ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors was easily the biggest & best MMA event Malaysia has ever seen. We here at FightBah was given the opportunity by both ONE FC & Ben Does Martial Arts to do a close up coverage of the event.
Hosted at Stadium Negara, we took a Taxi ride from Tune Hotel and reached the venue in about 10 minutes. Outside the Stadium were a few booths like Twisted Fight Gear selling MMA T-shirts, drinks by Uppercut, Carl's Junior, True Fitness & a ticket collection area for those that purchased your ONE FC tickets via www.airasiaredtix.com.
The MuayFit gym girls were there giving out flyers & getting potential customer information.
When we got there to the event it was about 6:45pm and already there was small crowd outside. Many fight clubs like Studio 23, Leverage Gym, MuayFit, Evolve MMA, Wuji & many other were mingling around. It only sinked in on me how huge this event was when I suddenly caught a glimpse of Renzo Gracie passing by!
Renzo was to be on the ring side commenting with Jason Chambers (the host in Fight Quest).
After getting our Media pass we went in to the event & were bedazzled by the great set up the organisers have done to the Stadium!
Inside the stadium the atmosphere was filled with excitement, there was a sizeable crowd and everyone seem pumped up. The ground staff were busy making this event perfect and the crowd were waiting with full of anticipation.
Then at 8:00pm the announcement was made. This event is about to start! The "PRIDE Lady" Lenne Hardt's unmistakable voice was heard calling out each fighter to the ring and the crowd went crazy with each name called!
It feels surreal to see Renato Sobral standing in front of you on Malaysian soil!
And the event is about to start!
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Now we get to the juicy part, the fights.
1st match up was between Malaysian fighter Peter Davis vs Quek Kim Hock.
Round 1:
Both Fighters touch gloves. Davis starts the round with a jab, Hock inside kick. Davis throwing more punches, Hock seems cautious. Leg kick by Davis connects on Hock's face. Davis follows up. Davis throwing punches & elbows, Hock covering up. Davis clinches in and knees. Hock not doing anything but only covering up. Referee stops the fight at 55 seconds!
1st win for Malaysia!
2nd Match Marcos Escobar vs Rodrigo Praxebes.
Round 1:
Marcos Escobar throwing strikes early, they both clinched, both fighters end up on the floor. Escobar working his position and ends up on top. Escobar gets mount, ground and pound! This could end here! Saved by the bell!
Round 2:
Both fighter tied up & moved to the cage. Escobar throwing knees. Illegal knee to the groin. Referee stops the fight. Rodrigo gets a minute to rest up. Fight continues. Escobar goes for the takedown, Rodrigo defends and they end up on the cage. Escobar foot stomps Rodrigo, throwing knees. Referee breaks the fight. Rodrigo looks tired already. Both fighter exchanged a few strikes & it looks like Rodrigo manage to hit Escobar down. Rodrigo gets to the side & punches from there. Rodrigo mounts, Escobar escapes. Both standing again. Rodrigo slips and fell. Escobar takes advantage. Punches, Knees from Escobar.
Crowd chanting out for Escobar. Escobar mounts & elbows from the top! 40 seconds left! Rodrigo hangs for life. Referee still not calling despite many punches from Escobar. Rodrigo saved by the bell again!
Round 3:
Rodrigo looks really tired now. Escobar takes Rodrigo down. Escobar goes for the choke hold. Rodrigo taps! Escobar wins in 1minute, 5 seconds on the 3rd round!
Escobar gets the cheer as he wins this representing the Malaysian crowd!
3rd Match AJ Vaa vs Mitch Chilson.
Round 1:
The fight starts. Mitch throws a punch which AJ manage to duck & gets an impressive takedown! Mitch didn't see that one coming. Both fighter gets up, Mitch grabs AJ & takes him down. Chilson ends up on top. Both fighter gets up, AJ shoots again but Chilson sprawls. Chilson knees. AJ tries another takedown, Chilson sprawls, takes the back. Rear naked choke! AJ taps!
Mitch Chilson wins at 1 minute 39 seconds!
4th Match is between Arnaud Lepont vs Brian Choi.
Before the fight starts, Arnaud gets a yellow card over an illegal tape around his knee.
Round 1:
This fight starts with both fighter going at each other! Slugfest. Arnaud taunts. Knee from Arnaud. They slug again. Arnaud punches connects, Brian backs against the wall. They tie up. Brian throwing knees. They break and both guys still going at each other! This is war! Brian shoots for takedown & gets it, Arnaud grabs Brian's wrist during his fall and tries a Kimura. Brian defends it. Arnaud puts Brian in the guard. Brian picks his punches from the guard. Brian drags Arnaud from the cage to the center of cage while in his guard.
