ONE: Fire and Fury gave martial arts fans around the world plenty to talk about last Friday, January 31, at the Mall Of Asia Arena.
From the main event clash between ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio and Alex “Little Rock” Silva, to the lead card appearance of Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, fans were treated to another barn-burner to set the tone for another amazing year.
Here are three of the best performers from ONE: FIRE & FURY in Manila, Philippines.
Joshua “The Passion” Pacio
Pacio not only defended his World Title for the second time — he sent a message to the entire division that whatever projected weakness he had in the past can no longer be used against him.
The 24-year-old was comfortable, confident, and aggressive when Silva had him on the ground. For the Team Lakay prodigy to do that against an established Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt says a lot.
On the feet, “The Passion” was his usual self – loose, lightning-quick, and dangerous. The Evolve MMA standout often looked lost against the Filipino dynamo each time they traded blows.
With his confidence growing and his skillset evolving, it will not be surprising to see Pacio hold the belt for a long time.
Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang
While Pacio did his thing on the main card, Adiwang took ownership of the lead card, blasting Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit in just one round.
The 26-year-old brought fire and fury from the get-go, starting with a flurry of punches before connecting with a left hook that sent the visiting Thai to the canvass.
Mitsatit did show tons of heart, absorbing the damage and bounce back to momentarily take Adiwang’s back. Still, the Team Lakay standout was able to recover and lock in a kimura to secure the win.
Winning both of his main roster match-ups, the future certainly looks bright for Adiwang.
Pieter “The Archangel” Buist
Pieter “The Archangel” Buist knew he was going to be at a disadvantage when he accepted the bout with Eduard “Landslide” Folayang in the Filipino’s backyard on short notice.
For the first two rounds, the Dutchman surely felt that way, with the crowd erupting each time Folayang connected.
What was impressive was the composure Buist displayed. He continued to pick his shots until a huge opening came early in the third round. “The Archangel” landed a head kick to rock the three-time ONE Lightweight World Champion.
Smelling blood, Buist did not give an inch. He used his height and reach advantage to frustrate the 36-year-old in the third round and steal the win.
ONE Championship returns this Friday for more martial arts action as it holds ONE: Warrior’s Code on February 7 at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Download the ONE Super App to catch all the action live and for free.
Read More From ONE Championship:
Joshua Pacio Pulls Off Razor-Thin Victory To Retain World Title
