove it.
While Andrey can detonate at any given moment with aerial trips and throws, Jones believes the physical cost of sustaining that frenetic output will eventually turn the tide in his favor.
The Atlanta-based grappler explained:
“He goes very hard and does quite big explosive movements, but he gets tired over time. He kind of breaks down, and he can do fewer of those movements, makes more mistakes, and eventually, you can kind of wear him down.
“I’ll be hunting any form of submission the whole match. And I think that favors me, obviously, 10 minutes, it gives you enough time to kind of push the pace and see who breaks first.”
Making a global debut against grappling’s most electrifying attacker is no small ask, but a victory would be life-changing for the surging prospect.
While he has witnessed previous opponents drown in those deep waters, the British standout has no intention of wilting and is prepared to meet every single wave thrown at him.
He concluded:
“One of us is going to be exhausted at the end of the match. I know his style. He’s not going to stall and try to recover. Same with me. Eventually, the other person is either going to have better catches or eventually lead to the submission, and that’s going to be like the deciding factor of the match.”