Referee breaks the fight. They both exchange punches & strikes again! Brian takes Arnaud down just at the sound of the bell! This is going to be a great fight!
Round 2:
Both fighter came to the center and hugged, crowd laughs.
Brian takes Arnaud down again after they exchange a few more strikes. Arnaud rolls out of it. They stand. Brian pins Arnaud to the cage. Brian working from the cage. Both fighters break from the cage. Arnaud left connects. Both fighter trading strikes at teach other again! Brian takes Arnaud down. Brian punches Arnaud in the guard. Arnaud attempts triangle choke but missed. Bell rings!
Round 3:
Both fighter came out and jest abit to the delight of the crowd.
Brian manages to knock Arnaud down. Brian punches from the top and gets Arnaud's back while Arnaud was trying to roll out of it. Brian switches to a side control. Both fighter scramble & got up. Brian tries another takedown, Arnaud sprawls. Arnaud gets on top, gets the back. Arnaud tries to sink in a rear naked choke! he does! Brian taps!
Arnaud Lepont wins via rear naked choke on 1 minute 30 seconds of the 3rd round!
Arnaud calls out to get a match with Shinya Aoki!
Match number 5 sees Bae Young Kwon vs Eric Kelly!
Round 1:
Eric starts the round striking fast. Bae takes Eric down, Eric gets up quickly. Bae takes Eric down again! Bae gets Eric's back. Bae attempts a few submittion but Eric escapes them all. Both gets up. Eric kicks, Bae takes him down. Eric gets up, Bae throws Eric down again! Bae gets the top and gets Kelly's back. Eric gets out punches from the top, Bae attempts armbar but missed. Both gets up. They exchange strikes. Eric's kicks and Bae connects with a punch. Eric kicks again, Bae goes for flying knee and attempts a guillotine. Both fighter breaks up, crowd calls for Eric! Fighters feeling the distance. Eric chops Bae's leg. Both fighter started exchanging strikes! Bell rings!
Round 2:
Eric comes out with strikes, Bae takes him down. Both fighter gets up. Eric gets 1 elbow in the clinch. Both fighter breaks up with Eric sneaking 1 kick. Bae takes Eric down, gets to top position, Eric slips out. Both fighter stands. Eric throws in some elbows, Bae and Eric falls with Bae on top & Bae starts throwing down elbows. Referee stops the fight, Bae gets a yellow card for elbow on the back of the head.
Both fighters come back exchanging strikes. Eric pins Bae to the wall. Bae knees, Eric elbows. Fighter break up. Bae kicks but slips, Eric goes in and gets the back. Bell rings!
Round 3:
Both fighter now feeling out the distance and each other. A short slugfest pursue. Bae takes Eric down. Eric punching from bottom, Bae tries ankle lock, Eric tries one of his own. Bae gets on top. Both fighter scrambles but Bae managed to get Eric's back! Eric escapes & transitions to the top. Eric throws in punches and gets Bae's back. Eric tries to sink in rear naked choke but Bae defends it!
Bae switches to top position & stands up but still in Eric's guard. Both working on their position. Bae punches Eric from the top position & by the cage.
Bell rings! This one went the distant!
Result: Eric Kelly won in 3 judges decision!
The next match Gregor Gracie vs Adam Kayoom!
Round 1:
Adam comes out striking well. Gracie takes Adam down. Gracie stands up with Adam on the floor but throwing upkicks. Gracie goes to the ground to Adam and gets his back. Adam defends well and both fighter fighting for position. Gracie gets side control, knees him from there. Adam puts Gracie in the guard. Gracie stands but still in Adam's guard. Adam upkicks. Gracie gets back down and again gets Adam's back. Adam ends up flat on the floor, Gracie starts ground and pound from the back. Adam keeps moving and Gracie eventually turns it to a side control. Gracie gets up with Adam on the ground. Gracie punches from the top. Bell rings!
Round 2:
Adam accidently does an illegal kick to Gracie's groin. Gracie takes a short break and massages his groin with the crowd giggling. Fight goes on. Adam get a face kick. Adam kicks again & Gracie seems cautious this round. Gracie takes Adam down. Adam puts Gracie in the guard. Both fighters are slugging it in the guard! Adam tries a Kimura but Gracie defends it, they continue slugging in the guard. Adam throwing elbows from the bottom to Gracie's head. Gracie seems tired already! Adam still punching from the bottom. Gracie moves them closer to the cage while in Adams guard. referee breaks this. Gracie seems all gassed out. Adams hunts Gracie with legs kicks and chopping his legs. Gracie walking away with hands down. Bell rings! Gracie looked exhausted!
