5 Incredible Takeaways From ONE 168: Denver

ONE Championship returned to Colorado with nine martial arts contests at ONE 168: Denver, and they each rattled the roof of Ball Arena on Friday, September 6.

The opening bout set the tone for the night, and the ferocity continued until a stunning display of technical mastery closed the show in the main event. ONE 168 exemplified the unique mix of martial arts that ONE has become known for.

After spectators around the world picked their jaws off the floor and their heartbeats returned to a normal rhythm, we were left with these five remarkable takeaways.

Superlek Is No Doubt The Pound-For-Pound Striking King

The world can now stop debating over who the pound-for-pound best striker on the planet is, because Superlek Kiatmoo9 sits atop that mountain alone.

The flyweight kickboxing king became a two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion in this past weekend’s main event after moving up one division and venturing into Muay Thai to take Jonathan Haggerty‘s ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title in just 49 seconds.

In only one year’s time, Superlek has proven to be peerless. He defeated Rodtang Jitmuangnon in an instant Muay Thai classic, brutalized Takeru Segawa to defend his flyweight kickboxing crown, shutdown Kongthoranee Sor Sommai, and just finished Haggerty in Denver.

The Thai superstar’s current 11-match unbeaten streak is unrivaled and reminds fans around the world why Superlek remains king.

Legends Make Grand Exit On Global Stage

Athletes rarely get to dictate the way their careers end. As Father Time creeps up, the urge to hang on to the way things used to be motivates their deepest desire for one more run.

But, at ONE 168, two martial arts legends got to finish their careers how they wanted.

Considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, newly retired — and now former — ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson said goodbye and became the first inductee into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame. With nothing more to prove in the sport, he is leaving behind an enduring legacy.

Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison went out on his shield against Seksan Or Kwanmuang. While that may sound like a harsh way to exit, Harrison wanted it no other way. This was the retirement match he waited to have.

While time may be a thief, these two legends have left fans with memories that will last a lifetime. Their journeys may have ended, but their influence will continue with the next generation.

Erdogan Inches Closer To Old Foe Malykhin

Shamil Erdogan made it look easy against former two-division ONE MMA World Champion Aung La N Sang in their 213.75-pound catchweight contest. He out-muscled and pummeled the Myanmar icon for a second-round TKO win.

After the victory, Erdogan put three-division MMA kingpin Anatoly Malykhin on notice and teased moving up in weight to challenge “Sladkiy” for the ONE Light Heavyweight or Heavyweight MMA World Title.

The call out did not come from a place of unfamiliarity. In fact, Erdogan defeated Malykhin years ago at the Yarygin Cup Rybinsk wrestling tournament.

While Malykhin would love a shot at redemption under a new rule set, Erdogan’s masterclass against Aung La N Sang served as a warning that perhaps Superman’s kryptonite has landed.

Fresh Faces Emerge As World Title Hopefuls

ONE 168 was a night for athletes on the brink of a breakthrough to rise into the World Title picture in their respective divisions.

Flyweight Muay Thai standout Johan Estupinan continued his winning ways in an absolute thriller against Sean Climaco. After a wild first round, the Colombian came back strong with three knockdowns for a TKO win in the second. It staked his claim as a possible threat to the division’s elite.

Elsewhere, Hiroyuki Tetsuka was riding a six-bout winning streak with just as many finishes, but Isi Fitikefu decided to steal his thunder inside Ball Arena. After a strong performance, Fitikefu usurped Tetsuka’s position in the welterweight division and may have come out as Christian Lee‘s top challenger.

Finally, Victoria Souza proved that her recent run toward atomweight contendership was no fluke with a 15-minute showcase against Alyse Anderson. “Vick’s” unorthodox striking landed, and her ground game delivered. With it, she stated her case to be included in the division’s top five of the official ONE Athlete Rankings.

Teen Stars Forecast Future Of Martial Arts

Adrian Lee and Johan Ghazali have been the talk of the town since they arrived in ONE. At ONE 168, both used the global platform to deliver resounding performances to show that the future of martial arts is in good hands.

“Jojo” steadily marched forward like a stalking jungle cat against Josue Cruz in their flyweight Muay Thai matchup. Although the 17-year-old had to eat some shots from the Mexican striker, he finished him at the buzzer with a crisp left hook. It was the perfect rebound after a grueling learning experience against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat back at ONE 167.

The youngest Lee sibling made quick work of Nico Cornejo by employing his dominant ground game early and often in their lightweight MMA bout. In fact, Cornejo didn’t even touch the 18-year-old as the latter continued to mature as a professional athlete.

There is no rush for these two young guns to ascend to the upper echelon of their divisions. But it could happen a lot sooner than later as the future creeps closer to becoming the present.