ONE Championship Fights Off 2018 with a Bang in Kuala Lumpur
In a dazzling finale on Friday, 7 December, the world’s largest martial‑arts federation reclaimed its Axiata Arena in Malaysia for ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS. A night of finishing fury, heroic grit, and a touch of heartbreak left the crowd buzzing and the event’s ripples echoing across the fighting world.
#1 Vitaly Bigdash Goes For “The Burmese Python”
Former ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash – a name that’s as familiar in Myanmar as the local street food – kept the crowd on edge. Remember his 2017 win over Aung La N Sang? The defeat came later that year, when the “Burmese Python” reclaimed the belt. Now the Russian might strike again.
- Bigdash opened with a crisp takedown, dropping Yuki Niimura to the mat.
- He locked the reverse triangle choke and settled for a rare reverse triangle armbar to finish the fight.
- Niimura struggled, but Bigdash’s elbows, quick arm wraps, and relentless pressure prevailed.
#2 Jihin Radzuan Keeps the “Shadow Cat” Unbeaten
Local renaissance woman Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan rallied the home crowd in a strikingly decisive win. She attacked Jenny Huang from the outset, launching a barrage of punches that had the Chinese grappler scrambling.
- Huang, a black‑belt judoka and brown‑belt BJJ expert, threatened with ground‑and‑pound and a potential triangle choke.
- The Malaysian kept her toe above the helmet, using a textbook superman punch that snapped back Huang’s head.
- With the bell on the third round, Jihin secured a unanimous decision.
Teenage superstar, still unstoppable, could very well challenge ONE Women’s Atomweight Champion Angela Lee in the future.
#3 Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex Lets Out a Legendary Uppercut Wave
The late‑night knockout went viral when Thai legend Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex took on Australian firebrand Louis Regis. A left kick ripped the Aussie open, and he tried a firing right hook and a spinning back kick, but Yodsanklai had a trick up his sleeve.
- Forcing Regis against the cage, Yodsanklai unleashed a jab‑cross combo.
- He followed it up with three rapid uppercuts that left Regis airborne.
- Regis didn’t get the chance to recover; Yodsanklai thundered the final blow.
The win has raised eyebrows – could we finally see the much‑anticipated bout between Yodsanklai and Giorgio Petrosyan go on the cards next year?
All in all, the event proved that ONE Championship is best at turning the ordinary into a spectacular spectacle – and that’s a story worth telling again!
