3 Biggest Takeaways From ONE Friday Fights 10
With a mix of memorable finishes and hard-fought decisions, ONE Friday Fights 10 treated the global fan base to everything that is great about combat sports.
The stars displayed immense skill, courage, athleticism, and more across 11 exciting martial arts contests at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 24.
Before we look ahead to next week’s showcase, check out the three biggest takeaways from ONE Friday Fights 10.
#1 Rak Erawan Could Be An Atomweight Star
Rak Erawan announced himself to the global fan base with a stunning first-round stoppage in his 116-pound Muay Thai clash with Chusap Sor Salacheep.
The 21-year-old Thai star needed just over a minute to blitz Chusap with a volley of punches, but the brief TKO victory instantly put the atomweight division on notice.
Already a Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, the Erawan Gym representative’s skills aren’t in question, and if he can continue to deliver performances like this in The Home of Martial Arts, then it won’t be long until he’s challenging for a ONE World Title.
The men’s atomweight Muay Thai division has only started to form since ONE’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium events brought the category into the limelight, but Rak’s blistering 72-second win already has him standing out among the burgeoning talent pool.
#2 Teeyai PK Saenchai Is A Strawweight On The Rise
Just five weeks removed from his ONE Friday Fights debut, Teeyai PK Saenchai notched another solid victory at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
Unlike his debut finish, the 21-year-old PK Saenchai Muaythaigym product needed all three rounds to defeat Manolis Kallistis in their strawweight Muay Thai battle, but it was no less impressive.
Kallistis fired his hardest and most unorthodox shots in Teeyai’s direction, but the slick Thai kept his composure and upped his intensity. He threw heavy punches and kicks, as well as flying knees and spinning attacks to round off an excellent display against a tough opponent.
Now with back-to-back wins, Teeyai has surely earned himself the right to compete against some of the more established strawweights on the ONE Championship roster.
#3 Ivan Parshikov Ready For Some Big Bantamweight Names
Ivan Parshikov also stepped up for his second ONE Friday Fights appearance and added another impressive victory to his slate, marking himself as a rising star in the bantamweight MMA ranks.
The Russian faced Ryo Chonan’s disciple Yu Karino and after finding himself in a potentially dangerous spot early on, he flipped the script. He showed his versatility by immediately turning defense into offense, securing a slick kneebar finish just 50 seconds into the contest.
Parshikov has now earned consecutive wins over quality opposition. The Russian’s first opponent at the weekly event series, Dmitriy Babkin, was 7-1 before he was beaten via unanimous decision, and Karino was 8-2 ahead of their meeting.
By taking out two highly respected talents, the 25-year-old has made a statement and proved that he is ready for some of the bigger names in the bantamweight division.
