4 Great Knockouts From The Stars Of ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS

ONE Championship returns to the Philippines for ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS on Friday, 23 November with a stacked card full of exciting finishers.

The event features a host of thrilling match-ups, as some of the most explosive athletes on the roster get set to put on a show for the passionate Filipino fans at Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena.

If the previous performances of some of these stars are anything to go by, fans should not blink when the action begins.

Here are four reasons why you should not take your eyes off the stars of ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS for a second.

Brandon Vera Smashes Hideki Sekine

Brandon “The Truth” Vera cemented his position as the ONE Heavyweight World Champion with a quick finish of Hideki “Shrek” Sekine at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION in December 2016.

Vera connected with thumping low kicks to begin the bout, before finding his mark with a head kick and a knee from the clinch when Sekine tried to close the distance and initiate a takedown.

After feeling Vera’s power and sustaining a broken nose from those early exchanges, the Japanese man found himself on the defensive, which led to his downfall.

Vera connected with another head kick, forcing Sekine to cover up to protect himself, but by holding his hands closer to his head, he opened up his body, and Vera took full advantage.

“The Truth” backed his foe towards the cage and connected with a thudding left kick to the body that badly hurt the challenger. A follow-up head kick attempt narrowly missed as “Shrek” crumbled and fell to the canvas.

Spying his moment to finish the contest, Vera closed in and landed a series of unanswered punches, prompting referee Yuji Shimada to intervene and end the bout.

The 41-year-old will face Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli in his second defense at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS.

Eduard Folayang Shocks Shinya Aoki

After two rounds of non-stop action in their lightweight World Title match at ONE: DEFENDING HONOR in November 2016, the bout between defending champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki and challenger Eduard “Landslide” Folayang hung in the balance.

But by the start of the third round, the Filipino had learned enough about Aoki’s takedowns to take advantage and claim an upset victory – as well as the ONE Lightweight World Title.

At the start of the round, Aoki shot immediately, only to be met by a perfectly-timed jumping knee. The dazed Japanese athlete continued to pursue the takedown, but Folayang established double underhooks, rotated away from the cage and put his opponent in a position to be finished.

A big knee landed to the top of Aoki’s head, and then Folayang unloaded a salvo of right hands, as well as another knee, as the defending champion covered up against the cage until the referee stepped in to stop the match.

It was a landmark moment for “Landslide”, as he shocked the world and captured the gold for the first time. He has the chance to do it again against Amir Khan this Friday, 23 November.

Amir Khan Overwhelms Sung Jong Lee

When lightweight ace Amir Khan faced South Korean submission specialist Sung Jong Lee at ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS, it was a classic striker versus grappler contest.

Ultimately it was the Singaporean’s punching power that proved to be the difference-maker as he scored a notable victory in front of his fans on home soil.

With the action on the canvas deep into the second round, Lee looked to work a heel hook submission, but Khan stayed composed and rolled his way out of danger. Once clear of the South Korean’s legs, Khan exploded into life. Leaping to his feet, Khan swiftly moved to the side of his opponent and fired away.

Sensing the finish after a series of powerful punches on his grounded opponent, Khan dropped a knee to the body that forced the Korean to drop his hands, which opened him up for a final flurry of fists upstairs.

The win showcased Khan’s ability to maneuver on the mat and grind down a durable opponent. He will aim to do the same against Folayang in the co-main event at the Mall Of Asia Arena.

Jeremy Miado Stuns Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke

When the Philippines’ Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado faced off against former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, fans expected a stand-up battle, but few predicted the shocking finish that would transpire.

Dejdamrong, a multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion, was thought to have the striking edge at ONE: IRON WILL in Bangkok, but Miado sprung a surprise with his reach and hand speed.

Miado was aggressive from the start, looking to land hooks from range and short uppercuts as the former champion stepped inside.

His strategy worked perfectly, as he unloaded a beautiful four-punch combination, ending with a huge right hook that put the Thai hero to sleep before he hit the canvas.

It was a shock result and one of the best knockouts in ONE Championship in 2018, as Miado claimed the biggest victory of his career. He can build on that result against China’s Peng Xue Wen in Manila.