5 Wild Performances From ONE: FULL BLAST’s Superstars
As the name suggests, ONE: FULL BLAST is packed with high-octane battles from start to finish, with five exciting matchups confirmed for the bill.
The main event features two of the bantamweight Muay Thai division’s top-ranked contenders, while the supporting card has elite kickboxers and mixed martial artists who ready to bring the heat inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
To get a taste of what to expect, here are five of the greatest performances from the martial arts superstars who will appear on the show this Friday, 28 May.
#1 Saemapetch Shows Class To Outgun Rodlek
Saemapetch Fairtex was down 2-1 to Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in their series when the pair met in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament semifinals at ONE: NO SURRENDER II in August 2020.
However, the Pattaya resident delivered an astounding performance to derail “The Steel Locomotive” and even the score.
Saemapetch employed an effective counter-striking strategy to combat his countryman’s notoriously aggressive style and punished the PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym athlete with hard left punches, elbows, and kicks.
Of course, that didn’t stop Rodlek from piling on the pressure, but the Fairtex product absorbed it all and meted out his own punishment after remaining calm in the face of his foe’s power.
When Rodlek upped the ante in the final round in search of a finish, many would have wilted, but Saemapetch skillfully glided out of the way of his rival’s punches and fired back with short elbows that impressed the judges.
After an epic battle, the #1-ranked bantamweight contender got the win by majority decision and, although he was forced to withdraw from his spot in the final, he knows a victory over the man below could earn him a rematch with the reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
#2 Kulabdam Defeats Sangmanee With Shocking KO
In the other tournament semifinal at ONE: NO SURRENDER III, “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai also impressed with a stunning win over “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort.
Sangmanee was the favorite in the strong field, but Kulabdam was every bit his equal when it came to the crunch.
After some early range-finders, “Left Meteorite” started to push forward with his boxing combinations and landed a strong straight left, which was a sign of things to come.
“The Million Dollar Baby” moved and blocked a lot of the shots that were fired in his direction, but Kulabdam only needed one to pick up a historic victory.
Sangmanee landed a hard low kick on his Thai compatriot, only for “Left Meteorite” to retaliate with a four-punch combination. The third in the sequence — a right uppercut — forced Sangmanee to pull back, but then Kulabdam capitalized with his thunderous straight left that separated his rival from his senses.
That booked the #3-ranked bantamweight contender a spot in the final, where he lost to the replacement, Rodlek. Now, Kulabdam and Saemapetch finally get their chance to square off, with a potential World Title clash in the winner’s near future.
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- Bhullar Reflects On ‘Life-Changing’ World Title Win Over Vera
#3 Xie Steamrolls Rothana With Third-Round Finish
“The Hunter” Xie Wei looked incredible as he smashed his way through the opposition in ONE Hero Series and ONE Warrior Series, and he even looked impressive in a close-run defeat to Danny “The King” Kingad, but his real coming-out party was at ONE: COLLISION COURSE in December 2020.
The Chinese athlete went to war with Chan Rothana in a flyweight tussle that ended with Xie’s sixth knockout win under the ONE umbrella and its developmental leagues.
One of the most impressive elements was “The Hunter’s” ability to mix up his attacks from striking to wrestling, but ultimately, it was the Sunkin International Fight Club athlete’s hands that earned him the win.
Rothana tried to stay with his foe all the way, but by the third round, Xie’s heavy punching and low kicks had worn him down. The Cambodian tried chopping at his foe’s thighs, but “The Hunter” ate the shots in order to counter.
When Rothana stepped in with another thudding low kick, Xie narrowly missed with the counter right, but then he dropped his man with a crunching left hook and sealed the deal with ground strikes.
Next up, “The Hunter” takes on Indian newcomer Kantharaj Agasa “Kannadiga” in a stand-up versus wrestling stylistic encounter.
#4 Verbeek Shows Guts And Skill To Defeat Cervantes
In a bout that had it all, Santino Verbeek earned his first ONE Super Series victory over Juan Cervantes at ONE: IMMORTAL TRIUMPH in September 2019.
The Dutchman came out of the blocks firing and hurt his rival from the UK with a series of thudding punches. An overhand right sent Cervantes down in round one, and Verbeek did his best to keep up the pressure.
However, Cervantes was not about to go quietly into the night, and he set about his foe with a variety of heavy shots. A jumping knee in the second round looked capable of felling an elephant, but Verbeek took it and somehow stayed on his feet.
The most impressive thing about the Sokudo Gym athlete’s performance was his ability to maintain his early lead, even in the face of growing pressure. He threw heavy leather at the Northern Kings star and saw out all three rounds to earn the majority decision win.
In a long-awaited return, the 26-year-old will meet his fellow Dutchman Miles “The Punisher” Simson in a welterweight kickboxing clash.
#5 Kelly Keeps His Cool To Finish Sung
Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly has had a long and exciting career in ONE Championship, and his bout against Sung Jong Lee at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR in April 2019 showed just what he is capable of.
The Team Lakay veteran was under pressure from the South Korean grappler right away and had to spend large portions of the opening frame defending various attacks on the ground.
His tactic was to simply bludgeon Sung until he could free himself, but the 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Korea representative stayed on the hunt for the submission.
That was his undoing in round two, however, as “The Ferocious” bravely gritted his teeth through several heel hook and toe hold attempts, before smashing away with ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in to stop the contest.
It looked precarious at times for Kelly, but he showed he can battle through adversity and win — a trait he may need against his upcoming Egyptian opponent, Ahmed ”The Prince” Faress.
Read more: ONE: EMPOWER Postponed; ONE: FULL BLAST To Air On 28 May
