Dutch middleweight contender [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] booked himself into a ONE middleweight title fight with a victory over Brazilian contender [autotag]Leandro Ataides[/autotag] at “ONE Championship 108: Warrior’s Code” on Friday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
De Ridder (12-0) extended his perfect professional record after three bloody, hard-fought rounds against heavy-handed former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Ataides (11-4) to earn his shot at the ONE middleweight title held by two-division champion Aung La N Sang.
De Ridder held the edge through the first round as he used his southpaw jab to good effect before closing the distance and sapping the Brazilian’s gas tank with extended clinch work and takedown attempts against the ring ropes.
Both men were bloodied up in Round 2, with de Ridder sporting a cut above his left eyebrow and Ataides bleeding from the mouth as the pair went into the trenches and fought toe to toe for much of the round. It set up a tense final frame as both men battled back and forth in a vain search for a late finish, but it was de Ridder whose pressure proved crucial as he earned the unanimous decision after three punishing rounds at Istora Senayan.
The victory means that de Ridder will be the next man to challenge Nsang for the ONE middleweight title, and “The Dutch Knight” had a message for “The Burmese Python” after his victory.
“Aung La! Are you ready?” he asked. “You pick the place, you pick the time, you pick the date. You deserve it. But keep that (expletive) belt shining, because I’m coming for it!”
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Lapicus chokes out the choke master
Former ONE featherweight champion [autotag]Marat Gafurov[/autotag] had a well-earned reputation as being the promotion’s king of the rear-naked choke. Between 2014 and the end of 2016 the Dagestani grappler had registered six rear-naked choke finishes in a row as he captured the title and dominated the division.
But, after moving up a weight class, Gafurov (17-3) was given a rude welcome to the ONE lightweight division by undefeated Moldovan contender [autotag]Iuri Lapicus[/autotag], who maintained his 100% finish rate with a stunning 67-second submission finish of the Russian, using Gafurov’s favorite technique.
Lapicus (14-0), who trains with kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan, showcased his powerful striking as he hammered Gafurov’s legs with a succession of thumping leg kicks. Then he moved in and, after connecting with some solid punches, took Gafurov to the mat. Once there, he swiftly moved to the former featherweight champion’s back and locked up a rear-naked choke and put “The Cobra” to sleep for the most impressive performance of the night.
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Saputra brings the house down
Local hero and national wrestling champion Eko Roni Saputra went on the hunt for a submission finish against Cambodia’s Khon Sichan and, after a few attempts, he got what he wanted.
The Indonesian flyweight headed into the bout determined to register an impressive victory after his last performance saw him handed victory via an unfortunate injury to his opponent. But there were no asterisks over his victory in Jakarta as Saputra (2-1-1) took Sichan (3-6) to the mat and worked relentlessly for an opening, before eventually locking up a rear-naked choke for the win.
Matsushima stakes his claim for featherweight title rematch
Former featherweight title challenger [autotag]Koyomi Matsushima[/autotag] delivered the perfect response to his stoppage defeat to champion Martin Nguyen in his last outing as he returned to action with a hugely impressive victory over South Korean contender [autotag]Kim Jae Woong[/autotag].
Matsushima (12-4) held the edge in all departments during a breathless first two rounds, but it was the Japanese fighter’s punch power that proved the difference-maker as he rocked his rival toward the end of the second round.
It gave the former Pancrase athlete all the confidence he needed to load up at the start of the final round and, after stunning Woong (10-4) in the opening exchange of the round, he finished his man with powerful strikes to score a crucial TKO victory and keep himself firmly in the featherweight title picture.
Hirata impresses with third successive stoppage
Twenty-year-old Japanese atomweight prospect [autotag]Itsuki Hirata[/autotag] showed both promise and personality in abundance as she claimed her third straight finish in ONE Championship with a third-round stoppage of gritty Kiwi [autotag]Nyrene Crowley[/autotag].
After finding herself in the receiving end of Crowley’s snapping strikes for the first half of Round 1, Hirata (3-0) closed the distance and dragged the action to the mat. After fending off Crowley’s attack from the back, the Japanese fighter finished the round in dominant position, landing heavy ground strikes.
A beautiful judo throw from Hirata sent Crowley (3-3) to the canvas at the start of the second stanza, and “Strong Heart Fighter” kept the action on the canvas for the rest of the round as she searched first for a submission, then for a late-round TKO stoppage. Somehow Crowley survived, but the momentum was clearly with Hirata, who danced her way back to the corner and even mean-mugged for the camera between rounds.
Hirata landed the early takedown once again in the final round as she turned up the pressure in pursuit of a finish. Crowley battled gamely off her back to fend off the Japanese fighter as she looked to create openings for an armbar and a Kimura, but she was powerless to prevent the finish as Hirata postured up and landed a succession of powerful ground strikes to force the TKO stoppage – the first of her young MMA career – with less than two minutes to go.
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Fajar fires up the fans
There was also a glimpse of a potential Indonesian star of the future, as combat sambo specialist [autotag]Fajar[/autotag] opened the night with an impressive first-round TKO finish of fellow countryman [autotag]Egi Rozten[/autotag].
Fajar (4-1) quickly gained the takedown with a smart outside trip, moved from side control to full mount, then rained down a barrage of ground and pound that left Rozten (2-4) with a cut above his right eyebrow and forced referee Kemp Cheng to end the bout at the 2:39 mark.
Official “ONE Championship 108: Warriors Code” results include:
MAIN CARD
- Reinier de Ridder def. Leandro Ataides via unanimous decision
- Iuri Lapicus def. Marat Gafurov via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:07
- Eko Roni Saputra def. Khon Sichan via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:45
- Koyomi Matsushima def. Kim Jae Woong via TKO (ground strikes) – Round 3, 0:24
PRELIMS
- Itsuki Hirata def. Nyrene Crowley via TKO (ground strikes) – Round 3, 3:23
- [autotag]Sunoto Peringkat[/autotag] def. [autotag]Nurul Fikri[/autotag] via unanimous decision
- [autotag]Abro Fernandes[/autotag] def. [autotag]Achman Eko Priandono[/autotag] via unanimous decision
- Fajar def. Egi Rozten via TKO (ground and pound) – Round 1, 2:39
