The Knockout Artists Nobody’s Picking

Everyone’s chasing the same ranked contenders. That’s exactly why you’re leaving points on the table. ONE Championship’s Friday Fights circuit is producing finishers at a rate that makes the main cards look tame, and two names keep appearing in highlight reels without showing up in fantasy lineups.

Willie van Rooyen and Antar Kacem aren’t household names yet. But they should be on your radar right now. Here’s why these two represent the kind of asymmetric value that separates average fantasy players from consistent winners.

Willie van Rooyen: South Africa’s Finish Machine

The numbers tell the story. Van Rooyen entered ONE Championship in November 2025 with a perfect 7-0 record. Every single win came by finish. Five by stoppage. He didn’t just beat opponents—he ended fights.

His ONE debut against Avazbek Kholmirzaev at ONE Fight Night 37 confirmed the hype wasn’t manufactured. The South African brought sharp kickboxing combinations, a refined submission game, and the kind of mental composure that doesn’t crack under Lumpinee’s lights. His current ONE record sits at 8-1, with that lone loss doing nothing to diminish his finish rate.

What makes him undervalued? Recognition lag. Van Rooyen built his reputation in EFC Worldwide, winning the Flyweight Championship with a 37-second knockout in May 2024. Most fantasy players still associate him with regional African MMA rather than elite ONE competition. That’s your edge.

Pick him up at game.peaxel.me before his next card appearance bumps his ownership percentage.

Antar Kacem: The Lumpinee Knockout Problem

Kacem fights like someone who grew up sparring in Thai gyms—because he did. Based in Thailand and training under Team Mehdi Zatout, this Belarusian-French striker has absorbed the Muay Thai culture that produces world champions. His record of 8-5 might look pedestrian until you examine the opposition and finish rate.

Four KO/TKO victories. A second-round knockout of Kongklai Sor Sommai. A stunning finish of Thai veteran Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree at ONE Friday Fights 116 in July 2025. And then the result that matters most: a third-round TKO of ranked contender Muangthai PK Saenchai at ONE Friday Fights 126.

Beating Muangthai isn’t a fluke. It’s a statement. The man was a legitimate ranked threat, and Kacem walked through him with the kind of aggressive striking that fantasy scoring rewards heavily. Knockouts generate premium points, and Kacem delivers them consistently.

His ownership remains low because he competes primarily on Friday Fights rather than numbered ONE events. That’s precisely the inefficiency you should exploit. Add his card through Peaxel while the market sleeps.

Why Friday Fights Matter for Fantasy

ONE Championship’s Friday Fights series operates as both a proving ground and a scoring goldmine. The fighters are hungry. The finishes are frequent. And the fantasy ownership rates haven’t caught up to the action quality.

Both van Rooyen and Kacem have built their ONE reputations through this circuit. They’re not protected prospects getting favorable matchups—they’re being tested against dangerous opponents and passing those tests with knockouts.

For strategy-focused players, this creates a clear opportunity. Low ownership plus high finish probability equals differential points. You’re not just picking fighters; you’re picking inefficiencies.

The Tactical Case for September 2026

Honestly, this is the month to be aggressive with combat sports picks. ONE Championship’s event calendar is stacked through September, and both van Rooyen and Kacem are positioned for meaningful fights that could elevate their profiles—and their fantasy value.

Van Rooyen’s kickboxing background gives him versatility that pure grapplers lack. He can win standing or on the ground, which reduces variance in your lineup. Kacem’s aggressive style means he rarely goes to decision—great for fantasy scoring, which typically rewards finishes over grinding three-round wars.

The risk? Kacem’s 8-5 record includes losses, and aggressive fighters can get caught. But the reward profile makes the gamble worthwhile when ownership is this low. You’re not paying a premium for ceiling; you’re getting it at floor prices.

Building Around Undervalued Finishers

The best fantasy lineups combine a stable floor with explosive ceiling picks. Van Rooyen and Kacem fit the ceiling role perfectly. Pair them with consistent point scorers in other disciplines—Peaxel covers over 90 sports—and you’ve got a balanced roster with genuine upside.

Don’t just add them and forget. Watch the fight announcements. When their next bouts get confirmed, their ownership will climb. The value window is now, not after the next knockout clip goes viral.

The Bottom Line

Fantasy combat sports rewards attention. The players who track Friday Fights, who know which regional champions are transitioning to major promotions, who understand that finish rates matter more than pure records—those are the players who win consistently.

Willie van Rooyen and Antar Kacem represent exactly the kind of picks that separate informed managers from the crowd. High finish rates. Low ownership. Momentum heading into September 2026.

Add them to your Peaxel lineup before the rest of the fantasy community catches up.