'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAAGAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEEQUGEhQhoQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBEAAgIBBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDEQAEBSEjMUFh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDNDkiDrcrIswW3mvBxjE43UqLtanCQ3xRlXPPoSS9+cNSjPE4m7O6hpr6YAE7T2I5fmhHV/VBxWucwz0lAEyegfDkDP//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Big things await for ONE Championship in 2023, as the largest martial arts organization in the world reeled in the new year with an absolute banger of a card in ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs Allazov on Prime Video last weekend.
Many long-awaited questions were finally answered throughout the spectacular eight-fight card inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Three world titles hung in the balance, and in the main event, Chingiz Allazov did the unthinkable by unseating the once-thought infallible Superbon Singha Mawynn to claim the featherweight kickboxing throne.
Superlek Kiatmoo9 took over the vacant flyweight kickboxing world title with a masterful performance against the gutsy Daniel Puertas. Elsewhere, Mikey Musumeci also kept his distinction as the king of the flyweight submission grappling division by dominating Gantumur Bayanduuren.
With the promotion’s first event of the year on the books, let’s dissect three of our biggest realizations from ONE Fight Night 6.
#3. Rodtang vs. Superlek needs to happen
ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon made a successful return to kickboxing on the same night that Superlek Kiatmoo9 hoisted the massive gold strap on his shoulders.
'The Iron Man' savagely dismantled Jiduo Yibu across three rounds and further cemented his claim for a shot at Superlek’s newly won crown.
Post-fight, Rodtang once again teased his eventual transition to MMA, but said he wants to settle some unfinished business first. The 25-year-old megastar wants to add a kickboxing world title to his trophy case before anything else.
A collision course between these two Thai icons seemed inevitable from the get-go. Both fighters achieved greatness by traversing separate paths along the way. Now, it appears all roads lead to a massive showdown between two of the best pure strikers at 135 pounds.
Rodtang has already cleared all the challengers in his division in Muay Thai. He has certainly paid his dues and it’s time for his well-earned shot at two-sport supremacy.
Superlek, meanwhile, also doesn’t have a clear-cut contender at the moment. ‘The Kicking Machine’ put a fork in his rivalry with Rodtang’s teammate Panpayak Jitmuangnon with a razor-close victory last year.
Plus, former world champion Illias Ennachi’s future in the division is also uncertain given his weight troubles.
A potential Superlek versus Rodtang fight would undoubtedly be one of the biggest matchups of the year.
#2. Mikey Musumeci will rule the ONE flyweight submission grappling division for a long time
At this point, it’s becoming crystal clear that ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci is just miles ahead of everybody in his division.
‘Darth Rigatoni’ put on yet another grappling masterclass by doing whatever he wanted to Gantumur Bayanduuren’s legs in his first official world title defense.
The 10-minute technical bout was filled with absolute jiu-jitsu brilliance, as the American relentlessly put his challenger in various precarious positions.
It was also a gnarly scene since Bayanduuren’s knee twisted and contorted in places it had no business being in. Props to the Mongolian’s toughness and out-of-this-world pain tolerance for refusing to yield.
Then again, it also speaks volumes about Musumeci’s utter dominance by making a sambo world champion and BJJ brown belt look average at best.
Of course, more worthy challengers will eventually emerge for the Evolve MMA superstar. However, they’ll have their work cut out for them to finally solve the puzzle that is Musumeci’s virtuosic grappling acumen.
#1. Chingiz Allazov proves no one is untouchable
What separates martial arts from other beloved sports around the world is its air of uncertainty and unpredictability. In a sport where a person’s consciousness can be taken away with a single shot, anything can happen.
The sheer mention of sharing the circle against the pound-for-pound best kickboxer alive would send shivers down most people’s spines. But apparently, Chingiz Allazov did not get the memo and showcased that Superbon Singha Mawynn is mortal just like the rest of us.
As expected, the Thai fans at Impact Arena went nuts as their hero Superbon made his entrance. A few minutes later, you could literally hear the sound of a pin drop after Allazov scored the biggest knockout of his life.
All it took was one brutal straight right hand to send an entire dynasty crashing.
‘Chinga’ has already displayed the grit, determination, and talent to become a world champion en route to winning the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix.
However, Superbon was just so enigmatic that the other challengers were simply in the backseat. Allazov’s career-defining performance will no doubt be immortalized by multiple highlight reels over the years.
