Narantungalag Jadambaa TKOs Edward Kelly In Macau
Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa took some time off to regroup after his failed World Title challenge against Marat Gafurov in 2016.
After working hard on his overall game, he then promised a spectacular show in Macau against the Philippines’ Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly on Saturday, 23 June.
Jadambaa overwhelmed the Team Lakay featherweight with a relentless offensive attack, and stopped his Filipino rival with a barrage of strikes in the dying seconds of round two at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER.
Although the first stanza opened up tentatively, the two powerful athletes soon exploded into action.
The strength and judo skill of “Tungaa” quickly came to the fore. He threw Kelly to the mat several times, and unleashed a heavy melee of ground and pound.
Kelly sought to work back to his feet and land shots from his kicking arsenal, but the frame ended with the Mongolian taking him down once again.
Jadambaa stuck to his clinch and groundwork strategy in round two, as he stepped in with hard punches and followed up with body-lock takedowns.
“The Ferocious” showed his heart and battled out at every opportunity, but desire alone could not save him. The powerful Mongolian mounted him at the end of the stanza, and opened up with punches and hammer fists.
Referee Yuji Shimada was ultimately forced to intervene. He stopped the bout with just two seconds remaining in the frame.
With more than 18 months away from competition, Jadambaa could have been forgiven for being a little rusty. However, the 42-year-old looked better than ever.
The Mongolian lifts his record to 13-5, and it is clear his fearsome striking and powerful grappling could allow him to make another run at the top of the featherweight division.
Kelly showed grit, but he was outworked by a hungry foe. The Team Lakay competitor falls to 10-5, and will go back to the drawing board.
