Dec 4, 2019

3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS

A pair of ONE Super Series World Title matches at the top of the bill are worth the price of admission to ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS alone, but fans can expect an entire evening of top-class action in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This Friday, 6 December, The Home Of Martial Arts will return to the Axiata Arena with a lineup that is stacked from top to bottom with electrifying match-ups, featuring some of the organization’s established and rising stars.

These are just three of the undercard contests that the team at onefc.com think could be the hot topic around watercoolers come Monday morning.

#1 Gurdarshan Mangat Vs. Reece McLaren

With the backing of one of mixed martial arts’ most passionate fanbases, India’s Gurdarshan “Saint Lion” Mangat has shown the skills that make him his nation’s top pound-for-pound athletes in two ONE appearances so far.

The 32-year-old flyweight keeps a high pace with a well-rounded attack that has been too much for both Toni “Dynamite” Tauru and Abro “The Black Komodo” Fernandes to handle.

However, if he wants to move to 3-0 on the global stage and advance toward a shot at the gold, he will have to overcome the greatest challenge of his career to date.

Reece “Lightning” McLaren is one of the most dangerous grapplers in his division and he will jump on any opportunity to trap his rival in his web of submissions.

Mangat cannot afford to be cautious though, because the Aussie BJJ black belt is an aggressive athlete, too, and he will have no issue taking the initiative and putting “Saint Lion” under pressure.

#2 Lerdsila Phuket Top Team Vs. Elias Mahmoudi

This flyweight Muay Thai bout will match two of the most exciting forces in all of the striking arts for what should be a jaw-dropping encounter.

Lerdsila Phuket Top Team was nicknamed “The Eel” for his slippery style, which gives him the unique ability to bamboozle even the most accomplished opponents. The Thai superstar can move out of the way of oncoming strikes at lightning speed and return fire just as fast.

The eight-time Muay Thai World Champion’s opponent is 17 years his junior, and cannot match his defensive craft, but he does have a phenomenal offensive arsenal that can give even the most experienced competitors some trouble.

Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi has won a trio of World Titles in “the art of eight limbs” with his dynamic and creative attacking style, and that was on display in his first two bouts on the global stage.

It remains to be seen whether the 21-year-old French-Algerian will be able to catch Lerdsila in his tornado of offense, or the 226-match veteran will make use of his magic touch to move to 5-0 in ONE Super Series, but fans should have a lot of fun finding out whose approach will be successful.

#3 Andrei Stoica Vs. Anderson Silva

Light heavyweight behemoths Anderson “Braddock” Silva and Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica will collide in a kickboxing battle that is sure to deliver intense action from start to finish.

Both men have offered nothing but excitement in their stints in The Home Of Martial Arts so far, as they have gone toe-to-toe with the division’s elite.

“Braddock’s” two ONE Super Series victories have come via spectacular knockout, but Stoica proved that his chin can stand up to any scrutiny under heavy fire. “Mister KO” also has concussive finishing ability, in particular, a punishing left hook that has dispatched many of his rivals en route to the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Stoica and Silva both have stopping power and durability, and neither take a backward step. That all leads to one conclusion – a surefire contender for the bout of the night.