To close out the year, ONE Championship brought together a fantastic nine-bout slate to the table at ONE: Winter Warriors II.
3 Things We Learned at ONE: Winter Warriors II
From new blood to the old guard, fans got a little taste of everything with several high-stakes contests between top contenders on the bill. Most importantly, the action delivered what was promised.
So, what can you walk away with after ONE: Winter Warriors II? Let’s break it down.
These are three key things we learned from ONE’s final event of 2021.
Next Generation Of Team Lakay Are Here
Four Team Lakay representatives took to the Circle in Singapore, but only two came out with a victory. And it could signify a shift in eras for the famed Philippines-based gym.
Former ONE World Champion Kevin Belingon and Danny Kingad suffered defeats to elite competition, but rising Filipino stars Stephen Loman and Jhanlo Mark Sangiao got wins earlier in the evening.
The two veterans should not be written off by any means. They are still in the thick of the upper echelon of their divisions, but the next generation of Team Lakay talent has arrived onto the global stage in a big way. It is an exciting development for the gym and martial arts in the country as a whole.
The cultivation of talent is an important step for any gym, and Team Lakay is showing they are the best of the best in The Philippines. The next wave is here and ready to carve out its own legacy.
Ramazanov Is Ready For Abbasov
Murad Ramazanov entered the Circle with a perfect record and exited the same way after defeating former divisional king Zebaztian Kadestam by unanimous decision.
The performance cemented his claim to being the middleweight division’s top contender.
ONE Welterweight World Champion Kiamrian Abbasov will have his hands full with Ramazanov, who has looked outstanding with each step up the ladder en route to his contendership. Kadestam was the penultimate step where he could slip in, but instead, he met the challenge and proved his worth.
Keep an eye on the Russian in the new year as he chases gold with an unblemished record.
Fabricio Andrade Is A Problem
The bantamweight division is led by a Brazilian, reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes, who is about to defend the crown against another countryman, John Lineker.
However, both men should take a peek behind them and realize Fabricio Andrade is making a play to be the next great Brazilian bantamweight in ONE.
Andrade took on the hard-hitting Li Kai Wen at ONE: Winter Warriors II and finished with a first-round TKO. In the face of a stiff challenge from his Chinese counterpart, Andrade breezed to a quick finish. The #4-ranked bantamweight contender is here to stay and could be a major factor in 2022.
