(Courtesy of ONE Championship)
O
NE: HEAVY HITTERS will mark the start of ONE Championship events in 2022, and as the name implies, it features some of the most destructive strikers on Earth.
The 24 athletes featured on the card will unleash their power at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Jan. 14.
Before the star-studded event starts, relive three of their most epic knockout victories in ONE Championship so far.
#1 Xiong blasts Lee in epic five-rounder
“The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan knocked out “Unstoppable” Angela Lee to earn a dramatic win over one of her fiercest rivals.
This world title bout went down at ONE: A NEW ERA in March 2019, as the Chinese superstar defended her strawweight gold against atomweight queen Lee, who was on a mission to become a two-division titleholder.
Xiong showcased incredible durability in the fourth, gritting her teeth through a tight armbar attempt late in the frame and making it to the towels.
Following that narrow escape, she came out for the final stanza with fresh intent, while it appeared Lee was drained after chasing the submission stoppage.
. (Courtesy of ONE Championship/.)
Seeing that, The Panda tried to empty her foe’s tank with body shots. A straight right to the solar plexus did the trick, as the Singaporean-American winced and backed off.
Sensing the end was near, Xiong rallied with more punches and followed up with a series of hard kicks to the midsection that saw her finish Lee and retain the gold in style.
Next, The Panda will defend her belt for the sixth time against Japanese judoka Ayaka “Zombie” Miura in the main event of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS.
#2 Kryklia secures gold with second-round demolition
Roman Kryklia demolished Dutch-Moroccan Tarik “The Tank” Khbabez at ONE: AGE OF DRAGONS to grab the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title in November 2019.
The towering Ukrainian took heavy punches from The Tank in the first frame but remained unfazed. His composure paid dividends in the second round, as he took over and blasted his rival to get the emphatic finish.
Kryklia opened up the route to victory with a right hand and a right head kick that stunned Khbabez before dropping him with a pair of heavy lefts.
The Dutchman regained his feet, but Kryklia didn’t let up. The Gridin Gym representative steamed forward with knees and punches until the referee stepped in to give a standing eight-count.
Ultimately, Khbabez’s body gave up before his mind. He tried to carry on once again, but a final flurry of punches forced the referee to halt the contest for good.
Kryklia has remained the divisional king ever since, and he’ll defend his belt against Murat “The Butcher” Aygun in the co-main event of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS – a hotly anticipated clash between two of the most dangerous kickboxers on the planet.
#3 Saemapetch finishes Kulabdam in battle of Thai stars
Many thought “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai was the bigger puncher in this matchup with Saemapetch Fairtex at ONE: FULL BLAST in May, but it was the latter whose fists earned him the victory.
Saemapetch had to tread carefully around his fellow Thai’s power at the start of their bantamweight Muay Thai battle, but once he got a read on Left Meteorite’s timing, he found a way to win.
Kulabdam slammed a low kick into the Fairtex man’s thigh but paid the ultimate price when Saemapetch responded with a rapid combination.
The first retort was a right hook that narrowly missed the mark. The follow-up straight left to the body didn’t, however, and it immediately buckled Left Meteorite.
Saemapetch carried on firing and skimmed Kulabdam with a knee as he went down, but it was the damage from the body shot that kept his rival on the canvas.
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This article is a collaboration with ONE Championship