4 Terrific Submissions From The Heroes Of ONE: HEART OF THE LION

On Friday, 9 November, ONE Championship will return to the Singapore Indoor Stadium to hold its latest martial arts spectacle, ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

While there will be many knockout artists on the bill, especially with the exciting strikers competing in ONE Super Series, grappling enthusiasts will also love the card as it is packed with world-class submission artists who are capable of locking up a limb or a neck in an instant.

Ahead of this blockbuster show in the “Lion City,” check out four of the best submissions from some of the stars who will be in action.

Angela Lee Courageously Submits Istela Nunes

During her career, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee (9-0) has finished opponents with a range of submissions, from armbars to rear-naked chokes, and even a twister.

However, her anaconda choke at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES in May 2017 may top the lot because of the odds the Singaporean faced as she defended her belt against undefeated Brazilian dynamo Istela Nunes.

Despite suffering from pneumonia, Lee was dominant from the opening bell of this contest. She used her aggressive grappling to bring the action to the mat, where she threatened with ground strikes and even another twister.

In the second round, Lee found an opening for the bout-ending submission. After stuffing a Nunes takedown, she locked up a deep hold on her foe’s neck.

She threw some knees, and then used an outside trip to bring the contest to the floor, where she adjusted her grip, secured an anaconda choke, and gradually squeezed the Brazilian into submission.

At ONE: HEART OF THE LION, Lee will attempt to claim her second belt, as she moves up a division to challenge ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan (16-1) in the main event.

Bibiano Fernandes Forces Andrew Leone To Quit

Few martial artists are more well-rounded than ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes (22-3), but his grappling is still undoubtedly his strongest suit.

The Brazilian’s jaw-dropping submission skill was on full display at ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS in August 2017 in Macau, where he battled Andrew Leone in his seventh straight World Title defense.

Seconds into the contest, Fernandes initiated a tie-up against the fence. After a momentary power-struggle, the champion deflated Leone with a missile-like knee to the midsection.

He then chased his man to the mat, where he slipped into back mount and started hammering away with punches as the challenger covered up. When his opportunity came, he locked up a rear-naked choke in an instant, and the tap quickly followed.

In Singapore, Fernandes will attempt to unify the bantamweight titles as he squares off against ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon (19-5) – a man he has submitted once before. 

Muhammad Aiman Ruins Chen Lei’s Spotless Record

When Malaysia’s “Jungle Cat” Muhammad Aiman (5-2) stepped into the ring with “Rock Man” Chen Lei at ONE: BEYOND THE HORIZON in Shanghai, China this past September, he had a tough task – to conquer an undefeated opponent on his home turf.

Despite the odds stacked against him, the Bali MMA product passed the test.

Though he spent much of the first round on his back, “Jungle Cat” stepped on the gas in round two. After stuffing a takedown against the ropes, he leaped onto his foe’s back, locked up his body with a figure-four, and applied a suffocating rear-naked choke.

Showing remarkable toughness, “Rock Man” attempted to survive until the round’s end, but eventually, he was forced to wave the white flag.

On 9 November, the Malaysian bantamweight will look for another epic victory at the expense of Japan’s Shuya “Stealth” Kamikubo (8-1-1).

Garry Tonon Taps Out Rahul Raju

After he won his mixed martial arts debut via strikes, the world was eager to see if five-time EBI Grappling Champion Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon (2-0) would use his legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu to finish his second match.

Against Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS in July, he did.

Tonon got to work with his grappling early – he grounded the action repeatedly through the first two rounds, threatening with an omoplata and multiple leg locks. Remarkably, however, Raju escaped all these attacks and survived to the third.

In the final round, Tonon finally finished his resilient foe. When the BJJ ace completed another takedown, he forced Raju to give up his back as he tried to prevent his guard from being passed.

Once “The Lion Killer” was in a threatening position, he tried to go for an armbar, but ended up abandoning that technique to slide down his opponent’s body and isolate an arm so he could lock up the rear-naked choke. Surrender was the only option from there.

Tonon will return to the cage inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where he will be greeted by Korean leg lock specialist Sung Jong Lee (4-2).