ONE: BATTLEGROUND III ended on a high note as number of bouts involved thrilling endings. Jenelyn Olsim and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong led the triumphant fighters who took part in the event.
Olsim bagged her second consecutive victory via unanimous decision over Bi Nguyen during the event aired on August 27. It was a close-fought battle between the two but Olsim eventually pulled away with her superior striking and grappling skills.
Olsim flashed a complete game but her striking prowess turned the tide on her favor by sending her Viet-American rival to the canvass during the second frame enroute to dominating the round.
Coupled with her superb submission defenses and near-submission attempts, the Team Lakay rising star got the nod of all judges after three rounds.
Kickboxing legend Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong returned to Muay Thai outpointed rising superstar Tawanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in the main event. Their matchup produced a scintillating display of fireworks across three thrilling rounds of action.
Sitthichai stayed true to his word and put Tawanchai on the defensive as he inched forward behind powerful boxing combinations. Tawanchai countered with a steady stream of left kicks to the body to try and slow Sitthichai’s movement, but the veteran kept pressuring his younger opponent.
Action intensified in the third round, as the two fighters exchanged their heaviest blows at the center of the Circle. In the end, Sitthichai did just enough to edge out Tawanchai by split decision.
Former ONE World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke turned in a masterful performance, overcoming a furious start from ONE Championship debutant Banma Duoji to earn a TKO victory in the co-main event.
Dejdamrong faced a significant size disadvantage, as Banma used his height and reach to keep the smaller man at bay in the first round. Applying forward pressure, Dejdamrong found his range in the second round. The Thai veteran connected with flush right elbows to drop Banma and then finished him off with a knee strike to the head.
Chinese star Xie Wei authored a thrilling finish of highly regarded South Korean veteran Dae Hwan Kim to score his third straight knockout victory. Xie was sharp and powerful throughout the duration of the bout, as he kept Kim on the back foot with accurate and powerful striking.
A devastating left hook to the body in the third round sent Kim crashing to the canvas, ending matters abruptly. Xie has now knocked out eight of his last nine opponents.
South Korean veteran Song Min Jong banked on his experience to deal the previously unbeaten Tial Thang the first loss of his professional career.
Song put together a well-rounded performance, utilizing his taekwondo style to stifle Tial Thang on the feet and dominating the Myanmar fighter in the grappling department to earn the unanimous decision on the scorecards.
Purev Otgonjargal kicked off the night with an exciting knockout victory, stopping Ben Royle just 49 seconds into the first round. After connecting with a perfectly timed right hand that dropped Royle, the Mongolian followed up with ground-and-pound to seal the deal.
Official Results for ONE: BATTLEGROUND III
Muay Thai – Featherweight: Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong def. Tawanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym via Split Decision
Mixed Martial Arts – Catchweight (57.7 KG): Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke def. Banma Duoji via TKO at 3:31 of Round 2
Mixed Martial Arts – Flyweight: Xie Wei def. Dae Hwan Kim via TKO at 1:46 of Round 3
Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight: Jenelyn Olsim def. Bi Nguyen via Unanimous Decision
Mixed Martial Arts – Bantamweight: Song Min Jong def. Tial Thang via Unanimous Decision
Mixed Martial Arts – Bantamweight: Purev Otgonjargal def. Ben Royle via KO at 0:49 of Round 1
By Armando M. Bolislis
