3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: HEART OF THE LION

Few cards in ONE Championship history have been as stacked as ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

The card at the Singapore Indoor Stadium is full of world-class martial artists, who will feature in match-ups that promise action and tremendous displays of skill.

There is no doubt the World Champion versus World Champion title unification rematch featuring ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and interim titleholder Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is catching the most attention – deservedly so – but several other bouts are capable of stealing the show.

Here are just three of the contests that could generate headlines on Friday, 9 November.

Giorgio Petrosyan VS Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy

You do not need to be an expert to predict that something brilliant might happen when two of the best strikers in the world meet in the cage.

When Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan meets Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy in a 71-kilogram catchweight ONE Super Series bout, leading representatives from the worlds of kickboxing and Muay Thai will collide.

Petrosyan is a joy to watch when he is full flow. The Italian’s counter-striking style has bamboozled countless opponents and forced them to swing at the air before he leaps forward to engage with lightning power strikes.

Few martial artists can match his combination of precision and power, which has made him arguably the best pound-for-pound kickboxer on the planet.

However, he will be up against a man who has proved he is one of the most talented practitioners of the art of eight limbs – as proven by his Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Title.

Sorgraw is another defensive dynamo with exquisite counters, but he can also push the pace and keep coming when he needs to.

Hopefully, these two technicians can bring out the best in each other’s skill sets and thrill the Singapore crowd with an all-action shootout.

Muhammad Aiman VS Shuya Kamikubo

“Jungle Cat” Muhammad Aiman (5-2) and Shuya “Stealth” Kamikubo (8-1-1) are both in red-hot form.

Malaysia’s Aiman is the more established name in ONE Championship, and he is enjoying a career-best three-bout win streak, but his Japanese opponent’s promotional debut victory over Sunoto in July was his fourth in a row, and showcased why he was such a great addition to the bantamweight ranks.

At 2-2 this time last year, Aiman was a fan favorite for his all-action, aggressive style, but he had struggled to convert that into consistent success.

Since then, the Bali MMA athlete has come good on his potential. He most recently crowned his run of form with his first submission victory – against Chen Lei. With that win, he handed “Rock Man” the first loss of his career.

“Stealth” is no stranger to ending streaks either. He snapped Sunoto’s four-match winning run with a second-round TKO at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS.

Kamikubo’s relentless pressure and ground and pound eventually paid dividends, but Aiman’s attacking guard will ask questions of the Japanese man’s ability to maintain his attack.

This bout should be fast-paced, and hotly-contested in every range.

Panicos Yusuf VS Muangthai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym

The bantamweight ONE Super Series clash between Panicos Yusuf and Muangthai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym is designed to deliver non-stop action.

Each man carries a different Muay Thai style into the contest, which perfectly compliments each other’s specialty.

Yusuf is a well-rounded practitioner who has fast kicks and strong punches, which will come in handy considering he will be wearing 4-ounce mixed martial arts gloves.

He is also an expert counter striker, which could be the perfect antidote to his Thai adversary’s aggression.

Muangthai is known for walking down his opponents, attacking with kicks from close range, and elbows that have knocked out many of his previous foes and earned him his “Elbow Zombie” nickname.

He is adept at stepping in with his favorite strikes and tying up his opponents in the clinch to launch them from close range.

However, the P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym representative has been known to keep his hands low and a little bit wide. The Cypriot is sharp enough to take full advantage of that, and there is no doubt his punches will be more effective in small gloves.