What Could Be Next For The Big Winners Of ONE: NO SURRENDER II?
ONE Championship kicked off three consecutive weeks of martial arts action with ONE: NO SURRENDER II on Friday, 14 August, and the show delivered plenty of fireworks.
The event in Bangkok, Thailand, included a kickboxing contest, a pair of mixed martial arts bouts, and a trio of Muay Thai battles – and all of the victors will carry positive momentum into their next fights.
With that in mind, let’s gaze into the crystal ball and predict what could be next for some of the night’s big winners.
Saemapetch Fairtex
As expected, the main event of ONE: NO SURRENDER II was a hotly contested affair. In the end, Saemapetch Fairtex did enough to defeat his old rival and even their series at 2-2.
The 25-year-old engaged with Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym throughout the three-round tilt, and his counters and powerful left weapons were simply too much for the man known as “The Steel Locomotive.”
Now, the Fairtex representative will slide into the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament final, where he awaits his dance partner.
That partner will be the winner of the upcoming semifinal clash between #1-ranked contender “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort and #3-ranked contender “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai.
Regardless of who advances, we should expect an interesting tournament final. Both potential opponents possess tremendous power and would present a fresh challenge to Saemapetch.
Also, it will be the ultimate battle of southpaws, as all three favor the left side.
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Mehdi Zatout
Mehdi “Diamond Heart” Zatout made it two in a row on Friday, as he convincingly beat Leo Pinto in the night’s co-main event.
The French-Algerian striker was methodical and patient during the kickboxing bout, while Pinto had no answer for his boxing combinations.
Zatout now has momentum and could be given a chance to face somebody in the top five. Perhaps that opponent will be an old foe in Liam “Hitman” Harrison.
The hard-hitting Brit is an explosive athlete who never fails to deliver a thrilling match.
Also, he is ONE’s #4-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender and an eight-time Muay Thai World Champion. In fact, he beat Zatout six years ago to win a title.
This would be an exciting matchup, and it would offer “Diamond Heart” a chance to gain some redemption while jumping into ONE’s Athlete Rankings.
Fahdi Khaled
Fahdi “The Gladiator” Khaled opened ONE: NO SURRENDER II with a bang.
The Tunisian displayed his full array of skills in a flyweight tilt against ONE Hero Series alum Huang Ding. Throughout the bout, Khaled overwhelmed his rival with masterful footwork, lethal combinations, and aggressive elbows to earn a unanimous decision win.
There are plenty of opponents for Khaled, but a matchup with former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy would be sure to produce fireworks.
The Thai is comfortable attacking from all angles, but he has shown a knack for firing his signature weapons off the back foot, including his thunderous left roundhouse kick.
Also, “The Baby Shark” has terrific movement, making this potential fast-paced clash a must-watch affair.
Read more: ONE: NO SURRENDER II – Full Results And Highlights For Saemapetch Vs. Rodlek
