Oct 7, 2019

3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: CENTURY PART I

Senzo Ikeda grapples Danny Kingad at ONE: A NEW ERA

Fans are patiently waiting for the three historic matches at the top of the ONE: CENTURY PART I bill, but there are several other potential classics on the 11-bout card.

The first installment of ONE Championship’s groundbreaking double-header on Sunday, 13 October is stacked with magnificent contests featuring top-tier martial artists from all across the globe.

Each one could deliver a jaw-dropping knockout, a stunning submission, or a three-round war that will give the superstars in the trio of World Championship bouts a run for their money.

Here are three bouts that could steal the show inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan this coming weekend.

#1 Senzo Ikeda Vs. Lito Adiwang

Fans of the Philippines’ Team Lakay and Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series (OWS) will already know about Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang.

The 26-year-old, who earned his spot on the global stage with a string of impressive wins in OWS, owns a 9-2 professional record with a sensational 89 percent finishing rate.

Like his training partners, the Benguet native is best known for his wushu-based striking. However, it is the power in his hands – rather than his spinning kicks – that has made him stand out.

That makes his upcoming strawweight bout against Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda all the more thrilling. The Japanese star has the capacity to evade his opponent’s potent striking, or simply absorb the blows and fire back with interest.

Ikeda is a former boxer, and he brings a unique style with him to the Circle. Like his upcoming opponent, he is a capable grappler, but he is never more entertaining than when he is marching forward to trade strikes.

The last time the Japanese athlete faced someone from Team Lakay, we were treated to one of the best bouts of 2019 so far, so do not be surprised if we see more of the same.

#2 Yushin Okami Vs. Agilan Thani

The last time Agilan “Alligator” Thani faced off against a Japanese legend, he delivered the biggest win of his career in one of 2019’s most exciting match-ups.

Following that huge confidence boost, fans can expect similar, high-octane action when he takes on Yushin “Thunder” Okami.

Thani respected Akiyama, and knew he would have to go on the front foot and pressure the veteran to overcome the experience differential.

He gave one of his best striking performances in The Home Of Martial Arts to date, and he interspersed powerful boxing and low kicks with huge slams.

“Thunder” can match almost any welterweight in the wrestling stakes, and it will be his aim to get top position to land his hard ground and pound.

Both athletes are strong grapplers, and there will be some heated exchanges to try and get ahead in the positional battle. The two are also capable strikers, and they may be forced to employ their stand-up arsenal if they cannot get the advantage on the ground.

#3 Yuya Wakamatsu Vs. Dae Hwan Kim

Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu had a rough start to life in The Home Of Martial Arts, but the 24-year-old has continued to showcase his vast improvement and could now be hitting his stride.

Though his grappling ultimately fell short in thrillers against Filipino prodigy Danny “The King” Kingad and pound-for-pound great Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, the Japanese rising star made both athletes feel the force in his fists.

His power, as well as his speed, was masterfully displayed in August when he knocked out the former ONE Flyweight World Champion, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, with a devastating right cross in less than two minutes. That was his 10th career finish.

In Tokyo, he draws another world-class striker in “Ottogi” Dae Hwan Kim, a former ONE Bantamweight World Title challenger who is making his flyweight debut.

The South Korean is a national champion in Muay Thai, taekwondo, and wushu, and he holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Also, like his opponent, he attacks at a fast pace.

Both men have expressed their desire to trade heavy leather, and should one of these warriors get rocked, then it will be interesting to see how their grappling skills come into play.

Watch PART I in USA on 12 October at 8pm EST and PART II on 13 October at 4am EST
Watch PART I in India on 13 October at 5:30am IST and PART II at 1:30pm IST
Watch PART I in Indonesia on 13 October at 7am WIB and PART II at 3pm WIB
Watch PART I in Singapore on 13 October at 8am SGT and PART II at 4pm SGT
Watch PART I in the Philippines on 13 October at 8am PHT and PART II at 4pm PHT
Watch PART I in Japan on 13 October at 9am JST and PART II at 5pm JST

ONE: CENTURY is the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history with 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts. No organization has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events on the same day.

The Home Of Martial Arts will break new ground as it brings multiple World Title bouts, a trio of World Grand Prix Championship Finals, and several World Champion versus World Champion matches to the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on 13 October.