Top 5 ONE Super Series Performances Of 2019’s 4th Quarter

The athletes of ONE Championship’s all-striking branch delivered some of their best showings yet in the final three months of 2019.

From the months of October to December, ONE Super Series had it all. There were incredible knockouts, beautiful techniques, and explosive back-and-forth action in some of the league’s most pivotal bouts to date.

Now, with the quarter coming to a close, we take a look at the five best performances.

#1 Petrosyan’s Clinical Display In Japan

If you are a featherweight kickboxer, the one phrase you do not want to hear is, “The Doctor is in.” That is because Giorgio Petrosyan often puts on clinical displays, and he did exactly that at ONE: CENTURY PART II in Tokyo, Japan this past October.

Samy “AK47” Sana entered the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Championship Final riding high, but the Italian was a step above in their meeting.

Petrosyan’s right hook-straight left combination landed repeatedly throughout the contest. When the Frenchman tried to respond, the legend smoothly defended.

“The Doctor” also cut through his rival’s guard with uppercuts and connected with a variety of kicks to the body and legs throughout the three-round tilt.

In the end, Petrosyan earned the unanimous decision victory, as well as the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Championship belt and a cool US$1 million.

#2 Nong-O’s Legend Continues To Soar

In ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao’s latest title defense, he showcased incredible power and precision.

The legend’s performance against his Thai compatriot Saemapetch Fairtex at ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS in Singapore this past November was an illustration painted by his punches, elbows, knees, and kicks.

Nong-O knocked down his challenger twice in the second round with blistering uppercuts. Remarkably, Saemapetch was able to meet the referee’s count and go on with the ensuing battle.

The Fairtex representative returned fire in the third and fourth rounds, appearing as if he would turn the tide on his countryman.

However, the Singapore-based Thai would extinguish his adversary’s new fire with a lightning-quick right hand down the middle, which knocked out Saemapetch for good.

#3 Eersel Dominant In Rematch With Holzken

ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel proved his title win from earlier this year was not a fluke.

In fact, when he met his Dutch compatriot Nieky “The Natural” Holzken in their highly-anticipated rematch at ONE: DAWN OF VALOR in Jakarta, Indonesia this past October, he dominated the action and showcased his striking superiority.

Eersel was sharp from the very start of the contest, and he scored a knockdown halfway into the opening stanza.

Although Holzken tried to respond strongly towards the end of the first and throughout the second, he could not break “The Immortal” from his rhythm.

For the rest of the bout, Eersel proved to be too quick and too powerful for the Dutch legend. He cut angles, hit combinations with force, and defended well from his rival’s attacks to earn an even more definitive unanimous decision.

#4 Sam-A’s History-Making Effort

Adapting to a new set of rules is not easy – even for a Muay Thai legend such as Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.

But that’s exactly what the Singapore-based Thai did when he challenged for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia earlier this month.

The former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion did not have an easy task. “Golden Boy” Wang Junguang had a furious start, as he applied forward pressure and threw heavy hooks that echoed all throughout the Axiata Arena.

However, Sam-A avoided the damage with his supreme defense. As the time ticked away, he was able to read the incoming barrages and time Wang with quick, active counters. The left hands cut through the Chinese striker’s guard effortlessly and added up round by round.

Wang kept pushing into the championship rounds, but the Thai’s marvelous counter-striking netted him the unanimous decision victory and the belt. In the process, he became the first athlete to hold ONE World Title gold in two separate divisions and two different sports.

#5 Naito Makes An Impact In His Debut

Japan’s Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito made his promotional debut against New Zealand’s Alexi “Phet” Serepisos at ONE: DAWN OF VALOR and immediately made his presence known in the flyweight division with a third-round TKO.

Naito, a Shoot Boxing Super Bantamweight Champion, utilized hard leg kicks in the opening stanza to limit the mobility of his opponent. The damage caused by the kicks forced the Kiwi to switch stances in the second round, but Naito continued to focus on his right leg.

The Japanese combatant poured on the offense late in the third round. Straight right hands and a knee got Serepisos’ attention, and a right hook planted him on the canvas.

Although the Kiwi met the referee’s count, Naito knew he needed to up the tempo to get the stoppage he desired.

In the waning seconds of the tilt, “Silent Sniper” did just that — he backed his rival against the fence with volume, and then he threw an uppercut, a knee, and a cross. That’s when the referee stepped in and waved off the action.

Read more: Top 5 ONE Super Series Knockouts Of 2019’s 4th Quarter