MANILA, Philippines – ONE FC recently announced 24 events for 2016 with 10 of them taking place in China. While that is good news as Asian MMA is really taking off, I’d like to see some of their top guns get into some really tough matches.
Which matches do I want to see booked in ONE FC events for 2016?
Shinya Aoki (38-6-0) vs Lowen Tynanes (8-0-0) Lightweight Match
Aoki has fought sparingly in the last two years. In 2012 and 2013, he had three fights each year. In 2014, two matches, and in 2015, one match. That isn’t much for the defending Lightweight Champion who has made only two title defenses. A match against up and coming Lowen Tynanes will be a bonanza fight. Both fighters are brutal and frightfully strong. This could be Aoki’s stiffest challenge in the ONE FC.
Eddie Ng (7-3-0) vs. Koji Ando (12-4-2) Lightweight Match
Ng is an all-action fighter who is one of the top submission grapplers in Asia. Ando is a tough customer whose fights tend to go the full route of three rounds. Striker who is also adept at taking it to the canvas. Both have similar styles.
Gianni Subba (7-1-0) vs. Rey Docyogen (11-2-0) Flyweight Match
Both are exciting competitors who leave it all out in the ring. The winner to face
Kairat Akhmetov (23-0-0), the reigning Flyweight Champion who is a submission specialist.
hannon Wiratchai (4-1-0) vs. Jadamba Narantungalag (10-4-0) Featherweight Match
Eric Kelly (12-1-0) vs. Timofei Nastukhin (9-2-0) Featherweight Match
Both fights feature some tough guys taking on each other. Shannon has good moves but lacks a little more experience. But he has potential. Now against Jadamba, the bull-strong Mongolian, he will be tested.
Eric Kelly is a more methodical fighter while the Russian likes to finish off fights in a hurry.
The winners of both bouts will take each other on and face ONE FC Featherweight Champion Marat Gafurov who will be a handful as he is 13-0 and on a four-match win streak in the ONE FC.
ONE FC has to find some guys for Bibiano Fernandes and Ben Askren to fight. Ditto with Brandon Vera. The bantamweight, welterweight, and heavyweight divisions are rather thin. There are some welterweights but not in the class of Askren. If not, we want to see that Askren-Luis Santos match.
Another fighter I want to see in action is Singaporean Radeem Rahman.
And more women’s fights — Angela Lee, Irina Mazepa, Ann Osman, and Ana Julaton.