5 Memorable Knockouts From The Stars Competing At ONE: LIGHTS OUT
With a bill stacked full of knockout artists, fans can expect fireworks at ONE: LIGHTS OUT this Friday, 11 March.
Beginning with an exciting lead card and finishing with a pair of World Title fights, these powerful athletes will step into the Circle and look to provide more highlight-reel moments on the global stage.
To get you hyped for fight night, let’s revisit five memorable KOs from the stars who are scheduled for action at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Thanh Le Shocks Martin Nguyen To Claim Gold
Martin Nguyen held the ONE Featherweight World Title for more than three years, but his dominant reign came to a sudden end against rising challenger Thanh Le.
Le stunned “The Situ-Asian” with a devastating flurry of strikes at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX in October 2020, earning a third-round knockout to claim the belt.
The finish seemingly came out of nowhere, as the Vietnamese-American had been on the back foot while absorbing numerous shots from Nguyen. But just as the defending titleholder went to throw a left hook, Le dropped him to one knee with a short counter right hand.
Nguyen fought valiantly to stay in the fight, but he couldn’t halt the Vietnamese-American’s onslaught. The champ twice returned to his feet, but the blows – including a knee and several looping punches – did not let up.
It was simply too much for “The Situ-Asian,” as a final combination of punches stiffened him up and then sent him down for good.
At ONE: LIGHTS OUT, Le will lean on his striking once again to defend his strap against BJJ superstar Garry Tonon.
Adrian Mattheis Debuts With Lightning-Fast KO
When it comes to finishing fights, not many are better than Indonesian firecracker Adrian Mattheis.
The 28-year-old owns the most finishes in the history of ONE Championship’s strawweight mixed martial arts division (8) and is also tied for the most knockouts (4).
That ability has been evident ever since Mattheis debuted in a four-man tournament at ONE: TITLES & TITANS back in 2016. His first-round matchup came against compatriot Rustam Hutajulu – and he made an immediate name for himself on the global stage.
After the opening bell, “Papua Badboy” came forward aggressively and launched a plethora of strikes at his opponent. Hutajulu tried to circle away from danger, but the nonstop barrage of punches kept coming.
It didn’t take long to reach the closing sequence, as Mattheis unleashed more wild strikes that culminated with a clean left hook to the chin. Hutajulu collapsed where he stood, and “Papua Badboy” earned himself a walk-off KO in just 22 seconds of frantic action.
Next, the Indonesian will battle former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex Silva on the main card of ONE: LIGHTS OUT.
John Lineker Flattens Troy Worthen To Lock Up World Title Shot
John Lineker was already the #1-ranked bantamweight MMA contender ahead of his bout with Troy Worthen last April, and he cemented that status with an impressive first-round knockout at “ONE on TNT III.”
The man known as “Hands of Stone” used his punches to great effect, hammering the American wrestler with crushing body shots and then targeting the head when Worthen lowered his hands to defend.
“Pretty Boy” tried to hang tough, but the Brazilian kept the fight standing and responded to every strike with another relentless barrage of blows.
Finally, with just over 30 seconds remaining in the frame, he slipped a jab from Worthen and connected with a massive right cross to the chin. The strike instantly turned off the American’s lights and left no doubt about Lineker’s status in the division.
On Friday, “Hands of Stone” will aim to continue his incredible run when he challenges longtime bantamweight king Bibiano Fernandes for the World Title in a heated grudge match.
Eko Roni Saputra Makes Flyweight History
Eko Roni Saputra is known as a grappling specialist, but he proved that his striking can be dangerous against Chinese opponent Liu Peng Shuai last August.
At ONE: BATTLEGROUND II, the multiple-time Indonesian Wrestling Champion knocked out Liu in just 10 seconds of their flyweight mixed martial arts affair, earning the fastest KO – and fastest finish – in divisional history.
It was actually Liu who began the fight by throwing a variety of punches, but the Indonesian rising star avoided them to stay out of danger. And then suddenly, the action heated up.
First, Saputra connected with a quick combination that forced his foe backward. And as the Chinese athlete tried to come forward with a kick, he met the full force of a concussive overhand right.
The Indonesian’s thunderous strike ended matters immediately, giving him five straight wins and further establishing him as a name to watch in the stacked flyweight division.
Next up, the 30-year-old will look to carry his positive momentum into a clash with Cambodian star Chan Rothana at ONE: LIGHTS OUT.
Martin Nguyen Defends Belt With Incredible Flying Knee
Martin Nguyen will be on the comeback trail at ONE: LIGHTS OUT, but his reign as featherweight kingpin included some truly spectacular moments.
Perhaps the greatest highlight came against in April 2019, as “The Situ-Asian” retained his belt with one of the most jaw-dropping knockouts in ONE Championship history.
At ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, Nguyen methodically broke down the Mongolian veteran throughout the first round, landing a variety of strikes while avoiding the former World Champion’s power.
The Vietnamese-Australian continued to excel in the second, keeping the challenger at bay with effective punches and thudding leg kicks. Ultimately, those damaging kicks caused Jadambaa to hobble backward – and the defending champ saw a golden opportunity.
With the Mongolian’s guard down, “The Situ-Asian” propelled himself into the air and connected with a remarkable flying knee, which dropped Jadambaa to the canvas and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Nguyen is certainly capable of delivering fireworks, and he’ll try to recapture his top form – while protecting his #3 featherweight ranking – against Ukrainian phenom Kirill Gorobets at ONE: LIGHTS OUT.
