ONE Championship's Most Spectacular Knockout Of 2018

ONE Championship’s mixed martial artists do not like to waste any time in the cage.

They had 64 percent finishing rate in 2018, which made for some stern competition for the Knockout Of The Year accolade.

Though it was difficult for the voting panel to whittle the nominees down and select the cream of the crop, the final five ended up standing out above the rest.

Here are the best KO finishes from The Home Of Martial Arts in the past 12 months.

WINNER: Aung La N Sang VS Ken Hasegawa

“The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang’s unforgettable fifth-round finish of Ken Hasegawa had to top the list for several reasons.

This was the final round of a thrilling ONE Middleweight World Title encounter, so the stakes could not have been higher. Both warriors were exhausted, but Aung La N Sang still had the strength to unleash this clinical, yet devastating blow.

Also, when “The Burmese Python” duked it out in the Bout of the Year and captured this finish in Yangon, Myanmar, there was no celebration like it anywhere else in the martial arts world.

In the final round of the clash at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR, both men wore the scars of battle and their fatigue was evident, but with his fans behind him, it was the hometown favorite that found the energy to keep pushing forward.

Aung La N Sang lunged in with punches and knees, but a solid one-two landed to set up the beginning of the end. The hard right rocked Hasegawa, and the Japanese athlete stumbled away after a short uppercut in the clinch.

“The Burmese Python’s” senses tingled as he knew this was his opportunity to seal the deal. He stepped in with a left hand that stunned the challenger, who then walked straight onto the ensuing uppercut which sent him face-first to the canvas.

There was nothing the brave warrior could do to return this time – it was a stunning, immediate conclusion to an epic encounter.

Runner-Up: Phoe Thaw VS Sor Sey

Yangon Lethwei stylist Phoe “Bushido” Thaw took on Cambodian Kun Khmer veteran Sor Sey in a featherweight encounter at ONE: QUEST FOR GOLD in February, and extended his undefeated record to 6-0 with a sensational finish in front of his countrymen.

Thaw had already utilized his extra range to good effect, and was beginning to assert more dominance over Sey as they engaged. However, Sey stood his ground and threw hard low kicks at every opportunity.

When “Bushido” opted to go toe-to-toe with his rival, the Cambodian simply waved him on, asking for more. Phoe Thaw obliged and set up a finish unlike any other.

Sey swung a one-two, but the 34-year-old saw it coming. He worked inside the right hand with a well-timed jab that made Sey backpedal to the cage. Racing behind it, he stepped through with a massive right push kick that landed on the jaw and sent the Cambodian Top Team man to the canvas.

The crowd erupted, and a Myanmar star went supernova.

Runner-up: Edward Kelly VS Meas Meul

You will not find a more clinical knockout than Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly’s finish over Meas Meul at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES.

Cambodia’s Meul popped out an inside low kick, while Kelly simply gauged the distance by probing and feinting with his lead hand. When the time was right to strike, it took just one combination to end the bout with a dramatic knockout.

Meul threw an inside low kick again to test the distance, but Kelly anticipated it and returned fire with a thudding right hand. That led Meul on to the incoming left hook, which was a precursor to the ripping right head kick.

Meul’s attempts to duck out of the way only forced him on to the strike, and Kelly’s knee and shin connected clean to the jaw, felling him immediately.

With his first combination of the contest, Kelly registered a huge 21-second win that was the featherweight division’s fastest knockout at the time.

Runner-Up: Jeremy Miado VS Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke

Against a decorated Muay Thai world champion like Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, few believed Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado would leave Bangkok’s Impact Arena with a KO victory.

However, it was clear from the opening bell that at least one person believed in his ability to win at ONE: IRON WILL, and that was “The Jaguar” himself.

The Filipino boxer swung hard hooks at the former ONE Strawweight World Champion in reply to hard body kicks, and began having success with his uppercut-hook combination.

Dejdamrong did not seem to fear Miado’s power and stepped in with an overhand right, but he did not account for the four-punch combination that would fire right back in his direction, and he left himself unprotected.

Miado’s final right hand hit the mark when the Thai left his chin high in the air. “Kru Rong” quickly fell flat on his back as the referee dived in to stop the contest.

Runner-Up: Jomary Torres VS April Osenio

In the early running of the bout between Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres and April Osenio at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES, it was the Catalan Fighting Systems athlete that forced things to the ground.

Team Lakay’s Osenio quickly looked for a guillotine choke, but then gave it up to look for an armbar on the unbeaten rising star. Despite her small frame, Torres summoned up her strength to lift her way out of the potential submission hold.

The Team Lakay representative’s unwillingness to let go of her attack was her undoing. “The Zamboanginian Fighter” hoisted her in the air and slammed her back down to the canvas.

Osenio was dazed, and Torres sealed the deal with hammerfists to score the second-fastest in her division’s history.