ONE Championship returns to Jakarta, Indonesia with another explosive martial arts spectacle this Friday, 3 May.
The promotion’s upcoming spectacle, ONE: FOR HONOR, will feature 28 of the world’s top martial arts talents, headlined by ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao’s title defense against England’s Jonathan Haggerty.
Jakarta’s Istora Senayan will have plenty of action to choose from, but Malaysia’s “Jungle Cat” Muhammad Aiman shares three bouts he believes will stand out among the rest.
#1 Keanu Subba VS Ryogo Takahashi
Aiman believes this three-round featherweight contest between Bali MMA teammate Keanu Subba and Japan’s Ryogo Takahashi has the potential to be the best match of the evening.
The Negeri Sembilan-born athlete believes both competitors are eager to prove themselves, especially since Subba makes his return after a six-month absence.
“I’m pretty excited for Keanu’s return. He’s a long-time friend, and one of my favorite teammates,” Aiman explained. “I haven’t trained with him for a while, but I’m sure he’s only gotten better.”
#2 Dae Hwan Kim VS Ayideng Jumayi
The first battle on the main card between “Ottogi” Dae Hwan Kim and Ayideng “The Kazakh Eagle” Jumayi is another match Aiman will have his eyes on, as he regards both of them as potential opponents in the future.
Jumayi is another promotional debutant, but the Tiger Muay Thai representative must be wary of Kim’s ability to smash his way to victory.
“Kim lost to my last opponent [Shuya Kamikubo], and it was a great fight. I just want to see how much he’s improved since then,” the bantamweight athlete shared.
“He’s a top athlete and a former contender for the belt. I’m not too sure about his opponent, but I feel the winner could be my opponent one day.”
#3 Thanh Le VS Yusup Saadulaev
This battle between Vietnamese-American Thanh Le and Russian athlete Yusup Saadulaev completes Aiman’s list.
Le has earned all of his eight career victories via stoppage. On the other hand, Saadulaev is considered a top contender who is riding a five-bout win streak.
When asked which competitor will come out on top in this clash, Aiman was unsure.
“Both guys are amazing athletes. Saadulaev is a top grappler while Le has knockout power,” he shared. “I can’t pick one, but I know they’ll give it their all. The fighter with more focus will win.”
Video link #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiiQkVj-SX4
Video link #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1zCiBTXo7A
Video link #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rp9Yw2avm8
