5 Stunning Knockouts From The Stars Competing At ONE: NEXTGEN II
On Friday, 12 November, a dozen martial artists will step into the Circle at ONE: NEXTGEN II with their own goals in mind.
Some will be looking to hold down their spot in the official rankings, while others will be aiming to crack the top five. But no matter their place in the hierarchy, many of these athletes have the ability to end any match with one punch.
To get you hyped for fight night, here are five of the best bout-ending displays from the stars competing in ONE Championship’s second installment of the “NEXTGEN” event series.
#1 Saemapetch Stops ‘Left Meteorite’
Saemapetch Fairtex once again proved why he’s the #1-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender when he finished highly touted knockout artist Kulabdam “Left Meteorite” Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai this past May.
The Fairtex ambassador scored an emphatic first-round KO against the #3-ranked contender at ONE: FULL BLAST, sending a clear message that he wanted another crack at his old foe and reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
It took a little under two minutes for Saemapetch to earn the finish, which came in the form of a straight left to the body. The punch, which sneakily followed a right hook, folded Kulabdam in an instant and elevated Saemapetch’s already rising stock.
Next, the Thai will attempt to keep his winning streak alive when he faces ONE Super Series newcomer Rittewada Petchyindee Academy in the main event of ONE: NEXTGEN II.
#2 Tang Kai Finishes A Finisher
Tang Kai took his knockout record into double digits this past May by stopping a fellow KO king with 10 finishes to his own name.
The Chinese athlete dispatched Ryogo “Kaitai” Takahashi in the first round at ONE: FISTS OF FURY II – and the outcome left everyone’s jaws on the floor.
In the opening minutes of their mixed martial arts matchup, Tang tagged Takahashi with a right hand-left hook combo that sent the Japanese man onto his backside.
Takahashi used his hands to push himself back up, but that left his face open, and Tang connected with three more punches that forced the referee to intervene and call off the fight.
On 12 November, Tang will look to bump up his KO record once again when he takes on Yoong Chang Min, a dangerous South Korean who holds a 100 percent finishing rate.
#3 Jo Nattawut Smokes Moisa
Smokin’ Jo Nattawut had the prestigious silver belt on his mind when he met a WMC Muay Thai World Champion in the quarterfinals of the 2019 ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix.
The Bangkok Boxing representative then finished Sasha Moisa by TKO in the third round of their banger at ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON.
The final moments of the fight came after the Thai athlete scored an eight-count on his foe just 30 seconds into the last stanza. Moisa returned to his feet – but he wouldn’t be there for long.
Nattawut sensed that the end was near and stormed his opponent with more than a dozen unanswered punches. That flurry of blows ultimately finished the fight and catapulted him into the Grand Prix semifinals.
At ONE: NEXTGEN II, the exciting striker will step inside the Circle and battle someone who’s relatively new to ONE Championship but is revered for their knockout power – Yurik “Mee Khao Jomhot” Davtyan.
#4 Davtyan Rattles Bangpleenoi
Davtyan wasn’t well-known when he stepped onto the global stage of martial arts in September 2020, but by the time his debut fight was over, ONE Super Series fans certainly knew his name.
The Russian power puncher scored a second-round KO of Bangpleenoi Petchyindee Academy at ONE: A NEW BREED III, marking his arrival in the featherweight Muay Thai division.
At the end of the first round, “Mee Khao Jomhot” pawed Bangpleenoi with a right hook that sent him to a knee. Then in the second round, Davtyan sent two penetrating left hooks at his opponent – one to the rib cage and one to the head – which flattened the Thai where he stood.
On 12 November, Davtyan will face Nattawut in a ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix alternate bout that should produce fireworks.
#5 Han Zi Hao Tames ‘Maddog’
When Han Zi Hao stepped into Baoshan Arena in China two years ago, he wanted to make up for his previous loss to Nong-O – and that he did.
The Chinese athlete was facing Andrew “Maddog Fairtex” Miller at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST in a ONE Super Series bantamweight Muay Thai bout, which he ended via TKO in the second round.
Han dominated his opponent in that second frame and then dropped him with a stiff jab to set up the finish. The Scot got back to his feet, but Han rushed forward with a punching combination that backed Miller into the corner of the ring, where he finally succumbed to a powerful right hand-left hook combo.
Next, Han will square off with fellow bantamweight striker Victor “Leo” Pinto in the curtain-raiser of ONE: NEXTGEN II.
Read more: Full Card Revealed For ONE: NEXTGEN II On 12 November
