5 Lessons The World Learned From ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES

ONE Championship delivered an extraordinary night of action this past Saturday, 6 October.

The promotion held its biggest martial arts spectacle yet, ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES, at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, and it did not disappoint.

With 28 of the world’s finest martial artists on the same card, the fans in attendance and the millions watching around the world were treated to a truly fascinating event.

The WBC Super Flyweight World Title and ONE Kickboxing Atomweight World Title were on the line, and there were hungry contenders looking to separate themselves from the chasing pack on the supporting undercard.

With so much action, there is always going to be some new lessons to be learned. Here are five things we learned from a thrilling night in Bangkok.

#1 Martial Arts Is Universal

ONE Championship hosted a boxing match for the first time, with an illustrious belt on the line in the night’s main event. The Thai martial arts fans were thrilled with the action at the top of the bill, but they were also behind the athletes in the kickboxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts contests.

ONE is The Home Of Martial Arts, and this event solidified that status. Every form of combat can come together under one roof as the values are universal, and the fans appreciate the strength, the skills, and the hearts of the warriors regardless of the martial arts discipline.

ONE Super Series has been a huge hit. The striking-only contests were only added earlier this year, but now they have become an integral part of the organization. That success has paved the way for the pugilists.

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1) defeated Iran Diaz (14-3-3) via unanimous decision after 12 exciting rounds. Although it was the first time a boxing match was contested in ONE, it may not be the last after this huge crossover spectacle.

#2 A ONE Warrior Series Prospect Strikes Gold

Rich Franklin has been working hard to find the finest rising talent from around Asia in his ONE Warrior Series (OWS) documentary show, and in Bangkok, a homegrown hero validated his mission.

Stamp Fairtex (61-15-5) challenged “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang (17-6) for the ONE Kickboxing Atomweight World Title, and she left the ring as the division’s new queen.

Her first OWS outing saw her knock out Rashi Shinde in just 19 seconds and, although she could not finish the defending champion in the Impact Arena, she put on a great performance to get the nod and the coveted belt.

The Thai’s reach and power were what separated her from “Killer Bee,” and she was crowned World Champion for the first time in her career, much to the delight of the local crowd.

#3 Shinya Aoki Is At The Top Of His Game

Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki (42-8, 1 NC) might be over 50 bouts and 15 years into his professional mixed martial arts career, but he is showing no signs of slowing down.

After suffering back-to-back title defeats, the Japanese legend is more motivated than ever before. It took him less than a minute to submit an extremely durable opponent in Ev Ting (16-5), and the dominant manner in which it occurred showed that Aoki is truly at the top of his game.

The icon now has three first-round finishes in 2018, and he just punched his ticket to a ONE Lightweight World Title bout in his native Tokyo, Japan in March 2019.

He awaits the winner of the upcoming title bout between Eduard Folayang and Amir Khan at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS in Manila, Philippines, which is scheduled for Friday, 23 November.

#4 Nong-O Is A Serious ONE World Title Contender

Muay Thai legend Nong-O Gaiyanghadao (257-54-1) is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of his sport. He almost left his competition days behind to focus on coaching at Evolve in Singapore, but ever since resuming his career in April 2018, he has picked up two huge wins in ONE Super Series.

The Thai’s performance against Mehdi Zatout (75-39-1) proved he is still one of the greatest practitioners on the planet, as he continually pressured his foe with punishing strikes and utilized every aspect of ‘the art of eight limbs.’

Taking a back seat to coach has not been to his detriment. In fact, Nong-O has returned stronger than ever, and he could find himself challenging for the inaugural ONE Muay Thai Bantamweight World Title very soon.

#5 Petchdam’s Left Kick May Be The World’s Best

It was already evident Petchdam Kaiyanghadao (92-13-7) had a left kick in his arsenal that was a threat to any opponent in the ONE Super Series flyweight division. But with his win over Kenny “The Pitbull” Tse (39-6), it could be claimed that there are none better.

The way he dispatched Josh Tonna with a solid kick to the body was dramatic, but his pinpoint high kick of Tse was a thing of beauty. Not only is it powerful, but it is fast and accurate, even when an adversary has prepared for it.

Petchdam is aiming for the top, and he is hoping to use his left leg to take out every foe who stands in his way.