ONE Fight Night 20 preview and predictions: Allycia Hellen Rodrigues vs. Cristina Morales

Supermoms Allycia Hellen Rodrigues and Cristina Morales will duke it out in what could be the show-stealer in ONE’s empowering all-female event this Friday.

Fittingly taking place on International Women’s Day, March 8, at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, ONE Fight Night 20: Todd vs Phetjeeja on Prime Video is filled with the best female warriors across multiple sports disciplines.

While every bout is indeed must-see TV, the five-round Muay Thai war in the co-main event just screams fireworks.

In the first of two world title fights, Rodrigues will look to keep her atomweight Muay Thai gold strap against the upset-seeking Morales.

The clash of styles between these two world-class strikers creates so much intrigue. The Brazilian mom-champ, for one, is your traditional Muay Thai fighter who wreaks havoc in the clinch with piercing elbows and knees.

On the other hand, the challenger Moraes comes from a kickboxing background and loves to use lightning-fast punch combinations that produce a significant amount of damage.

As always Sportskeeda MMA’s ONE Championship panel sent their picks for this epic mom vs. mom showdown.

---

James De Rozario

This epic mum vs mum clash will deliver a finish, and I see that falling in favor of longtime divisional queen Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.

Cristina Morales has exhibited glimpses of how good she can be when push comes to shove, but not to take anything away from her, Rodrigues' experience against higher-level opponents will give her a distinguished advantage over the Spaniard.

The Fortaleza native will narrow the gap behind a flick of punches and land her vicious left kicks when she exits. Her combinations, always thrown with rage, should push Morales into reverse gear for much of the opening round.

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will rely on the same tactic to keep the Sevilla native at bay when the action continues in round two, but I see her feinting between weapons to create a better chance of a finish.

One body shot or a punch to the face would be enough to put Morales on her last legs, and I would place my money on the Brazilian athlete to put her solid world-class clinching game at Phuket Fight Club to good use to see off the contest with a mix of elbows and punches.

Prediction: Allycia Hellen Rodrigues by second-round KO

---

Mike Murillo

I do not see this fight going the distance, with Allycia Hellen Rodrigues finishing things off with a second-round KO of Spanish challenger Cristina Morales.

While Morales was impressive in making short work of Supergirl in her previous fight with an opening-round TKO victory, against Rodrigues she will not have that kind of inroad early on as the Brazilian champion is just built differently, especially when competing in her natural weight class of atomweight.

Rodrigues has both power and technique, plus added motivation to bounce back after a previous loss, to take it hard to Morales, which the latter may eventually find hard to handle.

Still, salute to both mom-fighters for representing.

Prediction: Allycia Hellen Rodrigues by second-round KO

---

Vince Richards

This fight will certainly be in contention for Fight of the Year honors.

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues and Cristina Morales are two of the most aggressive fighters in ONE Championship, and they’ll stop at nothing to get that highlight reel knockout at ONE Fight Night 20.

While they may have similar philosophies in their fights, I think this thing will go Rodrigues’ way.

The reigning ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion has only fought in world title fights in ONE Championship, and that experience makes her such a dangerous opponent inside the ring.

Although Morales holds a three-inch height advantage against the 5-foot-3 Rodrigues, it won’t mean much against the rampaging Brazilian.

Rodrigues can easily close the void as evident by her world title challenge against ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion Smilla Sundell. Although she lost in that fight, Rodrigues earned valuable experience fighting against the 5-foot-8 Swedish sensation.

I expect Rodrigues to quickly close the distance against Morales and batter the Spaniard with short hooks to the body before moving upstairs for the finishing blows.

This fight could reach the championship rounds, but the fourth is the furthest Rodrigues will allow her world title defense to go.

Prediction: Allycia Hellen Rodrigues by fourth-round knockout

ONE Fight Night 20 will air live on US Primetime on March 8, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America