ONE Championship's Biggest Surprise Of The Year 2018

With so many ways to win and lose a bout in martial arts, unexpected results are commonplace.

In ONE Championship and ONE Super Series, where athletes step out under the lights with legitimate world-class skill sets – and many with world championships to their name – the term “surprise” is often inaccurate.

Nonetheless, there has been a plethora of bouts during ONE’s 2018 calendar that have turned up shocking outcomes. Sometimes even the winners label their triumphs an upset.

Newcomers have upset established stars, world-class strikers have fallen prey to knockout blows, and elite grapplers have seen their most dangerous weapons nullified by the well-rounded abilities of ever-evolving opponents.

It has been quite a year for results like these and, to celebrate that fact, here are five thrilling bouts that had the ONE commentary team – and the fans – open-mouthed in amazement.

WINNER: Jeremy Miado KOs Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke

When the Philippines’ Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado was matched with multi-time Muay Thai world champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke at ONE: IRON WILL, many believed the Thai striker would hold the advantage on the feet.

Miado had other ideas. He used his superior height and reach to establish his own slick striking game. He found a home for his straight punches as the former ONE Strawweight World Champion struggled to close the distance and connect with his own power strikes.

Miado looked remarkably comfortable in the pocket as he stood, traded, and won the striking exchanges with the former two-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion on his home turf of Bangkok.

After cracking the Thai legend’s chin with a crisp left-right combination, Miado connected with a blurring three-punch salvo, finishing with a picture-perfect right hook that sent Dejdamrong falling to the canvas.

It was a spectacular finish and the biggest win of Miado’s mixed martial arts career, and he got it all done and dusted in just 89 seconds.

Runner-Up: Koyomi Matsushima Surprises Marat Gafurov

When Marat “Cobra” Gafurov lost his ONE Featherweight World Title to Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen in 2017, a huge right hand spelled the end of his dominant reign.

Few could have predicted ONE debutant Koyomi “Moushigo” Matsushima would fell the Russian with the same method at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES.

Gafurov found Matsushima an elusive target early in the opening frame and looked to push the pace in the second half of the round. He connected with a leg kick, then moved in, looking to close the distance and establish the clinch.

But Matsushima had the Dagestani star well scouted, and connected with a perfectly-timed short check hook that dropped the former World Champion to one knee. Spotting his opportunity, the Japanese star swarmed on Gafurov, landing heavy punches to the dazed Dagestani to force a stoppage that was as abrupt as it was shocking.

It gave Matsushima a dream win on his debut and announced the Japanese star as a legitimate threat to the ONE Featherweight World Title.

Runner-Up: Alaverdi Ramazanov Outfoxes Petchmorrakot

Fists and feet flew in abundance when Russia’s Alaverdi Ramazanov took on Muay Thai ace Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai match at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES.

Bangkok’s own Petchmorrakot was the big crowd favorite heading into the contest – his Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Championships and wins against some of the best pound-for-pound athletes in the world make him one of the hottest properties in his homeland.

However, the Russian traded toe-to-toe with the Thai star, using a blend of high-energy Muay Thai to pose a constant threat throughout the three-round contest.

That perpetual motion and unorthodox approach from the 23-year-old proved effective, as Ramazanov edged the lion’s share of the striking exchanges against the 24-year-old to earn the nod from all three of the judges at ringside.

That win marked out Ramazanov as an exciting addition to ONE Super Series and proved that the very best European strikers could hang with the leading Thai practitioners.

Runner-Up: Tiffany Teo Digs Deep Against Michelle Nicolini

Experts discussing Tiffany “No Chill” Teo’s bout against eight-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Michelle Nicolini were all in agreement about Teo’s best route to victory – avoid the ground at all costs.

But despite finding herself in dangerous positions on the mat against the BJJ legend, Teo showed grit and determination in abundance as she survived Nicolini’s submission attempts. Some seemed to be just seconds away from finishing the bout.

Despite enduring some tricky moments on the ground in a grueling encounter that went all the way to the scorecards, it was Teo whose all-round mixed martial arts game, superior cardio, and an unquenchable will to win shone through. She finished the bout the stronger of the pair to secure a hard-earned victory in the eyes of all three cageside judges at ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

It gave Teo a moment to remember in front of her home fans at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as she re-established her credentials as a leading contender for the ONE Women’s Strawweight Championship.

Runner-Up: Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev Stuns Timofey Nastyukhin

Turkish mixed martial arts hero Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev earned his shot at a top contender after stopping four of his five victims inside a round. There was no doubt he has a propensity to finish contests in double-quick time.

The 23-year-old contender got the chance to announce himself as a serious threat to the lightweight division’s elite against the heavy-handed Timofey Nastyukhin at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES, but ending his night should have been a much tougher proposition.

The Russian is renowned for his iron chin, and once continuing to compete with a broken shin.

The contest was a knock-down, drag-out affair, with both men enjoying their successes in a bout packed with wild striking exchanges. Nastyukhin dropped Arslanaliev with a pair of powerful right hands, but the Turkish athlete rallied gamely and soon turned the tables on his more experienced opponent.

Under more fire later in the opening round, “Dagi” shot in for a takedown and forced Nastyukhin back against the fence. The Turk was unable to get the Russian to the mat, but he was able to create space to strike, and he took full advantage by unloading a barrage of left and right hooks as he dropped.

Arslanaliev then finished Nastyukhin with a powerful volley of punches to seal a stunning first-round finish.