Round 3:
Gracie comes out looking out of gas. Adam hunts Gracie down with kicks. Adam gives Gracie a head kick. Gracie hands still down and walking away in exhaustion. Gracie tries takedown, Adam defends it. They both end up on the cage. Adam gets position and knees. Adam gets the top position and Gracie ends up on the floor. Adam gestures Gracie to stand up. Adam continues to hunt Gracie with strikes. Gracie tries takedown but stuffed. Gracie stay on the floor, Adam standing and kicks Gracie's legs. Crowd booes. Referee stands them up. Gracie goes for takedown and this time he gets it. Adam puts Gracie in the guard and punches from the bottom. Gracie punches weakly while Adam is throwing elbows from the bottom.
Crows calling out for Adam. Gracie stands while still in guard. Punches down weakly while crowd booes. Referee breaks the fight and stand them up. 35 seconds left! Adam sprawls another Gracie attempt takedown, punches & elbows from Adam. Bell rings! Crowd cheers for Adam!
Adam gets 3 judges decision and wins! A Malaysian beats a Gracie! Crowd goes wild. Adam gives a thank you speech to the Gracie for BJJ. Adam greets the crowd in his Malay & ended it with a "Kalau nak berjaya, boleh berjaya!!! Paham tak? Paham taaakkk?" - Translate: "If you want to succeed, you can! Do you understand!?".
The next fight features Leandro Issa vs Masakazu Imanari.
Round 1:
Leg lock specialist Imanari fights with his hands down, Leandro quickly shows that he is the more attentive striker scoring a few unanswered chop kicks and punches. Alot of circling of Imanari and he does not seem to want to engage Leandro in any business with striking. Leandro manage to knock Imanari down, gets to his guard and punches. Leandro dropping elbow bombs. Imanari ties Leandro in his guard. Leandro sneaks what elbows he can. Bell rings.
Round 2:
Imanari still dancing around and not engaging Leandro. Leandro chops Imanari's legs and he falls but gets up quickly. Alot of circling and feeling the distance. Crowd booes. Leandro takes Imanari down. Imanari throwing elbows from the bottom. Both fighters working on their position in the guard. Leandro sneaks in some elbows to Imanari when he can. Both fighter stands up. Leandro managed a hook to Imanari that drops him but Imanari still fine and the bell rings!
Round 3:
Imanari seems more aggressive this round, initiating some attackes. Leandro chops Imanari's legs. Imanari shoots but missed. Leandro takes Imanari down, both trading elbows in the guard. Both fighters stand up. Leandro takes Imanari down again, they stand up & exchange punches briefly. Leandro takes Imanari down again & both are tie up in the guard while trying to sneak in elbows to each other. Bell rings!
Leandro wins via unanimous decision.
The next match sees Zorobabel Moreira vs Roger Huerta.
Round 1:
Huerta starts the match with some Muaythai strikes. Zoro leg kick trips Huerta, Huerta gets up quickly. Huerta chases with strikes. Both fighter tied to the cage, Huerta still punching. They both break. Zoro trips Huerta again. Huerta gets up. Head kick & an elbow connects by Zoro. Both fighter slugs it out. Zoro gets a head kick to Huerta. Huerta seems rocked! Zoro jabs & moves in! Zoro is now the aggressor and hunting Huerta with strikes! Huerta fighting back. Huerta head kicks Zoro. Both fighter slugs it out again. Bell rings!
Round 2:
Huerta lets his hands go, throwing punches. Zoro responds with a kick. They tie up, breaks up but Huerta gets a cross to Zoro's face. Both fighter now trading strikes back & forth. Zoro seems to get Huerta in the corner and in trouble. Huerta pushes it and they are still exchanging. Zoro gets a hook in and drops Huerta! Huerta seems hurt but gets up and still fight! Huerta showing he's got heart! Both fighter still trading punches. Huerta seems rocked, Zoro pick on Huerta with knee strikes. Zoro presses Huerta to the ground, Huerta is on the floor. Zoro soccer kick to Huerta face! It's a KO!!!
Zoro wins by Knock out! Soccer kick reminiscent of PRIDE FC days! Huerta was out for a long time but got help out by his corner, crowd cheers for Huerta!
Now comes the main card! Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Tatsuya Mizuno!
Round 1:
Renato throws a kick but slips and falls. Tatsuya carthwheels pass over Babalu. Tatsuya does a chop kick on a downed Babalu. Tatsuya goes to Babalu's guard. Babalu gets an arm, it's armbar! Tatsuya taps!
Babalu wins via armbar!!!
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And there you have it folks! ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors! The event was a blast and the organisers really entertained the Malaysian crowd with a full list of incredible fighters and match up! It will surely go down to night in the history of Malaysian martial art world that a Malaysian beat a Gracie!
We thank ONE FC, Ben Does Martial Arts and all you readers out there! This is FightBah signing out!
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