4 Thrilling Performances From The Stars Of ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES
ONE Championship is ready to unleash its heroes once again.
Next Saturday, 22 September, the world’s largest martial arts organization will return to the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia with its latest spectacle, ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES
The 12-bout card, which will be headlined by a ONE Strawweight World Title rematch between Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito (13-1) and Filipino challenger Joshua “The Passion” Pacio (12-2), will feature elite athletes competing in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts contests.
As we get closer to the blockbuster extravaganza, check out four of the best performances from the superstars competing in Jakarta.
Timofey Nastyukhin Outduels Amir Khan
At ONE: QUEST FOR GOLD in February, Russian contender Timofey Nastyukhin (12-3) stepped into the cage with Singaporean Muay Thai Champion Amir Khan in an epic battle between lightweight knockout artists.
This riveting showdown unfolded almost entirely on the feet, as the two stand-up practitioners exchanged heavy artillery for three rounds.
Nastyukhin was the primary aggressor, and he connected with the more effective strikes – most notably, a series of powerful overhand rights.
For this success, he was awarded a unanimous decision victory, which moved him even closer to the ONE Lightweight World Title opportunity he desperately seeks.
The Russian will look to take another stride toward a title shot as he battles dangerous Turkish finisher Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev (5-1) next.
Stefer Rahardian Dominates Muhammad Imran
Earlier this January, at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, Stefer “The Lion” Rahardian (9-1) ignited the Jakarta Convention Center.
In what turned out to be his last contest at flyweight, the Indonesian sensation faced Pakistan’s Muhammad “The Spider” Imran in the night’s co-main event, and he gave his countrymen a reason to celebrate.
For three rounds, Rahardian was dominant, as he landed multiple takedowns, and kept his adversary glued to the canvas with expert positional control and powerful strikes.
By the time this bout ended, there could be no other outcome than a unanimous decision win for “The Lion.”
Now a strawweight, the Indonesian will attempt to remain undefeated in his homeland when he faces Chinese National Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion Peng Xue Wen (5-4).
Danny Kingad Edges Out Ma Hao Bin
In June, at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, Filipino flyweight combatant Danny “The King” Kingad (10-1) collided with Chinese national wrestling champion “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin.
Despite his foe’s incredible accolades in the grappling department, Kingad was able to find success on the mat between some breathtaking scrambles.
He landed several takedowns, hit a number of crafty reversals, and even threatened with a leg lock in the third round.
That, along with an assortment of punches and kicks, led to the Team Lakay standout earning a unanimous decision win. The match was one of the best of 2018 so far.
Next for Kingad is a mouthwatering clash with Japanese knockout artist Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu (10-2).
Kairat Akhmetov’s Title-Winning Debut
Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov (24-2) arrived in ONE Championship with a perfect record and a 22-bout win streak to stake an undeniable claim to challenge for the ONE Flyweight World Title.
In November 2015, at ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS (BEIJING II), he made his promotional debut and challenged Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes for the belt.
Akhmetov, known for his highly decorated wrestling pedigree, leaned on his expertise to frustrate the Brazilian titleholder.
While Moraes utilized his striking and worked for a few submission attempts, “The Kazakh” used elite-level takedowns and positional control to stifle the Brazilian’s world-class jiu-jitsu.
Ultimately, the challenger emerged as the dominant competitor in two judges’ eyes, and he narrowly defeated “Mikinho” via split decision to claim the gold.
A victory for “The Kazakh” over Ma Hao Bin (11-3) at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES will put him back in the World Title hunt.
