7 Takeaways From A Historic Fight Card At ONE X
The stars of ONE Championship shined brightly at ONE X as they delivered one of the most epic martial arts events in history.
With five World TItle showdowns, battles between legends, a tournament final, and even a mixed-rules thriller, there was no shortage of memorable moments across 20 fights at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
It wasn’t easy to narrow down our picks, but with the confetti now swept away, we’ve compiled seven big takeaways from the historic 10-year anniversary extravaganza.
#1 The ‘Unstoppable’ Mom Champ
The return of “Unstoppable” Angela Lee was a display of grit, determination, and skill.
Dangerous challenger Stamp Fairtex appeared close to scoring a first-round finish after a brilliant liver shot to the reigning atomweight queen. However, Lee toughed it out and worked back into the match with her elite grappling.
Then in the second round, “Unstoppable” exerted her ground dominance and retained the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title with a spectacular rear-naked choke of the Thai megastar.
Living up to her nickname, the Singaporean-American refused to relent in the face of adversity. She continues to overcome all obstacles at atomweight, and that includes a triumphant return from a two-and-a-half-year absence.
With her latest victory, the United MMA and Evolve MMA star became the first-ever “Mom Champ” in ONE history. It was an important feat, as Lee found renewed purpose after the birth of her daughter, Ava Marie.
The ONE X: Grand Finale main event highlighted what makes the 25-year-old such a special talent and person. Ava Marie is in good hands.
#2 Rodtang, Johnson Bring The Best From Muay Thai, MMA
The special rules super-fight between flyweight royalty was an excellent showcase for both Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.
While Johnson survived the first round under Muay Thai rules, “The Iron Man” awed the crowd with his aggression and power that echoed throughout the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Then in the second frame, the MMA GOAT displayed his unmatched ability to combine every martial arts range, as he ducked a strike from Rodtang, landed a takedown, and smoothly worked his way to secure the winning rear-naked choke.
Even the finish was a perfect representation of both men, with Johnson utilizing flawless technique and Rodtang going out on his shield – never tapping.
Although “Mighty Mouse” got his hand raised, nobody lost this match. The Muay Thai superstar and the MMA legend both demonstrated their world-class skills in a rare challenge against the best the other sport has to offer.
#3 Moraes Continues To Grow Legacy
For years, Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes was one of the most underappreciated stars in MMA, but he’s finally getting the respect he deserves.
In 2021, the Brazilian shocked the world with a first-round knockout of “Mighty Mouse.” That led to another tough ONE Flyweight World Title defense against Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at ONE X.
The Japanese phenom’s five-fight winning streak and dangerous striking made him a fearsome challenger, but the American Top Team star was up to the task, finishing Wakamatsu with a slick guillotine choke for his 10th submission win.
Moraes has cemented his status as the best flyweight in the world, and he’s been able to show everyone his well-rounded arsenal in back-to-back matches. Still in the prime of his career, “Mikinho” is building a lasting legacy that will be remembered forever.
#4 Superbon, Allazov Set Course For Epic Showdown
Two pivotal bouts at ONE X featured the red-hot featherweight kickboxing division and put two men on a collision course for later in 2022.
First, Chingiz “Chinga” Allazov got the crowd on its feet with his thrilling three-round performance against Sitthichai “Killer Kid” Sitsongpeenong in the ONE Featherweight World Grand Prix Championship Final.
The Azerbaijani-Belarusian’s speed and combinations allowed him to capture the tournament’s prestigious silver belt after a pair of impressive finishes in the first two rounds.
Later in the evening, Superbon Singha Mawynn continued one of the all-time great streaks in kickboxing history by shutting down old tormentor Marat Grigorian in a five-round display that left fans speechless.
Both victories were incredible, and it makes the next World Title fight between Superbon and Allazov worth all of the hype that’s to come.
#5 ONE Super Series Bantamweights Dazzle
ONE X: Part II was headlined by two ONE Super Series Bantamweight World Championship matches between legends and superstars of the striking world.
In the co-main event, Hiroki Akimoto continued his rapid ascent by dethroning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion “One-Punch Man” Capitan Petchyindee with a sensational unanimous decision win.
The Japanese phenom’s nonstop pressure and relentless combinations left the powerful Thai without any answers.
Then came Nong-O Gaiyanghadao. The living legend scored another highlight-reel knockout with a blistering uppercut that scorched Brazilian Felipe “Demolition Man” Lobo and kept the Thai icon unbeaten in ONE.
With continuous action across both bouts, these contests showed why ONE’s all-striking league is such a special part of the organization.
#6 Could De Ridder, Galvao Rematch In MMA?
Following the latest defense of his ONE Middleweight World Title, two-division MMA king Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder called out Andre” Deco” Galvao for a submission grappling match. The Brazilian icon answered the call, and they met at ONE X.
Although the bout went to a 12-minute draw, it was all-out action from start to finish.
De Ridder was aggressive early, but Galvao began to take over with mesmerizing transitions. He ultimately ran out of time, while the Dutchman proved his ground skills against one of the greatest grapplers in history.
Afterward, De Ridder suggested a meeting with Galvao under mixed martial arts rules. And while “Deco” stopped short of accepting, he reiterated that he also signed with ONE to compete in the all-encompassing sport.
In any case, the Brazilian is adding a little spice to the middleweight division, while it’s clear “The Dutch Knight” is open to any challenge.
#7 Contenders Make Their World Title Cases
Although ONE X featured a plethora of World Championship clashes, there were also plenty of rising contenders making their own cases to compete for golden belts.
In an early contest, #3-ranked bantamweight Stephen “The Sniper” Loman picked up a huge win for Team Lakay by defeating veteran Shoko Sato. The win bolstered his claim for a World Title shot against newly crowned king John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
Meanwhile, both “Hamzzang” Ham Seo Hee and Tang Kai appear to be next in line within their respective divisions after sparkling performances at ONE X: Part II.
The South Korean bested #2-ranked atomweight contender Denice “Lycan Queen” Zamboanga in their highly anticipated rematch, while Tang finished #1-ranked featherweight “The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong by first-round KO.
These results were the perfect supporting pieces to all the drama in Saturday’s featured fights. Five World Champions got their hand raised at ONE X, and we expect to see these rising athletes challenge for gold at some point in 2022.
