3 Great Performances From The Stars Of The ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix

The quarter-final round of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix is drawing nearer and nearer.

On Sunday, 31 March, all four of the tournament quarter-final bouts will be contested on the promotion’s inaugural Japan event, ONE: A NEW ERA.

The action promises to be fast, furious, and frenetic as eight of the best flyweight martial artists are set to do battle at the historic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

Before the world’s most prestigious mixed martial arts flyweight tournament commences, let’s take a look back at three of the best performances from the men who are set for the competition.

McLaren Edges Out “The Sweeper”

Reece “Lightning” McLaren had already established himself as a top contender for the ONE Flyweight World Title thanks to his victory over Gianni Subba in March 2018. But rather than sit and wait, the Australian accepted a dangerous match in the interim at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS in July.

Any concerns about the 27-year-old slipping up and losing his spot were ultimately washed away. He delivered an exciting performance, which earned him a narrow split decision victory over an elite opponent.

McLaren edged out the debuting DEEP Flyweight World Champion Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada after three very competitive rounds that forced the Aussie to showcase his full arsenal of skills — both offensive and defensive.

The Aussie’s victory was even more impressive when considering Wada was riding an eight-bout win streak heading into the contest. However, there is a chance these two warriors could meet again.

McLaren will meet former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov in the quarter-final round. As for Wada, he will meet undefeated promotional newcomer Ivanildo Delfino in a quarter-final match on the opposite side of the bracket.

If each man continues to advance, they could meet in the finals.

Akhmetov’s World Title-Winning Debut

Akhmetov entered The Home Of Martial Arts with a spotless mixed martial arts record and a highly decorated wrestling background.

Based on his strong reputation and accomplishments, he was awarded a shot at ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes at ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS (BEIJING II) in his debut.

Evidently, he did not disappoint.

“The Kazakh” used his striking and grappling to great effect, but it was his wrestling base that proved to be the foundation of his success.

Moraes threatened Akhmetov with his world-class submission game. But the Almaty, Kazakhstan resident’s ability to change levels, complete takedowns, and control the action on the canvas meant many of his rival’s best grappling techniques were neutralized.

After five rounds of highly-competitive action, two of the three cageside judges scored the contest in favor of Akhmetov.

“The Kazakh” lost the belt to Moraes nearly two years later, but he could secure a trilogy bout with the Brazilian if he were to win the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix.

Kingad Dispatches “The Southern Eagle”

Coming from a decorated wushu background, Filipino flyweight star Danny “The King” Kingad was always rated as a dangerous striker.

However, against Chinese National Wrestling Champion “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin, he showed his evolving abilities on the ground in an excellent all-round display of martial arts. Also, it was arguably the most complete performance of his mixed martial arts career.

At ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER in June 2018, Kingad claimed a unanimous decision victory over Ma through a combination of sharp striking on the feet and an excellent scrambling defense on the mat, as he avoided the Chinese contender’s dangerous submission attack.

Indeed, the Team Lakay product’s ground skills were not limited to defensive techniques, as he threatened with a choke attempt in the second round and a kneebar attempt in the third. “The King” hunted relentlessly for a finish.

In the end, the highly-exciting contest went to the scorecards and all three judges ruled the bout in favor of Kingad. The Filipino will try to continue his ascent up the flyweight ranks in Japan, as he is scheduled for action against Bali MMA’s Andrew Leone.