The Best Mixed Martial Arts Bouts From The Past Three Months

ONE Championship held a slew of captivating events in the third quarter of 2018.

The promotion brought explosive martial arts cards to some of Asia’s biggest hubs including Shanghai, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila.

Given the number of world-class operators in action, it is no surprise fans were treated to some scintillating encounters and matches that portrayed what true martial arts is really all about.

Here are five of the best mixed martial arts bouts from the past three months.

Li Kai Wen VS Emilio Urrutia

China’s “The Underdog” Li Kai Wen was already in the midst of a successful 2018, having picked up back-to-back wins since the start of the year.

In July, at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he faced Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia. The Thailand-based American was coming off a tough loss to former ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov, and he looked to rebound in a major way.

Li, who knocked out Rodian Menchavez in a record-setting 10 seconds just three weeks earlier, rushed out of the gate. He put the pressure on the American, striking hard and early. Urrutia was dropped with a cross-hook combination, but he somehow managed to survive.

Shot after shot landed for “The Underdog,” but Urrutia’s resilience was nothing short of remarkable. Towards the end of the second round, he began to shift the momentum in his favor.

Just as it looked like “The Honey Badger’s” late surge might pay off, the Chinese warrior flipped the script once more. He wobbled his American rival with a left hook, and then rallied with a late flurry to pick up a rousing victory.

Danny Kingad VS Yuya Wakamatsu

Danny “The King” Kingad and Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu promised to deliver fireworks when they faced off at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES in September, and the fans in Jakarta, Indonesia were treated to exactly that.

The Japanese athlete entered the flyweight contest with a 90 percent knockout ratio, while his Filipino adversary’s wushu credentials meant that the two men would employ different, yet effective, striking tactics.

In the first round, “The King” felt Wakamatsu’s power when a sharp right hand sent him to the canvas. He recovered, however, and used his grappling skills to attack for a finish on the ground.

Kingad opened up his striking repertoire as the bout continued, landing back kicks and side kicks, which were clearly slowing his man down.

“Little Piranha” almost buckled from the side kicks to his lead leg, but he survived and kept throwing hard shots in return. In the end, the Filipino earned a unanimous decision from the judges.

Zebaztian Kadestam VS Agilan Thani

Agilan “The Alligator” Thani showed improved striking against Muay Thai champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam, but it was the Swede’s brute force that prevailed, despite being against the pro-Thani crowd in Kuala Lumpur.

The ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER main event pitted two former ONE Welterweight World Title challengers against each other, and it was “The Bandit” who took the initiative and hoisted himself back to the top of the division.

Kadestam connected with hard elbows and kicks, and he fended off most of the Malaysian’s takedown attempts. “The Alligator” fired back with some head kicks of his own, but his Swedish adversary was not fazed.

In the final stanza, an accurate salvo of elbows found the mark as Thani struggled to initiate a ground battle. Kadestam was relentless in his pursuit of the finish, and he eventually scored the TKO.

Kevin Belingon VS Martin Nguyen

Two-division ONE World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen hoped to cause an upset at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines when he squared off against local hero Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon for the ONE Interim Bantamweight World Title in July.

The Vietnamese-Australian was hoping to defeat the Team Lakay veteran in the main event of ONE: REIGN OF KINGS to claim a record-breaking third belt, but his opponent had other plans.

Belingon’s five-bout win streak showed in his confidence as he used heavy punches and accurate kicks to consistently outwork his rival. Nguyen’s right hand always posed a threat, and he kept looking for the one-shot winner, but he could not find it.

“The Silencer” evaded shots, connected with furious flurries, and demonstrated striking superiority through five closely-contested rounds. He was given the unanimous decision win and claimed the interim title.

Narantungalag Jadambaa VS Kazuki Tokudome

Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa continued his quest back to the gold at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER.

After a year and a half break, he made a glorious return by defeating Edward Kelly via TKO in late June. Just three weeks later, the Mongolian martial arts legend faced Pancrase Lightweight Champion Kazuki Tokudome in Kuala Lumpur.

Jadambaa utilized explosive takedowns and powerful striking to remain in the ascendancy against his Japanese foe. 

However, Tokudome held his own and was always a presence. He dropped “Tungaa” with a right hand in round two, only for the former titleholder to return the favor. The man from Tokyo showed huge heart to survive a full-scale ground assault from Jadambaa in the third frame.

Ultimately, these two went the distance, and the judges rendered a unanimous decision for the Mongolian.