5 Dazzling Displays From The Stand-Up Stars Of ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS

ONE Championship will return to the home of Muay Thai on Saturday, 16 February, as ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS takes place in Bangkok, Thailand

As you would expect for an event in the spiritual heartland of the art of eight limbs, the show is packed with Muay Thai contests, as ONE Super Series takes center stage.

A battle for the ONE Super Series Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship will serve as the main event for the evening after four other match-ups of elite strikers take place.

To whet your appetite for the spectacular action that will come your way, here are five elite performances from a quintet of striking stars set for action in the Impact Arena.

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao Unleashes On Mehdi Zatout

Gritty French kickboxing ace Mehdi “Diamond Heart” Zatout arrived in ONE Super Series as an ISKA and WBC World Champion, but found four-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao was in a different league at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES.

The Thai star earned a comprehensive unanimous decision victory after a blistering display of striking brilliance and ring generalship that showed the 32-year-old’s greatness.

Zatout to be proved stubborn opposition for Nong-O and even dumped the Thai icon to the canvas twice in the opening round, but that only encouraged the four-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion to unleash his best weapons, as the pair went toe-to-toe for the full three-round duration.

Nong-O set to work using his powerful kicks, targeting both the head and body as he dominated the opening round. When Zatout attempted to close the distance in the second, he was met by his rival’s potent close-range weapons – his elbows – as the Thai scored a decisive knockdown.

The French World Champion continued to push forward, but he simply had no answer for Nong-O’s striking, as the Thai’s shot selection, footwork, and ability to take the contest wherever he wanted it made him the clear winner on all three judges’ scorecards.

It was the 257th win of his career, and he will look to capture ONE Super Series World Championship gold by registering his 258th at ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS.

Han Zi Hao Runs Wild On Stergos Mikkios

Chinese striker Han Zi Hao has blazed his way to the top of ONE Super Series.

The 23-year-old showed the world a glimpse of his immense potential in his debut, but then showed the hype was real with his unanimous decision win over Stergos “Greek Dynamite” Mikkios at ONE: BEYOND THE HORIZON last September.

Inspired by the opportunity to compete on home soil in Shanghai’s Baoshan Arena, Han turned in a brilliant performance to outwork and outmaneuver the dangerous Greek striker.

Han dropped Mikkios with a right hand late in the first round and took over the contest from that point on. He dominated the clinch, dumping the Greek star to the canvas on multiple occasions, and impressed with a succession of slick combinations.

Top King Muay Thai World Champion Han scored another knockdown in the second round, then dominated the third as he wowed his countrymen with a performance that showed he would be a major player in the bantamweight division.

Now he faces Muay Thai royalty in the main event in Bangkok as he takes on Nong-O.

“Smokin” Jo Nattawut Outguns George Mann

“Smokin” Jo Nattawut proved size is only a statistic when he overcame the rangy threat of George Mann at ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

The two-time Lion Fight Muay Thai World Champion from Thailand showcased his power and problem-solving skills as he battled the tall Scot in a series of clinches before finally establishing his range and landing with power shots.

Mann’s game plan focused heavily on his height and reach, as he looked to dominate at close quarters, but Nattawut’s years of experience stood him in good stead as he stayed out of trouble in the clinch, then scored spectacularly when the athletes were separated.

He landed powerful punches and thumping kicks to the legs and body of the British athlete, before a non-stop punching attack sealed victory in the final frame.

While the contest went all the way to the scorecards, the result was in no doubt as Nattawut’s skill across all areas of Muay Thai shone through in a unanimous decision victory.

Nattawut will look to showcase even more of his spectacular striking skills on 16 February when he faces the French ace below.

Samy Sana Overwhelms Armen Petrosyan

Samy “AK47” Sana looked good in his ONE Super Series debut, but he looked great when he returned to take on Armen Petrosyan at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS.

From the first minute, the Venum Training Camp representative appeared to be in control, as he countered the Italian’s kicks with hard punches to the jaw that had him wobbled.

From then on Sana walked down his rival, which resulted in a knockdown off a right cross to put a stamp on the opening frame.

The second round was no easier for Petrosyan. He looked like a sitting duck as he had no answer for the Frenchman’s forward pressure and smothering combinations.

Even when Sana slowed down a little in the final stanza, he was still on point with his punches. Even if he did not initiate an exchange, he would make sure he won it and had the last word.

His efforts added up to a comfortable unanimous decision, which set himself up for his battle with Nattawut in Bangkok.

Chamuaktong Fightermuaythai Outfoxes Brown Pinas

Muay Thai is an aggressive sport, but sometimes athletes opt to use their opponents’ aggression against them.

That was perfectly illustrated when Thai ace Chamuaktong Fightermuaythai made his ONE Super Series bow against Dutch striker Brown Pinas at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS in July last year.

Pinas came out looking to land heavy shots early, but Chamuaktong countered brilliantly off the back foot, landing some heavy kicks to the Dutchman’s body in response.

Chamuaktong continued to operate a counter-striking policy until he unleashed a blistering salvo of strikes from the clinch, as a series of elbows and knees immediately turned the momentum of the contest on its head. The Thai star then took over and became the aggressor, forcing Pinas into a defensive stance for the remainder of the contest.

It showed how Chamuaktong was able to make adjustments and go on to win convincingly. His unanimous decision victory gave him the perfect springboard for his ONE Super Series career.

Now the Thai star is set to face British Muay Thai ace Charlie “Boy” Peters in a 67.5kg catch weight contest at ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS.