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ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II will cap off ONE Championship’s 2021 marketing campaign in type when it airs from the Singapore Indoor Stadium subsequent Friday, 17 December.
The all-MMA card options former ONE World Champions, veterans who’ve challenged for a belt, and younger phenoms who’re making an attempt to climb the mountain for the primary time. Regardless of their totally different paths, all of them know that ending their subsequent bout in emphatic vogue would elevate their profile heading into the brand new yr.
After all, the celebrities of ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II have already produced loads of highlight-reel moments. Earlier than they enter the Circle as soon as once more, take a look at 5 of their greatest finishes on the worldwide stage.
#1 Kingad Stuns In ONE Debut
Danny “The King” Kingad marked his arrival in ONE Championship’s flyweight division with a sensational first-round TKO of Muhamad Haidar. The Filipino’s memorable debut occurred at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS in April 2016 on the Mall of Asia Area in Manila.
When the bell rang for spherical one, Kingad tracked Haidar across the canvas. As soon as the Malaysian was backed into the Circle Wall, “The King” scooped him up and dumped him to the mat. Haidar bought again to his toes, however as soon as once more, Kingad suplexed his foe, displaying his authority within the bout.
The Filipino finally mounted his opponent after which rained down punches till the referee waved off the competition on the 2:20 mark.
The victory despatched Kingad on an upward trajectory in ONE, the place he now stands because the #2-ranked flyweight contender. Furthermore, his solely losses have come by the hands of #1-ranked Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes.
If he beats former ONE Flyweight World Champion and present #4 contender Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov in the primary occasion of ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II, “The King” may simply earn a shot at redemption in opposition to Moraes.
#2 Bigdash Survives Early Scare, TKOs Defending Champ
Vitaly Bigdash didn’t simply have one of the crucial memorable debuts in ONE historical past – he scored one of the crucial extraordinary come-from-behind finishes within the course of.
In October 2015, the Russian entered the Circle for the primary time to problem then-ONE Middleweight World Champion Igor “Lionheart” Svirid at ONE: TIGERS OF ASIA.
Svirid appeared in management from the opening bell, and he dropped Bigdash with punches twice. However, to everybody’s shock, the challenger withstood the adversity, dropped the defending king with a knee to the face, and nearly choked him out on the finish of the spherical.
Within the second body, the Russian continued to assault. He hit Svirid with one other knee to the face, which was adopted by a proper hook. “Lionheart” went down, and Bigdash pounced, ending off his foe with hammerfists to grow to be ONE’s new middleweight king.
The divisional belt has modified fingers quite a few occasions since then, and it’s presently held by Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder. However a win over King Kong Warrior” Fan Rong on 17 December might thrust Bigdash proper again into the World Title image.
#3 Belingon Catches ‘Lightning’
In August 2017, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon continued his comeback path with a first-round TKO of Reece “Lightning” McLaren at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Belingon got here out throwing spinning again kicks at McLaren till the Australian lunged in for a hook. Nevertheless, the Filipino beat his man to the punch – fairly actually – with a proper hand that swept McLaren from his toes. “The Silencer” then jumped on his rival and unleashed a deluge of ground-and-pound till the referee intervened on the 1:02 mark.
The victory was Belingon’s third straight after falling to ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes one yr earlier – and he continued the unimaginable run till November 2018, when he avenged that defeat and dethroned Fernandes to seize bantamweight gold.
“The Flash” is now the World Champion once more, and he’s overwhelmed the Filipino in three of their 4 historic encounters. Nevertheless, a win over fast-rising finisher “Fairly Boy” Kwon Received Il within the co-main occasion of ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II might earn Belingon another crack at his longtime rival.
#4 Kwon Received Il Outstrikes Grappling Wizard
“Fairly Boy” additionally makes our checklist of prime finishes.
The South Korean scored a first-round TKO in opposition to two-time BJJ No-Gi World Champion Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV in October 2020.
Pucci shot early and quick within the first spherical of their bout, however Kwon sprawled, bought underhooks, and defended the grappling star’s takedown makes an attempt. “Fairly Boy” then backed away – creating area to strike – and hit “Puccibull” with a physique shot that made him wince.
Two extra proper fingers and an uppercut sealed the victory for Kwon, because the referee jumped in to name off the bout on the 2:00 mark.
A number of months later, Kwon scored his second straight end, this time in opposition to “The Ghost” Chen Rui at ONE: UNBREAKABLE II. If he makes it one other early evening in opposition to #2-ranked Belingon, he’ll undoubtedly enter the top-five bantamweight rankings and make a case for a World Title shot in opposition to Fernandes.
#5 Kadestam Scores Final-Minute KO To Declare World Title
Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam earned the vacant ONE Welterweight World Title in opposition to undefeated Tyler McGuire – however solely after keeping off the American’s intense floor recreation for nearly 25 minutes at ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM in November 2018.
For shut to 5 rounds, Kadestam needed to endure McGuire’s relentless strain – after which he did it. As each males confirmed their fatigue, “The Bandit” sprung right into a proper hand that floored his foe. The Swede adopted up with a proper knee, and the referee jumped in to wave off the bout with solely 30 seconds remaining.
Kadestam grew to become the brand new ONE Welterweight World Champion and efficiently defend the throne earlier than shedding the belt to Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov in October 2019 through choice.
If he topples undefeated Murad Ramazanov on 17 December, “The Bandit” might put himself again into rivalry for a run towards the gold nonetheless held by Abbasov.
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