Martin Nguyen makes ONE Championship history, claims Lightweight title

The Main Event of ONE: Legends of the World

Fans were left at the edge of their seats at the latest ONE Championship mixed martial arts offering, ONE: Legends of the World on Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena, highlighted by the dramatic ending to the main event, as Martin Nguyen became the first simultaneous two-division champion in ONE FC history.

The Situ-Asian pulled off that feat with a second round knockout of the incumbent champion Eduard Folayang, with Nguyen uncorking his explosive signature right hand while "The Landslide" was launching his patented spinning backfist. This was both fighters were plastering each other with hard strikes all fight long.

As a result, Nguyen adds the ONE Lightweight title to the ONE Featherweight title he claimed back in August. He then said that his main objective was to get either a TKO or a submission. He adds, "Eduard, I still love you like a brother, I hope you're fine and I hope you come back stronger. I'm still your number one fan."

In the co-main event, reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes successfully defended his title against Danny Kingad, doing so with a first round rear naked choke submission. "Mikinho" neutralized the striking advantage of "The King" early on, using his high-level ground game, eventually putting in the rear-naked choke that forced the Filipino to submit with seconds remaining in the round.

Moraes praised Kingad's performance in what he viewed as a tough fight, noting that "He has a big future ahead of him." However, he adds that this is still his time, his house, his belt, and his class.

Other than the two losses to end ONE: Legends of the World, the rest of the Filipino contingent was relatively successful in the card.

Kevin Belingon solidified his claim as a top contender in the bantamweight division with a unanimous decision victory over Korean-American dynamo Kevin Chung, as used his stand-up skill set to produce right crosses and lashing kicks, while fending off whatever grappling skills the "Oldboy" tried to use.

Fil-Australian Reece McLaren claimed a submission victory over Anatpong Bunrad in his flyweight debut. "Lightning" managed to catch his opponent in an anaconda choke that he would then turn into a D'Arce choke, forcing the Thai to tap with seconds remaining in the first round.

Gina Iniong extended her winning streak in ONE Championship with a second round finish of Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, as she delivered a flurry of ground punches to the Indonesian whilst in a crucifix to force a referee stoppage

In an all-Filipino matchup, Joshua Pacio bounced back from his submission loss to Hayato Suzuki in Macao last August with a smashing second round knockout of Roy Doliguez, doing so with a well-timed spinning back-fist to "The Dominator."

Speaking of Suzuki, the Japanese prospect lost his first match in his professional mixed martial arts career, losing to Alex Silva. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion black belt used his grappling skills to his advantage to force a first round submission via armbar.

Completing the cast of winners in ONE: Legends of the World are Zhao Zhi Kang, as "The Ghost" forced Thai Rithy to tap via rear-naked choke in the first round, Xie Chao, who dispatched Kelvin Ong in the second round with crisp elbows, and Peng Xue Wen, who defeated Phat Soda in the first round via knockout.

Official ONE: Legends of the World results:

ONE Lightweight World Championship bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Eduard Folayang by Knockout (KO) at 2:20 minutes of round 2

ONE Flyweight World Championship bout: Adriano Moraes defeats Danny Kingad by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:45 minutes of round 1

Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Kevin Chung by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Strawweight bout: Alex Silva defeats Hayato Suzuki by Submission (Armbar) at 1:22 minutes of round 1

Flyweight bout: Reece McLaren defeats Anatpong Bunrad by Submission (D’arce Choke) at 4:52 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Zhao Zhi Kang defeats Thai Rithy by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)  at 2:31 minutes of round 1

Women’s atomweight bout: Gina Iniong defeats Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol by TKO (Strikes) at 2:12 minutes of round 2

Strawweight bout: Joshua Pacio defeats Roy Doliguez by Knockout (KO) at 0:38 minutes of round 2

Featherweight bout: Xie Chao defeats Kelvin Ong by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) at 1:48 minutes of round 1

Strawweight bout: Peng Xue Wen defeats Phat Soda by Knockout (KO) at 2:15 minutes of round 1