Two of the world’s best Muay Thai strikers served up a title fight classic at Singapore Indoor Stadium as Tawanchai PK.Saenchai claimed a unanimous decision to defeat Petchmorakot Petchyindee and capture the ONE featherweight Muay Thai title at ONE 161.

Both men traded big shots throughout a breathless five-round battle that was close enough to ensure the final result was far from a formality as the fighters awaited the judges’ verdicts. And, despite the ONE commentary team suggesting the champion had done enough to edge a decision, it was the challenger who was given the nod, with all three judges awarding him the fight, and the title, after a memorable war.

Kryklia to meet Azizpour in heavyweight kickboxing grand prix final

The final of the ONE heavyweight kickboxing grand prix will be contested by Ukraine’s Roman Kryklia and Iran’s Iraj Azizpour after the two strikers scored contrasting victories in their respective semi-final bouts.

In the co-main event, Kryklia stunned, then finished Brazil’s Guto Innocente to score a standing TKO victory in the opening round. A thumping overhand right decked Innocente, who looked close to being counted out by referee Elias Dolaptsis. But Innocente recovered sufficiently to convince the official to allow the bout to continue. That proved to only be a temporary reprieve, as a big head kick from Kryklia landed flush, staggering Innocente again and prompting Dolaptsis to wave off the fight after just 52 seconds.

The second semi-final bout saw the grinning Iraj Azizpour outwork Bruno Chaves over the full three-round duration to earn a unanimous decision and book his spot in the grand prix final, where he’ll face Kryklia for the grand prix title.

Izagakmaev bosses Lipeng, calls out Aoki

Rising lightweight contender Saygid Izagakhmaev claimed a dominant decision win over Zhang Lipeng, then called for a bout with Japanese legend Shinya Aoki.

Izagakhmaev looked comfortably the better man on the mat as he controlled Zhang through the majority of the three-round bout. Then, after his unanimous decision win, he called for a bout of some description with Aoki, claiming the Japanese icon was scared to face him under MMA rules, and offering to face him under submission grappling rules instead.

https://twitter.com/ONEChampionship/status/1575488447447384069

Teo subs Phogat

Former strawweight title challenge Tiffany “No Chill” Teo showed plenty of intensity at the pre-fight faceoff for her bout with India’s Ritu Phogat, and she backed up that aggression with a strong performance on fight night to submit “The Indian Tigress” via first-round rear-naked choke on her atomweight debut.

Teo used her range to connect with strikes in the stand-up, then bossed the grappling exchanges on the mat to eventually take Phogat’s back before locking up the fight-ending submission with just eight seconds left in the opening round.

“Reug Reug” claims TKO finish

In the opening bout of the main card, Senegalese wrestling champion “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane claimed a second-round TKO victory over previously undefeated Russian Batradz Gazzaev.

Gazzaev pushed the pace through the first round as he looked to use his wrestling to take the former Senegalese wrestling champion to the canvas, but “Reug Reug” defended well from difficult positions to deny the Russian the opportunity to gain a dominant position on the mat.

The second round saw Kane return the favour on Gazzaev as he pushed forward landing heavy strikes, then punished his man for an attempted takedown by working his way free, gaining mount and finishing him with heavy-duty ground and pound to force referee Herb Dean to step in and wave off the fight mid-way through the round.

ONE 161: Official results

MAIN CARD

  • Tawanchai PK.Saenchai def. Petchmorakot Petchyindee via unanimous decision – for featherweight Muay Thai title
  • Roman Kryklia vs. Guto Inocente – heavyweight kickboxing grand prix semi-final
  • Iraj Azizpour def. Bruno Chaves via unanimous decision – heavyweight kickboxing grand prix semi-final
  • Saygid Izagakhmaev v def. Zhang Lipeng via unanimous decision
  • Tiffany Teo def. Ritu Phogat via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:52
  • Oumar Kane def. Batradz Gazzaev via TKO (ground and pound) – Round 2, 2:15

LEAD CARD

  • Alaverdi Ramazanov def. Capitan Petchyindee via split decision  – Muay Thai
  • Sangmanee PK.Saenchai def. Zhang Chenglong via split decision  – Muay Thai
  • Ferrari Fairtex def. Han Zi Hao via unanimous decision – Muay Thai
  • Rodrigo Marello def. Ruslan Bagdasarian via submission (ankle lock) – Round 1, 0:15 – submission grappling
  • Ali Foladi def. Matheus Felipe via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 4:20