Who Could Be Next For The Big Winners Of ONE 168: Denver?
Following an epic night of martial arts action at ONE 168: Denver this past Friday, September 6, the stars are heading back to their respective homes and taking quick breaks to spend time with their loved ones.
But for the biggest winners of ONE Championship’s second U.S. event at Ball Arena in Colorado, the rest won’t last for long. Instead, those athletes are motivated to return to training camp and build upon their momentum.
So, who could be next for double-champ “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9, former bantamweight MMA titleholder turned Muay Thai sensation John “Hands of Stone” Lineker, middleweight MMA contender Shamil Erdogan, and flyweight Muay Thai rising stars Johan “Jojo” Ghazali and Johan “Panda Kick” Estupinan?
We take a look into the crystal ball and see who each of those competitors could face in their next battle on the global stage.
Superlek Kiatmoo9
Already the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 made history when he knocked out Jonathan “The General” Haggerty in just 49 seconds to become a rare two-sport, two-weight king in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Superlek read his British rival brilliantly, as he blocked an incoming jab and then landed the fight-ending right elbow to add the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title to his trophy case.
Now on a 13-bout winning streak with victories over massive names like Haggerty, Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon, and Takeru “The Natural Born Crusher” Segawa, the Thai megastar has several options for his next opponent.
The 28-year-old could defend his flyweight kickboxing belt against #3-ranked contender Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi, a taller adversary who recently knocked out #4-ranked Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito.
Or perhaps he could defend his newly won bantamweight Muay Thai crown against #2-ranked Nico Carrillo, who finds himself on a 15-fight winning streak and has been patiently waiting for his crack at the gold.
Mahmoudi and Carrillo would present very different challenges to Superlek, who would undoubtedly be eager to figure out another difficult puzzle.
John Lineker
Former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker impressed in his Muay Thai debut, using his powerful boxing to overwhelm and finish Asa “The American Ninja” Ten Pow, one of the leading strikers from the U.S. who came in riding a two-fight knockout streak.
Having competed in mixed martial arts for more than a decade, “Hands of Stone” was quite comfortable with the 4-ounce gloves. But donning those smaller gloves under the Global Muay Thai Rule Set paid dividends, as the Brazilian used his cinderblocks to punch his way to a dominant knockout victory.
This showing may have encouraged Lineker to continue testing his skills in “the art of eight limbs,” but his real passion lies in the all-encompassing sport, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return to MMA against a top name.
The current #1-ranked bantamweight MMA contender could thrill the global fan base with a hard-hitting dance partner like “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il. The South Korean is the division’s #3-ranked contender, finds himself on a three-bout winning streak full of stoppages, and owns an 85 percent knockout rate.
This matchup would surely produce fireworks for as long as it lasts.
Shamil Erdogan
There is no doubt that Shamil Erdogan’s stock has gone up tremendously.
The Turkish standout utilized his famed wrestling and devastating ground strikes to exhaust former two-division ONE MMA World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang, eventually using ground-and-pound to force a second-round TKO stoppage.
Erdogan is now undefeated at 10-0 and is the only person in ONE Championship to finish the Myanmar sports icon with strikes. That could lead to a ONE Middleweight MMA World Title shot against three-division ruler Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin.
The two have a history, as Erdogan defeated Malykhin in a wrestling tournament many moons ago in Russia. With a similar fighting style and both men being undefeated in MMA, this would be a must-see World Title clash in the middleweight ranks.
Johan Ghazali
Johan Ghazali bounced back in epic fashion.
The 17-year-old American-Malaysian phenom made quick work of Josue “Tuzo” Cruz, knocking out the Mexican athlete with a left hook just as the bell sounded to end the opening stanza.
Following the victory, Ghazali expressed his desire to face #2-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Denis “The Bosnian Menace” Puric.
That would be a considerable jump up in competition, but if that fight doesn’t happen, another man he called out – Freddie Haggerty, the younger brother of reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty – could be a strong possibility.
Like Ghazali, the 19-year-old Haggerty is a teenage sensation, stands 5-foot-7, and goes for the kill each time he steps into action. Though the Brit competes at strawweight, where he owns a pair of KO victories in ONE, he would have no problem making the flyweight limit.
Simply put, this battle of the young guns would be a must-see showdown.
Johan Estupinan
Colombian knockout artist Johan “Panda Kick” Estupinan opened the show on the highest of notes.
After a back-and-forth first round that featured a plethora of knockdowns, the 21-year-old poured it on Sean “The One” Climaco in the second round of their flyweight Muay Thai contest. Estupinan ultimately utilized his powerful hooks to drop the Filipino-American three times en route to a TKO victory.
Now a flawless 25-0 in his career, the entertaining striker has everyone wondering who might be next. Perhaps it could be a date with Vietnam’s top Muay Thai stylist, Nguyen “No.1” Tran Duy Nhat.
Duy Nhat is a true veteran of the game, and he still possesses the talent and ability to threaten anyone in the flyweight Muay Thai division.
The 35-year-old produces fierce offense coming forward and can counter off the back foot. He most recently handed Ghazali his first loss in ONE and could be knocking on the door of the top-five rankings, so he would be a solid test for Estupinan.
