ONE Championship show ONE 168: Denver delivered great moments on the martial arts organization’s return to US soil.
From Superlek’s KO of Jonathan Haggerty in under a minute to MMA flyweight great Demetrious Johnson’s retirement speech, ONE 168 was a show to remember.
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Superlek is an Unstoppable Force
The biggest surprise of the evening was not that Superlek beat Jonathan Haggerty but the way in which the show’s main event unfolded. The Thai superstar showed why he is arguably the best Muay Thai fighter on the planet today with a knockout strike that once again proves his intelligence, perfect timing, and strength.
With 13 consecutive impressive wins – some of which came against top-class opponents such as Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Takeru Segawa – Superlek is in the form of his life and etching his name in history.
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Shamil Erdogan vs Anatoly Malykhin Seems Inevitable
While Anatoly Malykhin is focused on preparing for his ONE Heavyweight MMA world title defense against Oumar Kane at ONE 169: Atlanta, he could have watched another future title challenger at ONE 168.
Erdogan was in top form as he dominated former two-division world champion Aung La N Sang, showing elite wrestling and striking skills before finishing the Myanmar legend.
The 34-year-old Turkish star is a decorated wrestler who had beaten Malykhin in freestyle wrestling in the past. While an MMA battle is quite a different game, Erdogan already showed that he owns a diverse skillset.
It seems only a matter of time until Malykhin defends his ONE Middleweight MMA world title against the surging Turkish star.
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Seksan Delivers in Muay Thai Classic
Seksan Or Kwanmuang once again delivered a signature attacking performance against fellow seasoned veteran Liam Harrison. The Thai remained on the front foot throughout the fight, battering his British counterpart with punches on the way to a second-round TKO victory.
Nicknamed “The Man Who Yields To No One”, Seksan brings his best performances against fighters who are equally unafraid to press forward – and Seksan vs Harrison truly delivered on its promise!
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Muay Thai Felt Like “Home” For John Lineker
John Lineker got his nickname “Hands of Stone” for good reason. Though he is a well-rounded mixed martial artist and the former ONE Bantamweight MMA world champion, the Brazilian’s heavy punches are his biggest strengths of all.
When it was announced that Lineker will make his Muay Thai debut against experienced American fighter Asa Ten Pow, it seemed obvious that Lineker’s style would match Muay Thai’s ruleset – and the Brazilian proved that with an excellent performance as he dropped his American counterpart with a second-round knockout.
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The Future is Now: Adrian Lee, Johan Ghazali, and Johan Estupinan Bag Impressive Wins
In addition to Erdogan, both Adrian Lee and Johan Estupinan managed to keep their clean overall records – and both finished their opponents in the process. The youngest member of the Lee family picked up his second win from two ONE bouts via first-round submission while ONE’s first Colombian fighter earned a second-round TKO win against Sean Climaco, raising his overall record to 25-0.
Elsewhere, Johan Ghazali bounced back from his first ONE defeat in June with a first-round knockout win against Josue Cruz, showing once again why he has earned the praise of the Muay Thai world and comparisons to Rodtang.
Estupinan, Lee, and Ghazali are aged 21, 18, and 17, respectively – and they are already establishing themselves as three of the best young martial artists in the world.
