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Explosive knockouts to grand prix finalists, 3 takeaways from ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE
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Finisher: Chinese mixed martial artist Zhang Lipeng (left) lands a powerful punch to knock out Ruslan Emilbek Uulu in their lightweight encounter at ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE in Singapore
ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE showcased top martial arts action on Friday, Jan. 28, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
In this second event of ONE Championship this year, fans were treated to some back and forth action and highlight-reel knockouts.
From fiery semifinal kickboxing matchups to the emergence of new stars, here are the three biggest takeaways from the event.
#1 Kickboxing Grand Prix gets two finalists
The ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix is nearing its conclusion as two of the favorite contestants have now reached the final.
After eliminating Sammy "AK47" Sana with a first-round KO in the quarterfinal, Chingiz “Chinga” Allazov continues to prove why he is one of the most feared kickboxers today. On Friday night he knocked out Smokin’ Jo Nattawut in the opening round in their co-main event clash.
In the tournament finale, he will face Sitthichai “Killer Kid” Sitsongpeenong, who was also victorious in ONE: ONLY THE BRAVE’s main event.
In the event headliner, the Thai athlete squared off with longtime foe Davit Kiria in a trilogy bout. He dominated his Georgian counterpart en route to a unanimous decision win.
The ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Final – slated to go down at ONE’s 10-year extravaganza, ONE X, on 26 March – will not be the first meeting between Sitthichai and Allazov. The Thai picked up a decision win over the fellow Grand Prix finalist in 2014. But over the last eight years, much has changed, and Allazov’s knockout streak could make him the man to beat.
#2 Zhang Lipeng scores a thunderous knockout
Chinese dynamo “The Warrior” Zhang Lipeng continues to shine on the global stage with a lightning-fast knockout over Kyrgyzstan’s Ruslan “Snow Leopard” Emilbek Uulu just 32 seconds into their lightweight mixed martial arts bout.
In his debut last August, he announced his presence with a unanimous win over former divisional king Eduard “Landslide” Folayang.
After the Friday night win, he was subsequently rewarded with a US$50,000 performance bonus. Not only that, it certainly elevated his name to become a title challenger in the future.
#3 Brooks inches closer to strawweight world champion
Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks utilized his grappling repertoire to seal a dominant victory over Hiroba Minowa in his second appearance in the Circle.
Following his victory, “The Monkey God” reaffirms his case to challenge ONE strawweight world champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.
The American’s impressive performance on Friday night certainly moves him closer to a ONE World Title shot, but it is not guaranteed just yet. Top-ranked contender Bokang “Little Giant” Masunyane may be the next challenger to the Filipino kingpin’s throne.
Nonetheless, a tilt between the world champion and the outspoken American would scratch every itch a martial arts fan could have. From entertaining trash talk to incredible depths of talent, when these two stars finally collide, it is going to be one of the division’s most sensational contests.
Watch ONE: BAD BLOOD on Feb. 11 on the ONE Super App and subscribe to ONE Championship on YouTube!
This article is published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
