On Friday, March 11, ONE Championship returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium with ONE: Lights Out.
3 Things We Learned From ONE: Lights Out
There was no better name for the event as nine of the ten bouts resulted in a finish, with eight coming by way of KO/TKO. If it were an episode of Batman, the screen would have been filled with “Pow!” and “Wham!” graphics throughout the night.
After the confetti was swept away, here are three things we learned about the athletes who got their hands raised inside the Circle.
Thanh Le’s Shocking Power
Louisiana native Thanh Le has flashed his power repeatedly, but his defense of the ONE Featherweight World Championship was another display of his stunning ability to knockout opponents from any position at any time.
As Garry Tonon sought a leg lock, Le moved well to defend while peppering his American counterpart with shots on the ground. Finally, one found the mark and cracked Tonon on the jaw to shut out the lights.
The finish moved Le’s ONE record to 5-0, with each win coming by way of highlight-reel KO.
Le’s current run of knockouts against incredible competition should begin to enter him in the discussion of pound-for-pound lists. He has thwarted submission artists and knockout out elite strikers. He is elite and one of the most exciting athletes on the planet.
Lineker Finally Achieved Greatness
John Lineker has been a top contender in whatever division he was in and whatever organization he was competing. However, he had failed to get a World Championship to cement his status.
That all changed with a second-round KO over Bibiano Fernandes.
Lineker finally claimed his spot atop the mountain, and it was even more impressive to do so against a long-dominant force such as Fernandes. Lineker stayed true to what earned him praise from fans around the world and achieved a title with thundering hooks.
It was a feel-good moment and injected new life into the bantamweight division as Lineker ushered in a new era as the ONE Bantamweight World Champion.
Saputra Is A Flyweight Contender
The flyweight division has been on fire, but another rising star is crashing the scene as a possible contender for the gold. Indonesia’s Eko Roni Saputra is riding a six-bout win streak toward the official ONE athlete rankings.
Saputra continued his 100% finishing rate with a first-round submission over Chan Rothana.
His recent performances have shown his wrestling dominance as well as his improvement on the feet. The Indonesia National Wrestling Champion becomes more dangerous as he becomes a more well-rounded athlete.
Saputra has earned a shot at a contender. He is undeniable at this point, and with another big win, don’t be surprised if he is next in line for a shot at the gold.
