Top 5 Submissions By The Stars Of ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS
ONE Championship returns to “The Lion City” for its final event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium of 2019, and it will be one to watch for fans that love the grappling arts.
The ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS line-up this Friday, 22 November, features some of The Home Of Martial Arts’ most revered submission specialists, including a pair of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champions, and mixed martial artists that have proved their finishing prowess in the Circle.
These are five of their finest submissions on the global stage.
#1 Khan Chokes Out A Former World Champion
Amir Khan is mostly known for his fearsome Muay Thai skills, but his work with Evolve’s BJJ coaches came into play when he submitted Honorio “The Rock” Banario at ONE: BEYOND THE HORIZON.
The Singaporean put his Filipino rival in danger on the mat earlier in the first round, but the decisive takedown came when he ducked into a single-leg attempt, and then moved to the former ONE Featherweight World Champion’s back to dump him on the ground.
From there, Khan patiently worked for the finish. He looked to trap Banario’s left arm with his left leg, and when “The Rock” tried to stop it, he took his focus away from Khan’s biggest threat – the choke.
The Evolve man slipped his right arm under the chin and squeezed to get a landmark victory.
#2 Ting’s Choke Completes Incredible Comeback
Ev “E.T.” Ting got back to winning ways in his last match with a stunning second-round submission win over Daichi Abe in a thrilling encounter at ONE: MASTERS OF DESTINY.
The Kiwi-Malaysian had been hurt by strikes in the first stanza, but he recovered well and dropped his Japanese foe with an overhand right in the second to set up the finish.
Ting worked his ground and pound from inside Abe’s guard, and when the Pancrase Welterweight World Champion attempted to stand up to escape the onslaught, “E.T.” quickly took his back and locked on the rear-naked choke in an instant to get the tap.
He will attempt to score his second consecutive win when he squares off against Khan in an important lightweight tilt between two of the division’s perennial top contenders.
#3 “Rock Man’s” Late Finish
“Rock Man” Chen Lei overcame some stern resistance to capture a third-round submission victory over Saiful “The Vampire” Merican at ONE: KINGS AND CONQUERORS.
The Chinese athlete was on the hunt for a finish all the way through the contest, but he only secured it when he mounted his Malaysian adversary in the final frame.
First, he softened his man up with punches, and then he worked his knees high so that he could step over “The Vampire’s” head and angle off for an armbar. With the limb secured, “Rock Man” thrust his hips forward to hyperextend the elbow and get the tap.
Chen will face American wrestler Troy “Pretty Boy” Worthen in Singapore.
#4 Silva’s BJJ Tames “The Lion”
Alex “Little Rock” Silva won the battle of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialists when his World Championship-winning skills finally paid dividends against Stefer “The Lion” Rahardian.
Silva ran out of time to finish his rear-naked choke attempt in the first round at ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD, and it looked like another opportunity was about to slip away with just 20 seconds left on the clock in round two.
However, the Brazilian quickly changed his plan by swinging his right leg over Rahardian’s head. “The Lion” recognized the threat and tried to get on top to defend, but “Little Rock” went belly-down to break his opponent’s grip and apply pressure to the elbow to elicit the tap thanks to a slick armbar.
The BJJ black belt will return in his adopted hometown to face off against Peng Xue Wen.
#5 Pucci’s 56-Second Stunner
Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci needed just 56 seconds to put “White Dragon” Xie Chao to sleep in their featherweight match-up at ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM.
When the No-Gi BJJ World Champion tripped the Chinese athlete to the mat in the opening seconds, Xie worked his butterfly guard game to try to get back to his feet, but “Puccibull” sensed an opening in the transition.
He jumped on to “White Dragon’s” neck with an arm-in guillotine, and dropped back to the mat to finish. Xie tried to punch himself free, but the hold was too tight, and the referee quickly stepped in to halt the contest as he went limp.
Pucci will drop to the bantamweight division to take on the surging Shuya “Stealth” Kamikubo this Friday.
