5 Takeaways From ONE On Prime Video 3: Lineker Vs. Andrade
ONE Championship hit the road last week and returned to the Axiata Arena in Malaysia for ONE on Prime Video 3: Lineker vs. Andrade on October 21. The result was an evening filled with compelling and dramatic martial arts bouts.
The event featured three World Championship fight across three different sports – although only two belts were handed out. Meanwhile, fans witnessed legends, rising stars, and heated rivalries take center stage throughout the proceedings.
With the dust now settled, let’s highlight five takeaways from a sensational combat sports showcase in Kuala Lumpur.
Lineker & Andrade Have Unfinished Business
Brazilian stars John “Hands of Stone” Lineker and Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade entered the Circle with everything to prove after months of chatter. For more than two rounds, they backed up their talk with an outstanding battle under the bright lights.
Ultimately, a knee below Lineker’s belt resulted in a no contest and left the ONE Bantamweight World Title vacant for the time being. But while the ending was unfortunate, this rivalry is far from over – and a rematch would be highly anticipated.
Andrade’s start was impeccable, although Lineker appeared to be finding more success. Even then, “Wonder Boy” seemed to be on the cusp of claiming the belt with a massive knee to the midsection. But due to the unintentional strike that followed, we will never know.
We do know that this score is unsettled, and the vacant bantamweight strap is in need of someone to wear it. This was only the first chapter in a story that has much more to tell.
Eersel Strengthens Pound-For-Pound Case With Second Belt
Regian “The Immortal” Eersel faced a tough test in surging knockout artist Sinsamut Klinmee, but he showcased his mettle and overcame the Thai via split decision to become a two-sport ONE World Champion.
Already the lightweight kickboxing king, Eersel began this inaugural ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Title contest strongly with an exceptional first two rounds, although Sinsamut rebounded and worked his way back into the match.
It all came down to a tense final frame, and that’s where the Dutch-Surinamese superstar’s years of title bout experience came into play. With a high offensive pace, Eersel did not give Sinsamut room to breathe in the deciding three minutes. It was the determining factor in allowing him to become a double-champ.
Already seen as one of best striking technicians on the planet, Eersel bolstered his claim to be considered the world’s top pound-for-pound striker by capturing Muay Thai gold after four years away from the sport.
He’s now won 20 straight fights overall, and his resume is becoming legendary as he continues to etch out his spot among the icons of the stand-up arts.
Ruotolo Caps Historic 2022 With ONE World Title
What do you do after becoming the youngest ADCC World Champion ever? If you are Kade Ruotolo, you continue the historic run and become the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion.
On Friday, the 19-year-old BJJ sensation only needed a little over four minutes to find his heel hook and force a tap from sambo stylist Uali Kurzhev.
The Atos representative continues to change the game. Along with his twin brother, Tye, Kade has added more electricity and fire to the grappling arts. Constant aggression and search for submissions are what the sport is all about, and the Ruotolo brothers exemplify that mindset to the highest degree.
Although he is just a teenager, Kade competes at a level far beyond his years. He was built for this moment and will be part of the new generation of grappling stars who elevate the sport on the global stage.
Gasanov Jumps Into Featherweight MMA Logjam
ONE’s featherweight mixed martial arts division is loaded with talent.
Following Tang Kai‘s recent ONE Featherweight World Title victory over Thanh Le, the entire field has been shaken up. And on Friday, undefeated debutant Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov threw his name into the mix with a first-round submission victory over “The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong.
The Russian stepped into the Circle for the first time and made quick work of #2-ranked Kim. It was so impressive that Gasanov earned an additional US$50,000 performance bonus.
His immediate impact not only adds another exciting name to the division – it also puts Gasanov near the top of the list. After scaling the featherweight mountain, Tang will see a new dangerous face climbing toward the summit.
“The Cobra” now owns a sparkling 13-0 MMA record, and after his dominant first appearance, he’ll be looking to strike in another high-profile matchup.
Miado Proves He Belongs Among Strawweight Elite
Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado put together one of the year’s most impressive performances with a third-round TKO victory over #5-ranked strawweight MMA contender “Mini T” Danial Williams. From the opening bell, Miado asserted himself as the better man with a dynamic offensive arsenal.
It was a complete showing for Miado and paid off the hard work he’s put in at Marrok Force. He was already a rising star in the Philippines, but after Friday’s performance, the combat sports world will begin to take notice.
This victory was especially impressive because “The Jaguar” dominated a former Muay Thai World Champion who had also looked unstoppable in recent MMA contests.
It sent a statement to the upper echelon and put ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio and #1-ranked contender Jarred Brooks on notice ahead of their December 3 World Title tilt.
This was Miado’s coming-out party as a major player in the strawweight division.
