3 Dynamic Submissions From The Stars Of ONE: BATTLEGROUND II

ONE: BATTLEGROUND II is stacked from top to bottom with mixed martial arts maestros, which means there’s a high likelihood that fans will be treated to submission prowess.

The event, which premieres this Friday, 13 August, features athletes from a wide array of backgrounds, including the grappling-heavy arts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and pankration.

Ahead of fight night, let’s look back at three of the greatest submission victories from the stars competing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

#1 Silva Hits Slick Kneebar In Singapore

While former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva is most known for his potent armbars, the Evolve star has a variety of ways to attack every part of the human body.

At ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS in December 2015, the third-degree BJJ black belt showcased his leg lock game against Ruel Catalan in a victory that was sandwiched by tapout wins over his opponent’s ONE siblings, Rene and Robin.

Against Ruel, “Little Rock” was in command from side control until the Filipino explosively rolled out to claim top position. However, he was not out of the woods, and the ground specialist immediately went on the offensive.

Silva slipped into a deep half-guard position and underhooked his rival’s left leg. Sensing an attack was coming, Catalan tried to bail out, but his leg was trapped.

It looked briefly like the Filipino might be free as he got up to his knees and scored with punches, but Silva re-rolled, straightened his foe’s leg, and then cinched up a tight kneebar to force the tap.

At ONE: BATTLEGROUND II, the former strawweight king will return to action against the hard-hitting Miao Li Tao in his adopted hometown of Singapore.

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#2 Saputra Shocks Silvarajoo With Unique Americana

Eko Roni Saputra has parlayed his excellent wrestling base into a formidable ground game to begin his mixed martial arts career.

That was especially evident when the Indonesian star submitted Murugan “Wolverine” Silvarajoo with an Americana variation at ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES last October.

After depositing the Malaysian onto the canvas with a double-leg takedown, Saputra got his head free, controlled his opponent with an underhook, and chipped away with short elbows.

With no conventional options immediately available, he decided to try his luck with a more creative joint lock. The Evolve athlete wedged Silvarajoo’s right arm behind his calf and then torqued it at a painful-looking angle.

By driving his hips forward and shoving down on “Wolverine’s” elbow, Saputra applied enough pressure to elicit the tap from the unique shoulder lock.

Next, he will hunt for his fifth straight victory in ONE Championship against Liu Peng Shuai in Singapore.

#3 Raju’s Grappling Dominance Pays Off Against Cheema

A partisan Singapore crowd cheered Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju to victory over Furqan “The Lion” Cheema at ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS in November 2019.

The BJJ brown belt leaned on his grappling expertise against Cheema, as he constantly looked to take the battle to the ground in round one.

Raju followed the same game plan in the second frame, and a double-leg takedown saw him land in top position. The Singapore-based Indian immediately passed guard, allowed “The Lion” to turn, and moved into back control.

With one hook in – and with Cheema wedged against the corner post – “The Kerala Krusher” knew his rival had nowhere to go. He threaded his right arm under “The Lion’s” neck and then connected it to his left bicep.

The following squeeze drained the resistance out of the Pakistan athlete, who tapped out from the rear-naked choke submission.

After a couple of setbacks, Raju will aim to get back on track in a crucial matchup against ONE Warrior Series graduate Otgonbaatar Nergui in “The Lion City.”

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