It was certainly a night for the books.
ONE X lived up to the hype, as ONE Championship’s three-part 10th-anniversary celebration wowed fans all over the world.
Twenty fights across mixed martial arts, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling offered a little bit of everything for those who tuned in to watch Saturday’s massive card.
There were many takeaways from the event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and here are a few notable ones.
Angela Lee Is Still Head And Shoulders Above Everyone At Atomweight
A lot of questions had surrounded Angela Lee’s return to the Circle after a two-plus year hiatus to focus on motherhood. And those were answered in the most emphatic fashion.
The longtime ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion survived an early onslaught from challenger Stamp Fairtex in the first round before viciously attacking the Thai on the ground.
The flurry of submissions in the second stanza started with a twister then ended with a rear-naked choke that forced the tap in the final 10 seconds of the frame.
Would Lee’s conditioning hold up? It did. Would she be able to handle Stamp’s renewed confidence in MMA? She did. Is she as good as before? No, but only because “Unstoppable” seems like she’s even better than ever.
Stephen Loman Shows All-Around Game In Tough Win Over Shoko Sato
(C) ONE Championship
He wasn’t able to get the knockout that he was looking for, but it was still an impressive showing for Filipino phenom Stephen Loman.
“The Sniper” displayed his entire arsenal against a tough Japanese opponent to score his second win in ONE and solidify his status as a top contender in the loaded bantamweight division.
Struggling to find his range on the feet, Loman did something that he vowed not to do in pre-fight interviews – take the match to the ground.
That change in strategy served him well, as his control and ground-and-pound were enough to get his hand raised. And it also showed he can find other ways to come out on top, besides using his vicious right hand.
Denice Zamboanga Has A Long Way To Go, But That’s Okay
(C) ONE Championship
Denice Zamboanga’s night ended in disappointment as she lost to Ham Seo Hee once again – this time convincingly.
“Lycan Queen” simply couldn’t impose her strong wrestling game on the South Korean star, as Ham dominated from top position throughout the second and third rounds en route to the unanimous decision win.
With her second straight loss to #3-ranked Ham, the Filipina will drop from her #2 contender spot in the atomweight division.
But at just 25 years old, she still has a lot of room for improvement, while a defeat to one of the best in the world at this weight class is nothing to be ashamed of.
Plus, Zamboanga displayed improved striking during the match, especially in the first frame. If she can continue to polish those stand-up skills, the young Filipina could still become one of the most well-rounded performers in the Circle.
