Staff picks are in for the first ONE Championship fight card of 2019, ONE Championship: Eternal Glory. The event will be taking place in Jakarta, Indonesia. Also be sure to check out our staff picks for UFC‘s debut card on ESPN+, taking place Saturday in Brooklyn.
The Fights
This is the first time MMASucka has done predictions for ONE Championship. Since some fights on this card are under Muay Thai rules, we will only be picking MMA fights. We have decided to pick what we consider the top four fights on the card. First, we will be picking the main event, where reigning ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio will be defending his belt against Japanese contender Yosuke Saruta. Elsewhere, in featherweight action, 20-year-old finish artist Christian Lee takes on Edward Kelly, both fighters 2-2 in their last four. Also in featherweight action, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Bruno Pucci will square off with the 41-year-old veteran Kotetsu Boku. The last fight we will be picking is on the prelims, a lightweight bout between Japan’s Koji Ando and Russia’s Rasul Yakhyaev.
Staff Picks
The winner of staff picks in the 2019 calendar year will have the choice to either be awarded a customized championship belt from ProAmBelts, are a customized championship chain from Championship Chains. 2018’s winner was Michael DeSantis, who finished the year with a record of 202-101.
Koji Ando (12-7) vs Rasul Yakhyaev (11-7)
Jeremy Brand: Yakhyaev via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Ando via UD
Mike Skytte: Yakhyaev via UD
Justin Pierrot: Yakhyaev via UD
Michael DeSantis: Ando via UD
Ryan Wagner: Ando via UD
Mitch Banuelos: Yakhyaev via UD
Ed Gallo: Ando via UD
Omar Villagrana: Yakhyaev via UD
Brian Gerson: Ando via UD
Matt Bricker: Yakhyaev via UD
Connor Deitrich: Yakhyaev via UD
Patrick Auger: Ando via UD
Suraj Sukumar: Yakhyaev via UD
Staff picking Ando: 6
Staff Picking Yakhyaev: 8
Bruno Pucci (6-3) vs Kotetsu Boku (26-12-2)
Jeremy Brand: Pucci via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Pucci via UD
Justin Pierrot: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Mitch Banuelos: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Boku via UD
Brian Gerson: Pucci via Round 2 SUB
Matt Bricker: Boku via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Boku via Round 2 TKO
Patrick Auger: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Boku via Round 1 TKO
Staff Picking Pucci: 3
Staff Picking Boku: 11
Christian Lee (10-3) vs Edward Kelly (11-5)
Jeremy Brand: Lee via UD
Wesley Riddle: Lee via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Kelly via UD
Justin Pierrot: Lee via UD
Michael DeSantis: Lee via Round 1 KO
Ryan Wagner: Lee via Round 2 SUB
Mitch Banuelos: Lee via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Lee via UD
Omar Villagrana: Lee via UD
Brian Gerson: Lee via Round 2 SUB
Matt Bricker: Lee via UD
Connor Deitrich: Lee via UD
Patrick Auger: Lee via UD
Suraj Sukumar: Lee via UD
Staff Picking Lee: 13
Staff Picking Kelly: 1
Joshua Pacio (13-2) vs Yosuke Saruta (18-8-3)
Jeremy Brand: Pacio via UD
Wesley Riddle: Pacio via UD
Mike Skytte: Saruta via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Pacio via UD
Michael DeSantis: Pacio via UD
Ryan Wagner: Pacio via Round 2 SUB
Mitch Banuelos: Pacio via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Pacio via Round 3 SUB
Omar Villagrana: Pacio via UD
Brian Gerson: Pacio via UD
Matt Bricker: Pacio via Round 3 SUB
Connor Deitrich: Pacio via Round 2 SUB
Patrick Auger: Pacio via Round 2 SUB
Suraj Sukumar: Pacio via UD
Staff Picking Pacio: 13
Staff Picking Saruta: 1
