MMASucka staff picks are in for the second portion of our double-header weekend. ONE Championship: Legendary Quest will go down Saturday, June 15th from the Baoshan Arena in Shanghai, China beginning at 7:00am ET (4:00am PT). All the action can be watched live on pay-per-view. Make sure to also check out Friday night’s MMASucka Bellator 222 staff picks here.
THE FIGHTS
Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts fights will be scattered throughout the event. The latest fight counted towards our staff picks comes in the co-main event at middleweight between promotional debutante Yoshihiro Akiyama and Malaysia’s Agilan Thani. Akiyama made sound competing in HERO throughout the mid-2000’s, claiming the K-1 HERO light heavyweight championship 2006. The seasoned judoka would later sign with the UFC, and following a 2-5 run in the promotion, he has yet to compete since November of 2015. His opponent, Thani, had a hot start to his professional MMA career moving to 5-0 inside a two-year stretch. He’d face off against Ben Askren for the ONE welterweight championship in 2017, suffering a first-round submission loss in the co-main event. Thani is now looking to snap a two-fight skid following losses to notables Zebaztian Kadestam and Kiamrian Abbasov.
Exciting finishers Koyomi Matsushima and Won II Kwon are slated to fight in the lightweight division. Matsushima is coming off a sensational knockout win over former dominant ONE featherweight champion Marat Gafurov, while Kwon is fresh off a lighting fast 19-second finish over Eric Kelly.
Another solid fight between the undefeated Reinier de Ridder and Brazil’s Gilberto Galvao will take place on the card. De Ridder’s extensive background in jiu-jitsu and judo has resulted in all ten of his victories coming by way of stoppage, eight of them coming by way of submission. Galvao, a former Aspera FC middleweight champion and BJJ black belt, is coming off a 15-month layoff from competing in MMA. His hand was raised in his last outing after former All-American wrestler Jake Butler suffered a knee injury in the opening seconds of round two.
The remaining fights counted towards our staff picks can be found further below.
STAFF PICKS
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for ONE Championship: Legendary Quest below.
Staff Records after UFC 238:
1. Ed Gallo: 127-66
2. Connor Deitrich: 124-69
3T. Michael DeSantis: 123-70
3T. Brian Gerson: 123-70
5. Ryan Wagner: 120-65
6. Mike Skytte: 119-74
7. Wesley Riddle: 118-75
8. Jeremy Brand: 114-79
9. Omar Villagrana: 113-80
10. Mitchell Banuelos: 108-70
11. Matt Bricker: 106-77
12T. Justin Pierrot: 105-78
12T. Patrick Auger: 105-81
12T. Ash Camyab: 105-72
15. Frazer Krohn: 31-28
16. Ryan Hobbs: 19-21
17. Matheus Costa: 15-10
18. Andrew Benjamin: 10-7
Rong Fan (12-2) vs. Sherif Mohamed (9-4)
Jeremy Brand: Mohamed via UD
Wesley Riddle: Fan via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Fan via UD
Justin Pierrot: Mohamed via UD
Michael DeSantis: Fan via UD
Ryan Wagner: Fan via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Fan via UD
Ed Gallo: Fan via UD
Omar Villagrana: Fan via UD
Brian Gerson: Fan via UD
Matt Bricker: Fan via UD
Connor Deitrich: Fan via UD
Patrick Auger: Fan via UD
Ash Camyab: Mohamed via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Mohamed via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Fan via Round 2 SUB
Matheus Costa: Fan via UD
Staff picking Fan: 13
Staff picking Mohamed: 4
Lei Chen (5-1) vs. Anthony Engelen (8-6)
Jeremy Brand: Chen via UD
Wesley Riddle: Engelen via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Chen via Round 3 SUB
Justin Pierrot: Chen via UD
Michael DeSantis: Chen via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Chen via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Engelen via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Chen via UD
Omar Villagrana: Engelen via UD
Brian Gerson: Chen via UD
Matt Bricker: Chen via UD
Connor Deitrich: Chen via Round 2 TKO
Patrick Auger: Chen via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Engelen via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Engelen via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Engelen via UD
Matheus Costa: Engelen via UD
Staff picking Chen: 10
Staff picking Engelen: 7
Reinier de Ridder (10-0) vs. Gilberto Galvao (30-6-1)
Jeremy Brand: Galvao via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: de Ridder via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: de Ridder via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: de Ridder via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: de Ridder via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: de Ridder via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: de Ridder via UD
Ed Gallo: de Ridder via UD
Omar Villagrana: de Ridder via UD
Brian Gerson: de Ridder via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: de Ridder via UD
Connor Deitrich: de Ridder via UD
Patrick Auger: de Ridder via UD
Ash Camyab: de Ridder via UD
Ryan Hobbs: de Ridder via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: de Ridder via Round 1 SUB
Matheus Costa: de Ridder via UD
Staff picking de Ridder: 16
Staff picking Galvao: 1
Koyomi Matsushima (10-3) vs. Won II Kwon (7-1)
Jeremy Brand: Matsushima via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Kwon via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Matsushima via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Matsushima via UD
Michael DeSantis: Matsushima via UD
Ryan Wagner: Matsushima via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Matsushima via UD
Ed Gallo: Matsushima via UD
Omar Villagrana: Matsushima via UD
Brian Gerson: Matsushima via UD
Matt Bricker: Matsushima via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Matsushima via Round 3 TKO
Patrick Auger: Kwon via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Matsushima via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Kwon via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Matsushima via UD
Matheus Costa: Matsushima via UD
Staff picking Matsushima: 14
Staff picking Kwon: 3
Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-6) vs. Agilan Thani (8-3)
Jeremy Brand: Thani via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Akiyama via UD
Mike Skytte: Thani via UD
Justin Pierrot: Akiyama via UD
Michael DeSantis: Thani via UD
Ryan Wagner: Akiyama via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Akiyama via UD
Ed Gallo: Akiyama via UD
Omar Villagrana: Akiyama via UD
Brian Gerson: Akiyama via UD
Matt Bricker: Thani via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Thani via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Thani via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Akiyama via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Akiyama via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Akiyama via UD
Matheus Costa: Thani via UD
Staff picking Akiyama: 10
Staff picking Thani: 7
FEATURED IMAGE:
Yoshihiro Akiyama and Agilan Thani pose for the cameras ahead of their ONE Championship: Legendary Quest fight taking place Saturday, June 15th from the Baoshan Arena in Shanghai, Japan (photo credits to ONE Championship)
