Peng Xue Wen seeks the spectacular at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE

Rising Chinese strawweight Peng Xue Wen hasn’t been in ONE Championship for long, but he’s already made people sit up and take notice.
The Chinese Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion and 4-2 martial arts prospect made his ONE Championship debut at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD against Cambodia’s Phat Soda last November, and delivered a performance - and finish - to remember.
Peng finished Soda with a spectacular suplex that knocked out his opponent in the opening minutes of the very first round. It was a stunning finish that had fans and media alike suitably impressed.
“I felt like my game plan was solid, and the bout turned out just as I expected,” said the 21-year-old from Zhongshan.
“I knew he favoured the stand-up, which is why I chose to grapple right from the start and use my advantage on the ground to seize victory.
“I thought my performance was pretty good, but I feel I still have many holes in my game, and need to keep improving.”
That desire to continue developing his game saw him jump straight back into training at Nan Yan Fight Club to work on his striking, as he looks to bring his stand-up skills up to the level of his clearly-impressive wrestling abilities.
He’ll be looking to score another eye-catching finish when he steps back into the ONE Championship cage to face Rene “The Challenger” Catalan (3-2, 1 NC) at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE on 20 January in Jakarta.
The bout offers a fresh challenge to the 21-year-old’s evolving skillset, with Catalan being a two-time wushu world champion. The Filipino’s striking background is one that Peng respects and has prepared for.
“Catalan has several wushu championships, so his advantages are his extensive experience and all-round skill,” Peng conceded.
“But I love to challenge myself against such strong opponents so that I can improve.
“His only weakness is that his wrestling is not as good as mine. I have thus been focusing on my ground game, and hope I can battle it out with him on the canvas to decide the winner.”
It’ll take something special to outdo his last performance in the ONE Championship cage, but nonetheless Peng is determined to ensure his name is on the fans’ lips once again by delivering another crowd-pleasing performance.
“I want to give my all and go to war with my opponent,” he stated.
“I will deliver a stunning and surprising victory.”