On Friday, November 26, ONE: NextGen III concluded ONE Championship’s NextGen series in a major way.
3 Things We Learned at ONE: NextGen III
Former World Championship Alaverdi Ramazanov and Alex Silva shined, and newcomer Jarred Brooks put a stamp on his debut with a main event finish. It was a complete night with the stars showing why they are some of the best martial artists in the world.
What can we take away from the event?
Here are three things we learned from ONE: NextGen III.
Jarred Brooks Is The Truth
Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks stepped onto the global stage of ONE for the first time in the main event of ONE: NextGen III, and he delivered in a big way.
Unlike other newcomers, Brooks was a known commodity coming into the match against Lito Adiwang, who was ranked as the #5 contender in the strawweight division. Brooks has long been considered one of the best strawweights in the world and considered in the pound-for-pound lists as well.
When the bell rang, he asserted his dominance. Brooks used his wrestling and took Adiwang down. He stymied the Filipino’s attack and worked diligently from top position. In the second round, he got the takedown, moved to mount, and secured the arm-triangle choke.
Adiwang’s teammate, Joshua Pacio, sits atop the division. The win was a message to him. Brooks is here, and he is ready to contend immediately.
Alex Silva Isn’t Done Yet
When you are over 40, many people write you off in athletics. But Alex “Little Rock” Silva continues to defy Father Time.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace shined once again with a first-round submission win over Rene Catalan. And anytime you can avoid damage and score a quick win, you keep your athletic career moving forward. The strawweight contender is very much a threat still, and everybody, including the World Champion, will be mindful of the threats he poses.
Silva may need at least another win before another title shot, but he is a viable candidate. He has earned that right.
Felipe Lobo Could Be The Next Bantamweight Star
Felipe Lobo looked sensational in his ONE debut, but there was some doubt he could repeat that success against Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in his sophomore effort.
Well, those doubts were erased with a unanimous decision victory. The speed of the Brazilian was shocking. He was crisp and stuck Rodlek repeatedly with stinging strikes. Lobo’s performance showed that there may be a new kickboxing star on the block.
For Lobo to topple a Thai star such as Rodlek puts him on the map officially. He is not going to sneak up on anybody moving forward, and should he continue to win, Lobo may be in-line for some monster bouts in 2022.
