ONE Championship delivered an all-mixed martial arts event with ONE: Battleground II, a previously recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium, on Friday, August 13.
3 Things We Learned at ONE: Battleground II
The five-bout event saw a little taste of everything that makes mixed martial arts great. There was a submission, a knockout, and a couple of well-contested battles that went the distance. The solid night of action left fans with a new outlook on the respective winners and their divisions.
Here is what we learned from ONE: Battleground II after the lights were turned off in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Zhang’s Debut Proves He Is A Lightweight Threat
Zhang “The Warrior” Lipeng stormed through China’s mixed martial arts scene with 21 victories in 24 bouts before making his way to ONE. Standing across the Circle from a former divisional king, Zhang now had an opportunity to immediately thrust himself into the mix.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Eduard “Landslide” Folayang was dangerous on the feet with his heavy kicks, but Zhang pressed forward and forced him to the Circle Wall. Each time the Filipino found himself running out of real estate, the Chinese athlete would soon shoot for the takedown and bring him to the canvas.
Over 15 minutes, Zhang’s top control and ground and pound would be enough to secure the unanimous decision victory. Zhang proved himself against one of the top talents in the division and should be ready for another step forward after a successful debut.
Saputra Is Ready For The Next Level
Indonesia’s Eko Roni Saputra has looked the part of a future contender as of late, with four straight victories in the first round. However, this performance was key as it showed the flyweight division they have to be worried about his striking game as well.
In a record-setting showing, Saputra completed the fastest knockout in ONE flyweight history with a scorching 10-second KO.
The sweeping right hand showcased his power and immediately put Liu Peng Shuai to sleep.
After winning five straight matches, in the first round no less, Saputra should take a huge step closer to contention. He has earned a bigger name and tougher challenge to prove he is ready for the top five in the division.
Silva Remains A Top Contender
Alex “Little Rock” Silva took to the Circle to defend his spot in the rankings, but he was also set out to prove he was still a top contender. The #5-ranked strawweight contender did just that with a stellar unanimous decision win over Miao Li Tao.
Silva’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is incredible, and it nearly delivered an early victory. In the early part of the first round, the Brazilian pulled guard and looked to have Miao’s arm in trouble. The Chinese athlete was able to survive and escape, but he couldn’t mount the offense needed to turn the tide.
Silva would get the action to the mat repeatedly and seize the victory.
“Little Rock” continues to prove that age is just a number and that he is still a major player in the division. The #5-ranked contender is ready for another push to reclaim the gold.
