There have been dozens of unbelievable matchups contained in the Circle in 2021, however on the finish of the 12 months, one explicit blended martial arts contest really stood out from the remainder.
Everyone anticipated Dagi Arslanaliev and Timofey Nastyukhin’s rematch at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS to be stuffed with motion, however the two athletes took these predictions and supercharged them on 3 December.
Your complete three-round battle was stuffed with chaos and pleasure, and it ended with a dramatic highlight-reel knockout for Arslanaliev on the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Each of those aggressive, highly effective strikers had been additional motivated and had one thing to show.
Arslanaliev wished to indicate the world that his first-round victory from their preliminary encounter in September 2018 wasn’t a fluke, whereas the Russian hard-hitter was desirous to earn some redemption.
The duo introduced the warmth from the opening bell. Nastyukhin swung looping pictures at his foe and despatched him briefly to the mat with a stiff left hook. Arslanaliev rebounded with a takedown, nevertheless it didn’t take lengthy for them to be winging punches on the ft once more.
A thudding knee from the Turkish star damage Nastyukhin and left its mark on the Russian’s face, although it didn’t cease him.
![Timofey Nastyukhin throws a left hook toward Dagi Arslanaliev at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS.](https://cdn.onefc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Timofey-Nastyukhin-Dagi-Arslanaliev-WINTERWARRIORS-1920X1280-9-1200x800.jpg)
In spherical two, Arslanaliev popped his man with heavy punches after which dragged him to the canvas and swarmed with strikes.
The physician entered the Circle to test on the Russian hard-hitter’s broken face, however there wasn’t any stop in him. And as soon as the motion resumed, he returned to his ft and began firing.
Issues had been swinging extra closely in Arslanaliev’s favor, although. The Turkish phenom continued to land his pictures and even executed an enormous belly-to-back suplex, which despatched his rival flying by way of the air.
![Timofey Nastyukhin eats a knee from Dagi Arslanaliev at ONE WINTER WARRIORS.](https://cdn.onefc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Timofey-Nastyukhin-Dagi-Arslanaliev-WINTERWARRIORS-1920X1280-12-1200x800.jpg)
It appeared just like the Russian had one ultimate salvo left in him.
When the bell rang to start the third spherical, Nastyukhin appeared decided as he got here out of the blocks. Nonetheless, his punches didn’t have the identical firepower they beforehand had.
Arslanaliev responded with a devastating proper, which shocked his man. Then, he drilled the Russian powerhouse with one other proper hand, which despatched him to the mat. The Turkish star instantly adopted up with some ground-and-pound to finish an epic battle 49 seconds into the ultimate body.
It was the battle followers had anticipated and a lot extra. Count on to see each athletes again within the Circle in 2022, swinging for the fences and placing on a present.
Learn extra: 5 MMA Fights We Need To See In 2022