Top 5 KOs From The Stars Of ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE
The ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE bout card is bursting at the seams with knockout artists from mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and Muay Thai.
Whether it is in the two World Championship contests at the top of the bill, or the first bouts on the lead card, fans can look forward to high chance of a striking stoppage in many of the match-ups based on these athletes’ previous form in the Circle.
Ahead of the event on Friday, 28 February, take a look at some of the greatest hits from martial arts heroes set to compete at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
#1 Todd’s Thunderous Head Kick
Janet “JT” Todd laid claim to being the top contender for the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship with a marvelous head kick knockout against Ekaterina “Barbie” Vandaryeva.
By the second round at ONE: CENTURY PART I, “JT” had found her range and timing to pile up clean connections that wore her opponent down, and when Vandaryeva threw a right low kick to try and relieve some of the pressure, she left herself wide open.
The Belarusian’s hands were down, and Todd’s right high kick landed square on her jaw. The sound of the impact echoed around the arena, and after she staggered momentarily, “Barbie” hit the canvas, where she was unable to meet the referee’s count.
Todd will attempt to showcase the same finishing prowess against Stamp Fairtex when she challenges for the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title on 28 February.
#2 Sam-A’s Precision Counter
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao made an explosive entry into the ONE Super Series strawweight division when he stopped Daren Rolland with a classy counter strike ONE: CENTURY PART I.
The Evolve star punished Rolland with left kicks throughout the second round, and when one particular strike landed with force on his thigh, the Frenchman tried to respond with a left hook-straight right combo.
However, the Muay Thai legend read it beautifully, slipped the strikes like he was in The Matrix, and responded with a perfectly-timed counter to end the contest. A short left hook sliced through Rolland’s guard and put him face-first onto the mat.
Sam-A will return to challenge for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship against Rocky Ogden in the co-main event on 28 February.
#3 Amir Khan Displays His Power
Amir Khan was riding a four-bout win streak into ONE: SHANGHAI in September 2017 and his confidence was clear when he scored his fifth straight finish with a stunning first-round knockout of Jaroslav Jartim.
With little more than a minute to go in the first round, the Singaporean threw a left high kick that caught Jartim clean on the jaw and knocked him off-balance. As the Czech attempted to recover and respond with a wild right hook, Khan threw a blistering right hand that folded his foe instantaneously.
Khan quickly followed-up with ground and pound, but he only had time to deliver a couple more strikes before the referee dove in to save Jartim.
The 25-year-old knockout artist will attempt to show off his power and continue to climb the lightweight ranks when he returns on home turf to face Kimihiro Eto.
#4 Wiratchai’s One-Shot Masterpiece
Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai authored one of the best one-shot knockouts in ONE history in front of his home fans when he dispatched Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju at ONE: IRON WILL.
Raju set out to immediately pressure the Thai athlete, and Wiratchai gave the first glimpse of his counter-striking skills by landing a sharp right hook. Undeterred, Raju continued forward, but it proved to be a costly mistake.
The next check right hook to land cleanly from the Bangkok Fight Lab and Tiger Muay Thai standout put Raju face-first into the canvas after just 21 seconds.
#5 Banario’s Crushing Left Hook
Honorio “The Rock” Banario showed he could carry his power up to the lightweight division with a jaw-dropping finish against Jaroslav Jartim at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY.
The KO blow was set-up brilliantly by the former ONE Featherweight World Champion as he threw a right to the body that forced Jartim to lower his guard. “The Rock” followed his right with a sweeping left hook that connected flush on the jaw for an instant KO.
There was no need for any follow-up strikes, and the end came at 1:31 of the second round.
Banario will aim to show his striking power again when he returns to the featherweight division against Wiratchai at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE.
Read more: Two World Title Bouts Confirmed For ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE
