Two-sport World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is simply unstoppable in the ONE Championship Circle.
On Friday, he ran through a competitive but otherwise overmatched Josh “Timebomb” Tonna to retain his ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in the main event of ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES in Singapore.
The Thai superstar overwhelmed Tonna in the second round, scoring three knockdowns to close out the contest.
It was Sam-A’s lethal left hand that proved to be the difference, with the first knockdown coming from that hand after it found Tonna’s jaw on the counter. A leg sweep moments later was also counted as a knockdown as the Evolve MMA standout started to take control of the match.
Tonna was game, but he ultimately fell short in the end. Another left hand sent “Timebomb” to the canvas and this time he was not going to get up as the referee waved the match off and awarded Sam-A the victory.
The Thai legend improved his record to 370-47-9, an impressive number that only continues to grow.
In the featured mixed martial arts bout, Filipino-Australian flyweight Reece “Lightning” McLaren looked solid in his return as he put a dent in the previously unblemished record of Aleksi “The Giant” Toivonen.
McLaren scored an impressive KO win over the Finn while putting his ever-improving striking skills on display.
McLaren’s straight right was money all night long – he even dropped Toivonen midway through the round with one.
But the finish came inside the clinch as the fifth-ranked flyweight drove a well-placed knee into Toivonen’s body. “The Giant” crumbled before McLaren dropped one last punch for good measure.
McLaren improved to 14-7 and he now has his sights set on the athletes above him in the flyweight rankings.
