Top 6 Highlights From ONE: MASTERS OF FATE

ONE Championship brought an incredible night of martial arts action to the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on Friday, 8 November.

The world’s largest martial arts organization ignited the Philippine capital with ONE: MASTERS OF FATE, and the 13-bout spectacle was filled to the brim with fantastic match-ups.

There were several captivating knockouts, a couple of brilliant submissions, and explosive back-and-forth action all throughout the night.

As the dust settles on another memorable evening, we take a look back at six of the top performances from our last Philippine event of 2019.

#1 Pacio Reaffirms His Status As Strawweight King

The all-Filipino main event delivered the fast-paced action that was promised to fans all across the globe.

ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio successfully defended his crown against Rene “The Challenger” Catalan, and the 23-year-old king was phenomenal from beginning to end.

Following a competitive first round, which featured Pacio unloading his spinning back kicks, escaping various leg lock submission attempts, and displaying a smothering top control game, the Team Lakay representative brought the proceedings to a close in the second frame.

Just moments into the stanza, “The Passion” was in side control and looked to secure an arm-triangle choke. He worked his way to the mount position, locked in the hold, and moved counterclockwise to the other side of Catalan’s body to tighten his grip. “The Challenger” tried to hang on, but he was ultimately forced to tap out halfway into the round.

By snapping his compatriot’s six-bout win streak, Pacio proved that he is indeed the best strawweight mixed martial artist on the planet.

#2 Eustaquio Lands The Perfect Liver Kick

Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio lived up to his “Rematch King” moniker on home soil, as he defeated his old conqueror Toni “Dynamite” Tauru with style and grace.

However, for a moment, it looked like a repeat of their December 2016 clash.

The Finnish grappling specialist hit a quick takedown in the opening stanza and searched for a rear-naked choke. This time around, however, “Gravity” showcased terrific defense and turned the tables on his European rival.

Eustaquio stymied “Dynamite” with his boxing in the second frame, but he brought his countrymen inside the Mall Of Asia Arena to their feet just minutes into the third and final round. The Filipino hero beautifully spun around, stretched his leg out, and connected with a picture-perfect kick to the liver.

Tauru doubled-over in pain and, seeing no reason to follow-up, “Gravity” raised his arm in victory as the referee signaled an end to the bout.

#3 Li Kai Wen’s Nonstop Offensive Front

“The Underdog” Li Kai Wen proved yet again that he is one of the most exciting athletes in the world. Every time he performs, it is a can’t-miss affair, and fans know something special is going to happen.

In his bantamweight debut against Paul “The Great King” Lumihi, the Chinese powerhouse did not waste a single second. As soon as the bell rang to begin the contest, he ran at his adversary with a flying knee, and he followed with an array of punches, knees, and elbows.

Lumihi survived that initial barrage, but “The Underdog” hit a quick double-leg takedown and immediately tried to lock-in a D’Arce choke. What’s more, all of that offense happened within the first minute of the match.

The pace slowed down a little bit, but Li’s forward attack wore on “The Great King.” A left cross, followed by a crushing uppercut, put Lumihi down for good at the 2:39 mark of round two.

#4 Catalan’s Stunning Head Kick Knockout

Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan scored one of the most emphatic knockouts of the evening.

The local hero welcomed multiple-time Pan American Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart to the strawweight division, and he fended off the Cuban’s constant pressure and grapple-heavy attacks.

However, with only 17 seconds remaining in round two, the younger sibling of the Catalan family saw the opening he was waiting for.

“The Ilonggo” stepped forward and threw a strongside roundhouse kick to Balart’s head, which instantly knocked out the former Olympic wrestling stud.

#5 & #6 A South Korean Double-Feature

If Kim was your name, then you had a pretty good night at ONE: MASTERS OF FATE.

The two South Koreans — flyweight star Kim Kyu Sung and featherweight dynamo “The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong — left the Mall Of Asia Arena with a pair of fantastic knockouts.

After two competitive rounds against Brazil’s Rafael “Indio” Nunes, Woong was quick off the start in the third frame. He delivered a hard hook to the liver and followed it up with a salvo of knees.

The referee had no choice but to step in and call an end to the bout as “The Fighting God” continued to pour on the offense.

It was a much quicker evening for Sung, who met Akihiro “Superjap” Fujisawa.

As the Japanese athlete came forward with a combination, the Evolve standout beat him to the punch — literally — with a stunning shovel uppercut to earn a 68-second knockout victory.

Read more: 5 Lessons We Learned From ONE: MASTERS OF FATE