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#2. Garry Tonon - ONE Championship featherweight
ONE Championship featherweight Garry 'The Lion Killer' Tonon has shown the world how to perfectly transition from competitive grappling to MMA.
The only thing missing to cap off Tonon's legendary move to MMA is a world championship; one that he might finally win this year.
Known for being a prominent member of the famed 'Danaher Death Squad', Tonon gained fame for his revolutionary use of leglocks in submission-only matches. Under the tutelage of martial arts pioneer and jiu-jitsu savant John Danaher, Tonon became a household name in grappling and has become a force in ONE featherweight.
The undefeated American has developed a sort of conundrum inside the cage. Knowing that no one would dare dance with him on the ground, Tonon found confidence to explore and experiment with his stand-up game.
This makes him unpredictable and dangerous on the feet. His opponents are always guessing where Tonon decides to take the fight. He's becoming dangerous in all aspects of the game.
With six wins in a row (three submissions and two knockouts), 'The Lion Killer' now has a complete MMA game. What's scary is the fact that this might not yet be Tonon's final form as he is still growing his MMA game with every bout.
Watch his meteoric rise in ONE Championship here:
#1. Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida - ONE Championship heavyweight
There are high-level black belts, then there's 'Buchecha'. Often considered the most accomplished submission grappler in history, Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida has more than lived up to the mystique and hype surrounding him.
With 13 jiu-jitsu world titles and over 120 wins in submission grappling under his belt, the ONE Championship heavyweight poses the most dangerous threat on the ground. Though he only has 2 fights in his MMA career so far, both outings indicate that 'Buchecha' has the makings of becoming a star in the sport.
The man has legendary status, a face that could sell any event and a body that looks like a Greek God. From a marketing standpoint, 'Buchecha' is a goldmine. From a competitive standpoint, however, the 13-time world champion can beat anyone in his weight class once the fight hits the ground.
Yes, we said anyone. We don't care if it's a world champion wrestler or a decorated submission artist. 'Buchecha' is at a level that's reserved only for legends amongst legends.
The ONE Championship heavyweight's use of a stepping right hand en route to a double-leg takedown has been highly effective thus far. Add that to his heavy top game and developing ground-and-pound, and we might see a much larger version of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
At just 31 years old, 'Buchecha' is still improving and might surpass that comparison. We'll just have to sit back and watch.
Watch his utter decimation of Kang Ji Won in his last ONE Championship outing here:
