Top 5 Performances From Australian Heroes In ONE

The Australian martial artists in ONE Championship are a diverse bunch of individuals, but the common trait that ties the group together is their shared desire to engage in exciting battles on the global stage.

There are proud knockout artists and grappling specialists from “The Land Down Under,” and each warrior has used his skill set to reach the pinnacle of mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and Muay Thai.

With that in mind, here are five of the greatest performances from the Australian heroes in ONE Championship.

Nguyen Knocks Out Folayang In Mid-Spin

Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen made history when he knocked out then-lightweight king Eduard “Landslide” Folayang at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in Manila, Philippines back in November 2017.

The ONE Featherweight World Champion moved up a division to challenge the Filipino icon for the lightweight belt in his home country, and the Vietnamese-Australian wisely took his time to figure out his opponent’s rhythm in the first round.

It paid off in the second stanza, as Nguyen struck when the Team Lakay representative tried to increase the tempo. Folayang took aim with a spinning back kick, but “The Situ-Asian” timed his reply as “Landslide” was in motion.

Nguyen threw his trademark overhand right, and it connected on the point of Folayang’s chin and dropped him to the floor in a heap.

With his foe down and out, the Vietnamese-Australian star became the first-ever two-division ONE World Champion and authored one of the greatest World Title knockouts ever seen in The Home Of Martial Arts.

Compton Dismantles Semper Over Three Rounds

Back in June 2018, Elliot “The Dragon” Compton dominated Thailand-based American Matthew “Sobek” Semper for three rounds to get a one-sided unanimous decision win at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR in Yangon, Myanmar.

The multi-faceted Australian striker flashed his wide-ranging arsenal with spinning kicks and jumping knees throughout the battle, but it was his sharp boxing attack that did the most damage.

Compton stayed composed against the aggressive American, and he sent him to the canvas twice with hard counter-jabs. “Sobek” managed to hang on until the final bell, but he was outclassed by “The Dragon’s” relentless offense.

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Tonna Knocks Out The “Punisher”

This past February, Josh “Timebomb” Tonna looked phenomenal en route to a second-round KO victory against Andy “Punisher” Howson at ONE: WARRIOR’S CODE in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The pair exchanged hard strikes in the opening stanza, and that trend continued in the second frame until Tonna unleashed his incredible finishing sequence.

He clubbed his way in with a right hook, and then he used his hands to control the English veteran’s head. With his target secure, “Timebomb” drove his left knee into “Punisher’s” chin and dropped him face-first to the canvas for the knockout win.

Tonna hopes the victory has secured his shot at ONE Strawweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao — and the legendary Thai welcomes the challenge.

The “Hunter” Makes A Quick Catch

The lightweight battle between Australian hard-hitter Adrian “Hunter” Pang and local hero Peter Davis at ONE: TIGERS OF ASIA in Kuala Lumpur back in October 2015 was over in just 48 seconds.

Pang stood his ground in the center of the Circle as Davis tried to move around him to land his strikes. When the Malaysian stepped in with a jab, “Hunter” wobbled him with a chopping straight right to the temple.

Davis tried to close the distance, but the hulking Aussie let rip with a fierce barrage of punches, which sent his rival to the canvas.

A few follow-up strikes separated the Malaysian from his senses, giving Pang his first TKO victory in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

McLaren Dominates And Finishes Mangat

Reece “Lightning” McLaren has earned some phenomenal victories on the global stage, but his latest win over Gurdarshan “Saint Lion” Mangat at ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS in December 2019 is right up there with the best.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt took the Canadian-Indian superstar down in the opening minute, and he never let up with his offense on the ground.

He controlled Mangat from side control, and then he moved to mount to deliver hard punches and elbows. “Saint Lion’s” only option was to turn away from the incoming barrage, but the Australian quickly moved to his back.

From there, McLaren immediately ensnared Mangat with his suffocating rear-naked choke, and he put on a tight squeeze to force the tap and get back on the winning track.

Read more: How Gaming Helps Martin Nguyen Stay On Top