Top 5 Performances From The Heroes Of ONE: CENTURY PART I
Two full bout cards on 13 October promise to deliver twice the excitement and twice the entertainment as the world’s best martial artists converge in Tokyo, Japan for the biggest event in ONE Championship history.
The world’s largest martial arts organization will hold its 100th live event, ONE: CENTURY, at the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan, and the double-header is sure to keep fans buzzing all around the globe.
Ahead of this historic show, take a look back at five thrilling contests from some of the stars scheduled for action at ONE: CENTURY PART I.
#1 Thani Goes Toe-To-Toe With An Icon
When an athlete faces Yoshihiro “Sexy Yama” Akiyama, they know they will have to dig deep and go all-out for 15 minutes to win.
At ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST, Agilan “Alligator” Thani produced one of the best and most gutsy performances of his career to defeat the Japanese martial arts icon in Shanghai, China.
The Malaysian hero kept Akiyama guessing as he showed the slickest boxing skills of his career to mark up his rival in the early exchanges after he survived some spectacular judo-based offense.
It was far from one-way traffic on the feet as “Sexy Yama” scored with some significant strikes, but Thani showed diversity in his offense as he sprung for takedowns to swing the momentum back in his favor.
The man from Kuala Lumpur switched back to his strikes to punish a tiring Akiyama in the second half of the contest, but he had to stay sharp defensively to counter his irrepressible opponent until the final bell to take the unanimous decision.
Thani will return to action against another veteran from Japan on 13 October when he faces Yushin “Thunder” Okami.
#2 Three Full-Throttle Rounds From Kingad
Danny “The King” Kingad began his ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix campaign with a blistering display of mixed martial arts against Senzo Ikeda.
The Filipino flyweight star and his Japanese rival started off at full throttle, and the pace did not relent as they traded heavy strikes on the feet and scrambled furiously on the ground in a battle for supremacy.
Ikeda was able to match his rival’s searing pace, but he could not quite find an answer to the Team Lakay representative’s skills.
Kingad’s grappling looked a cut above as he turned the tables almost every time he looked to be in trouble on the mat. He also absorbed his rival’s best shots to outscore him on the feet, but the Pancrase Flyweight World Champion never stopped coming forward in search of a finish.
The judges’ decision gave the victory to “The King,” and after his semifinal success, he is now set to face Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in the tournament final in Tokyo.
#3 Sam-A’s Muay Thai Masterclass
Muay Thai superstar Sam-A Gaiyanghadao took his career to a new level when he defeated Sergio “Samurai” Wielzen to claim the inaugural ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship.
Wielzen went on the attack from the opening bell, but in typical Thai style, Sam-A started steadily, and by the time the second round began, he had worked out his rival’s timing and was connecting almost at will.
As the bout headed into the championship rounds, Sam-A turned up the heat as he unleashed a punishing barrage of his signature left roundhouse kicks to the legs and body of his opponent, and stepped in connect with powerful punches and elbows.
One of those elbows was decisive as he dropped Wielzen in the fourth, then finished him with a sensational multi-strike combination to win gold in style.
The Evolve representative will be back in the Circle in Japan to take on France’s Daren Rolland.
#4 Todd Shows Her Speed And Power
American Muay Thai star Janet “JT” Todd showed the world she is a world-class striker across multiple disciplines when she defeated former ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion “Killer Bee” Chuang Kai Ting at ONE: MASTERS OF DESTINY.
These two high-energy athletes went back and forth throughout their three-round bout, but while both threw plenty of leather, Todd’s strikes carried the greater power and were more accurate.
The contest was close, competitive, and contested at a relentless pace, but it was Todd’s work that caught the eye of the judges, who rendered a majority decision in the American’s favor to position her perfectly for a future World Title challenge.
She can take another step toward that goal if she can get past Ekaterina “Barbie” Vandaryeva at ONE: CENTURY PART I.
#5 Lee Makes History
“Unstoppable” Angela Lee has accomplished many things in her still-young career, but no moment may ever surpass her capture of the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title to become the youngest mixed martial arts World Champion in history.
To do that, the Singaporean star had to push herself to the limit to get past Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi in a contest that was named 2016’s Bout Of The Year.
It was a roller coaster of a contest as each woman had their successes – Lee’s grappling impressed early on, only for a huge right hand to send her to the canvas in the third round.
That set the stage for a thrilling finale as the pair battled toe-to-toe through the championship rounds and all the way to the final bell. It was close and competitive, but all three judges scored the bout in Lee’s favor.
The main event at the Ryogoku Kokugikan will see “Unstoppable” attempt to defend her belt again for the fourth time against ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan.
ONE: CENTURY is the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history with 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts. No organization in history has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events on the same day.
The Home Of Martial Arts will break new ground as it brings multiple World Title bouts, a trio of World Grand Prix Championship Finals, and several World Champion versus World Champion matches to the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on 13 October.
