3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES

On Saturday, 22 September, several of ONE Championship’s finest martial artists will be looking for a breakthrough performance in Jakarta, Indonesia.

There may be a lot of excitement revolving around the main-event rematch between ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito and Joshua “The Passion” Pacio at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES, but there are several other contests on the card that pack just as much of a punch.

Here are three matches that could steal the show during a thrilling evening of action.

Timofey Nastyukhin VS Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev

Without a doubt, the bout that jumps out the most is the lightweight clash between Timofey Nastyukhin and Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev.

The powerful Nastyukhin is an explosive striker who has knocked out top-level opponents with his punches, kicks, and knees — and he has done it quickly, too.

Also, in recent victories against contenders like Koji Ando and Amir Khan, he has demonstrated the ability to apply constant forward-pressure and swing hard for three rounds without getting tired.

Perhaps one of the only few lightweights to match his power, explosiveness, and incredible endurance is the 23-year-old Arslanaliev.

“Dagi” is a human tornado. He attacks non-stop with ferocity, and he cleverly blends his versatile striking with elite grappling.

What’s most remarkable about Arslanaliev is his finishing ability. In fact, he only went past the two-minute mark for the first time in his career in March against respected veteran Tetsuya Yamada, but he still submitted the Japanese contender in the third round.

Nastyukhin and Arslanaliev are two of the lightweight division’s most exciting athletes, but on Saturday, there is a chance one of them gets finished for the first time in their careers.

Yuya Wakamatsu VS Danny Kingad

It would take something phenomenal to beat Timofey Nastyukhin’s showdown with Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev, but there is one bout that fits that bill.

For thrills over three rounds, the flyweight tilt between Yuya Wakamatsu and Danny Kingad is the one to watch in Jakarta.

News of Japan’s “Little Piranha” signing for the world’s largest martial arts organization was a treat for mixed martial arts fans. His displays of overwhelming striking offense made him a must-see attraction in Pancrase, and it will be exciting to see him test himself against the world’s best in ONE Championship.

When he is in control of a bout, he looks unstoppable. Even in defeat, the young Japanese star put in an incredible performance in one of the bouts of the year against Senzo Ikeda. His opponent at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES has the potential to offer the same kind of excitement against him.

Danny Kingad is on his way to having it all. His last match with Ma Hao Bin – another of 2018’s best – showed he has the grappling defense to compliment his ground offense and superb kickboxing attack, but he probably won’t need it on this occasion. He also likes to strike, and he will probably not have to worry about being taken down.

If fans are lucky, he will engage with Wakamatsu on the feet, giving us a toe-to-toe war between expert strikers.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon VS Sergio Wielzen

In keeping with the current trend, Jakarta’s ONE Super Series match-ups could provide something special — in particular, Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Sergio Wielzen‘s main card match-up.

There has been plenty of technical mastery on show in the all-striking league already, but this Muay Thai flyweight contest should showcase unrelenting pressure and lots of toe-to-toe action. 

That’s not to say that both of these men are not supremely skilled, because they are, but what makes this contest so fascinating is their knockout power and contrasting styles.

“Iron Man” charges forward with powerful punches, loading up on everything in search of the knockout and relying on his granite chin. Wielzen is a little longer and more patient, but is effective against oncoming opponents with elbows and high kicks.

There are all the makings of a classic, and while it may not go the distance, fans are in for a treat for as long as this bout lasts.