5 Thrilling Knockouts From The Stars Of ONE: BATTLEGROUND
ONE: BATTLEGROUND, which was announced this weekend, looks set to electrify the Singapore Indoor Stadium with a variety of hard-hitting knockout artists.
The mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and kickboxing bouts will feature a bevy of skilled strikers who always hunt for finishes inside the Circle.
To get you hyped for a big night of fights, here are five thrilling knockouts from the stars scheduled to compete on Friday, 30 July.
#1 Sam-A Fends Off World Title Challenge
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao continued his unbeaten streak at strawweight with a dominant display against World Title challenger Josh “Timebomb” Tonna at ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES in October 2020.
The ONE Strawweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion capped off the Muay Thai scrap with a TKO finish after three knockdowns in the second frame.
The first came as the Thai legend countered his rival’s push kick with a crunching straight left hand down the middle. When Tonna regained his feet, Sam-A kept up the pressure with hard right hooks and left high kicks before decking the Aussie with another low kick.
It was all spiraling out of control for “Timebomb,” who tried to keep the marauding World Champion at bay, but he simply couldn’t stem the flow of strikes coming in his direction.
More right hooks and left high kicks came flying toward him, and a final straight left crumpled Tonna to the canvas, earning Sam-A the first successful defense of his ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship.
His next defense will come on 30 July against highly touted Thai star Prajanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym.
#2 Aung La N Sang Carries His Power Up To Light Heavyweight
In a career littered with stunning finishes, Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang‘s knockout of Alexandre “Bebezao” Machado at ONE: QUEST FOR GOLD in February 2018 stands out as one of the best.
The Myanmar hero, who already owned the ONE Middleweight World Title, moved up in weight to challenge for his second strap on the global stage, and he promptly claimed the vacant ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship after just 56 seconds.
Aung La N Sang stalked his Brazilian foe around the Circle as he looked to land his jab and right low kick. Machado began to anticipate those strikes, but that put him right into “The Burmese Python’s” trap.
With “Bebezao” backed up against the Circle Wall, Aung La N Sang showed him the jab. Machado slipped slightly to his left to avoid it, but the Sanford MMA man’s right shin came blistering toward his head.
Although the BJJ stylist managed to get his left arm up and blocked the incoming strike, it could not save him. Aung La N Sang’s power was too much, and Machado hit the canvas, where “The Burmese Python” immediately swarmed him to seal the deal and become a two-weight ONE World Champion.
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#3 Ataides Glides To KO Victory
Leandro “Wolf” Ataides is a dangerous man, with elite-level BJJ skills and a ferocious striking game to go with it.
The hulking Brazilian showcased his stand-up arsenal against Mohamed “Flex” Ali at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION in December 2016 with an incredible flying knee knockout in the second stanza.
With 30 seconds remaining in the round, “Wolf” dialed up the pressure with a spinning backfist that pushed Ali to the fence. With his opponent up against the Circle Wall, Ataides blocked the Egyptian’s exits with his footwork.
Ali had nowhere to go, and Ataides capitalized by diving forward with a right knee that smashed straight into his rival’s jaw and separated him from his senses.
Next, “Wolf” will look to earn a rematch with Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder when he faces Aung La N Sang at ONE: BATTLEGROUND.
#4 Phogat Dominates Torres To Grab Stoppage Win
Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat faced a tough test against Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres at ONE: BIG BANG in December 2020, but she passed it with flying colors.
Phogat’s game plan was a familiar one, but her Filipina rival had no answer and succumbed to a first-round TKO.
The Indian wrestling sensation took Torres down to the mat within the first minute and — despite some good guard retention and defensive work from “The Zamboanginian Fighter” — eventually passed to side control.
From there, “The Indian Tigress” put her foot on the gas to overwhelm her foe. She trapped Torres’ left arm between her legs in a crucifix position that took away the Catalan Fighting System athlete’s ability to defend the barrage of elbows that followed.
Phogat then pummeled away until the referee had seen enough and intervened to stop the contest.
After her first professional defeat in May, the Indian star will look to get back on track against “MMA Sister” Lin Heqin at ONE: BATTLEGROUND.
#5 Chen’s Wild Punches Help Dispatch Motamed
A lot was expected of Ali Motamed after his graduation from ONE Warrior Series, but “The Ghost” Chen Rui put a damper on his opponent’s big-show debut at ONE: BIG BANG II in December.
Although he had to march through some hurtful low kicks, the Chinese heavy hitter continued to press forward and stopped Motamed after less than two minutes of their bantamweight battle.
The Iranian’s hit-and-move tactics worked well initially, but Chen eventually found a home for his looping punches as he pushed his adversary backward.
Flurries of right and left hooks flustered Motamed, and he got clubbed with “The Ghost’s” right arm during an exchange. As the debuting star wobbled and hit the deck, Chen immediately let rip with a finishing salvo of accurate punches that earned him the victory.
Chen’s next assignment will come against another debutant in Team Lakay’s Jeremy Pacatiw.
Read more: Breaking Down The ONE Strawweight Muay Thai Division
