TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Indonesian MMA fighter Eko Roni Saputra looks to ONE’s Bangkok bouts for inspirations
Change Size
ONE Surrender III bout banner (JP/Courtesy of ONE Championship)
F
ormer Indonesian wrestler Eko Roni Saputra, who is now training at the Evolve MMA gym in Singapore and has become one of ONE Championship’s brightest athletes, has said at this stage he is still looking for inspirational bouts so he can watch and observe and expand his horizons about combat sports.
Eko said he was looking forward to the ONE: No Surrender III bouts, which are set to be organized behind closed doors in Bangkok on Aug. 21. He said there were three bouts he hoped to watch.
His first pick will be the semifinal showdown between two Muay Thai athletes, Sangmanee Klong Suan PlusResort and Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai. The winner will go on to face Saemapetch Fairtex in the final round for the chance to move on to challenge Nong-O Gaiyanghadao for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship.
Eko is a huge advocate of Muay Thai, and is a teammate of Nong-O on the Evolve Fight Team. As such, Eko will be watching this bout closely to see if any of these athletes could possibly give Nong-O a challenge.
“The Sangmanee versus Kulabdam fight is definitely something. I expect a fiery bout from start to finish. Given that these two fighters are very aggressive, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fight ends inside the distance,” said Eko, as quoted from a media statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Another bout that Eko is looking forward to watching is the fight between Thailand’s Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy and Cambodia’s Sok Thy.
Mongkolpetch is a Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai world champion, while Sok Thy is a Kun Khmer flyweight world champion. The contrast in striking styles is interesting. Mongkolpetch and Sok are among Eko’s favorite’s fighters.
“There’s a vast difference between Muay Thai and Kun Khmer in terms of techniques, despite being similar in striking styles, and we can learn a lot from this fight,” said Eko.
Another much-anticipated bout is a three-round fight between veteran Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai and France’s Fabio Pinca. Pinca is a multiple Muay Thai world champion who has spent nearly two decades at the sport’s highest level. He’s a European kickboxing champion, two-division WBC Muay Thai world champion, and even a Rajadamnern Stadium world champion - an incredibly rare feat for a foreigner in Thailand.
“I am super excited to see Fabio Pinca mix it up and try MMA for the first time. Obviously, he’s such a high-level striker, but I’m curious to see how he will do on the ground. They say he’s worked very hard on his jiu-jitsu and wrestling over the years. Now he needs to prove it in the ring,” Eko said.
