ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 17 May, was an event brewing with knockout potential, and unsurprisingly, it did just that.
There were plenty of finishes to choose from, and it’s an event worth watching again.
Malaysians, in case you missed it, here are four of the best knockouts which perfectly summed up yet another night of world-class martial arts delight in “The Lion City”.
#1 The Terminator’s come-from-behind knockout
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llCHw9wSZTw
Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki was always going to power through the ground and in the grappling department, and as expected he started the opening stanza against Christian “The Warrior” Lee in typical fashion.
Lee, however, showed his mettle and escaped Aoki’s submission brilliantly, before returning guns blazing in the next round.
He opened the stanza with a hard-right hand and followed with a flurry of combinations which left Aoki helpless in the corner of the ring. A final right hand sealed the win – and the ONE Lightweight World Title.
Hello, youngest male mixed martial arts World Champion!
#2 Alexandre’s crushing right hand
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nM15CUIvZ0
Cosmo “Good Boy” Alexandre’s 29-second knockout of ONE Championship debutant “Super” Sage Northcutt was the most shocking result of the evening.
As the 23-year-old martial arts prodigy was still finding his rhythm, Alexandre advanced forward and unleashed a sizzling right hand which put Northcutt to sleep.
The knockout sees him move up 8-1 in his mixed martial arts record – and the fastest finish in ONE welterweight history.
#3 A third successive first round KO by Dagi!
Saygid Arslanaliev handed knockout specialist Amir Khan a taste of his own medicine with a huge finish inside 2:56 of the opening round to advance to the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix final.
The Istanbul native dominated every aspect of the game and got top control barely a minute into the battle. As Khan attempted to break free, he was punished with yet another takedown.
Khan still hung on, and eventually took the battle back on the feet, but little did he expect the Turkish representative to charge forward with a combination which pushed him to the ropes – the beginning of the end for the hometown favorite.
He landed another right hand before a pair of uppercuts and a left hook forced Kemp Cheng to stop the contest.
#4 Dejdamrong put to sleep by Miao
The main card got into the thick of action right away as China’s Miao Li Tao shocked Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in the first round.
Miao put his opponent on the back foot barely 30 seconds into the match and continued throwing fists from the guard.
Confidently, the 26-year-old hero moved to side control, as the Thail striking icon gave up his back. Despite the difficult situation, the veteran hung on and brought the battle back to the feet.
That marked the beginning of the end, as Miao hitched with a short right and a left hook which left his opposite number stumbling to the ground.
