Top 5 Performances From The Stars Of ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES

ONE Championship’s next marquee event, ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES, is coming your way on Friday, 9 October.

The night will feature some of the world’s most incredible athletes, who’ve already wowed audiences with stunning fights in The Home Of Martial Arts.

Get a preview of the action by reliving five of the best performances from the stars of ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES.

Hexigetu Out-Wrestles Gonzales

“Wolf Of The Grasslands” Hexigetu put on a wrestling clinic against Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales at ONE: AGE OF DRAGONS in November 2019.

For nearly 15 minutes, Hexigetu imposed his will with commanding top pressure and selected ground-and-pound.

The China Top Team standout did have to be mindful of submission attempts, but he showed a keen awareness of that danger and maintained his control from the top. That meant Gonzales was kept on the defense throughout the strawweight bout, as Hexigetu earned the clear unanimous decision win.

Hexigetu will look to employ a similar strategy when he meets former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke on 9 October.

Saputra Ignites Jakarta With Submission

This past February, Indonesian star Eko Roni Saputra set Jakarta on fire with his first-round submission of Khon Sichan at ONE: WARRIOR’S CODE.

The Evolve standout was quick to utilize his grappling advantage by taking the contest to the floor. Saputra then moved to mount with ease, and with Sichan pinned beneath him, the Indonesian star began dropping ground-and-pound to open up submission possibilities.

Sichan defended the first few attempts, but he was forced to turn away from the incoming strikes. With that, Saputra slid his right arm under the Cambodian’s chin to secure the rear-naked choke. After a brief squeeze, the tap followed, and the home crowd roared.

The Indonesian will look for another outstanding highlight-reel finish when he meets his Malaysian rival, Murugan “Wolverine” Silvarajoo, at ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES.

• Top 5 Submissions From The Stars Of ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES
• 7 Interesting Facts About Eko Roni Saputra
• Top Knockouts From The Stars Of ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES

McLaren’s Memorable Flyweight Debut

If there were any doubts that Reece “Lightning” McLaren would be a contender at flyweight, he put them to rest by becoming the first man to finish Anatpong “Mak Mak” Bunrad at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in November 2017.

“Lightning” first had to defend himself from Bunrad’s striking, but after taking the contest to the mat, he was able to exhibit his superior grappling.

In the final 30 seconds, McLaren moved from side control to the north-south position while locking up a D’Arce choke. The Australian then used his left leg to lock up Bunrad’s right leg to prevent him from kicking out. As Bunrad rolled, McLaren followed and assumed top position while keeping the choke locked in tight.

With eight seconds left in the first round, the BJJ black belt forced the Thai to tap and jumped right into the thick of the ONE Flyweight World Title hunt. He can take another big leap by ruining Aleksi “The Giant” Toivonen‘s perfect record on Friday.

Tonna Overcomes Adversity

Not all of the best performances are about dominance. Some of them are about showing your warrior spirit and resolving to overcome obstacles. That’s what made Josh “Timebomb” Tonna‘s ONE Super Series kickboxing victory over Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri a sight to behold.

Lasiri got off to a fast start, but after the initial three minutes of action, the Australian rebounded to overtake him in the final two frames.

Tonna’s grit and determination were on full display, and he continued to get sharper as the bout wore on. In the final three minutes, “Timebomb” was more accurate with his combinations, as he attacked the Italian with crisp punches, roundhouse kicks, and punishing knees.

That resolve and determination made his victory at ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS in October 2018 one of his most outstanding performances. Next, Tonna will look to pull off the upset in his ONE World Title challenge against the man below on Friday.

Sam-A’s World Title Masterclass

In February, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao put on a Muay Thai masterclass to capture the inaugural ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship against Rocky Ogden at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE.

The young Aussie was a game opponent and came marching forward in an effort to shock the world, but the Thai legend’s impeccable defense took center stage in Singapore.

Sam-A used his experience to evade, block, and counter before turning up the tempo as the contest entered the championship rounds. The performance was a tutorial on how to do everything right in a Muay Thai bout.

After five rounds, there was no doubt about the best Muay Thai strawweight in the world. Sam-A had been virtually untouched in a dominant showcase on the global stage.

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