Mark Striegl got back on the winning track a year after losing his previous contest, and was able to grind his way to a satisfying win over replacement opponent Sotir Kichukov. The bout took place on Friday, 2 December, in Manila at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION.

Striegl used takedowns and ground control to earn a unanimous decision after three rounds against his Bulgarian opponent.

Striegl previously fought and lost to number one bantamweight title-contender Reece McLaren, but rebounded to beat a game and dangerous Kichukov in front of a partisan crowd who cheered him on. Striegl came out kicking Kichukov’s body and legs early on, before shooting and landing a double-leg takedown.

Kichukov worked actively from his full guard, attempting to set up submission holds off his back. Sriegl maintained good posture, however, and kept his neck and limbs out of danger before standing and punching downward.

Striegl advanced to a dominant side mount headlock position, but was soon swept by his opponent out of the Saigon Sports Club. Striegl did not allow Kichukov to keep top position for long, and scrambled back up to his feet.

The second round saw Striegl earn top position on the ground with a headlock once more, but Kichukov was again able to escape and get up. On the feet, Kichukov successfully walked Striegl down, backing him against the cage with punches, before Striegl countered with another smooth takedown.

On the mat, Kichukov briefly threatened to set up a triangle choke and an arm bar, but Striegl defended nicely from inside the active full-guard.

Kichukov came out firing to start the third and final round, with punches and kicks that landed. Striegl responded once more with a takedown, a minute and a half into the period. Kichukov had the presence of mind to try and get back to his feet, but was forced to settle for full guard.

Throughout the rest of the round Striegl capably shut down stand-up attempts from Kichukov with good head position and hip control. Time in the fight ran out with Striegl on Kichukov’s still on the mat after Kichukov had given up his back while trying to get up off the canvas.

In the end, all three ringside judges scored the contest in favor of the stifling Evolve MMA fighter, and Striegl’s record improved to 15-2. With his loss, Kichukov’s career mark dipped to 13-5.

Toni “Dynamite” Tauru ruined Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio’s big night.

The former ONE Bantamweight World Title contender made quick work of the Filipino hero at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION, and shocked the home nation crowd at Manila’s Mall Of Asia Arena by submitting him via rear-naked choke with 1:03 remaining in the first round.

With the victory, Tauru snaps a three-fight skid and can finally breathe a little easier.

“It was very emotional. I dropped a couple of tears after the fight in the cage because I have had a lot of pressure on myself because of those lost fights,” the Finnish mixed martial artist willingly admits. “I know I fight in the big leagues and somebody always has to lose, and I have had very close fights. But still, it is great stress to come in with a losing streak.”

Tauru dominated the contest from the opening bell. The Finnish bantamweight immediately shot in for the takedown, and although the man known as “Gravity” attempted to reverse the move, the former title challenger wisely grabbed his back and locked in his hooks.

Eustaquio desperately tried to defend the outsider’s every advance, but Tauru transitioned his legs into a figure-four around his opponent’s waist and patiently bided his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to slide his arms underneath the Filipino’s chin.

Finally, “Dynamite” displayed his flexibility by raising his right leg, hooking the Filipino’s right arm and trapping it against his chest. With Eustaquio unable to properly guard his neck, Tauru masterfully locked in the rear naked choke and forced the tap.

“That fight went exactly how I saw it in my mind,” he says. “I was prepared to fight a whole there rounds, but if everything goes as I plan it, that is how it goes.”

“Dynamite” moves his record to 10-5-1. The Baguio City warrior drops to 8-5.

Team Lakay veteran fighter Honorio “The Rock” Banario (11-6) continues his impressive career resurgence with another satisfying victory inside the ONE Championship cage, finishing off Rajinder “Knockout” Singh Meena (8-3) of India via armbar in the very first round.

The two stood across each other at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION, Friday, 2 December, in a three-round lightweight contest.

Banario, who had shown steady improvement after a disappointing five-fight losing streak, has now won three in a row over solid opposition. Against Vaughn Donayre and Eddie Ng, Banario showcased a tremendous improvement in his grappling. Against Singh Meena, the evolution of Banario came full circle.

Banario not only dominated the striking exchanges at the center of the cage, he also completely outclassed Singh Meena on the ground.

“I feel very happy this time because when I came up to the lightweight division, I felt very comfortable and strong,” said Banario after the bout. “I am hoping to keep winning now so I can stay on track.”

Singh Meena, who owns five submissions out of eight victories, is known as a capable grappling competitor, but against Banario, he was simply no match.

In the middle of the round, Banario smoothly transitioned into a mounted crucifix that left Singh Meena with nowhere to go. From there, Banario effortlessly stepped over his opponent’s head and spun around swiftly to secure the armbar.

The tap came just seconds after. The official finish is listed at 4:04 of the very first round.

Prior to the matchup, Banario — the former ONE Featherweight World Champion — made it known that a move to lightweight was the best thing to happen to his career because he now feels a lot stronger and more confident in his abilities. It definitely showed Friday night.

After the bout, Banario expressed gratitude for all the fans in Manila who followed his career throughout the years.

“Everyone who is here watching, thank you to all,” said Banario. “This is an early Christmas gift for me.”

With Banario’s re-emergence as a lightweight powerhouse, his transformation as a reinvented fighter is complete. Look for Banario to be back at the top of the heap very soon.

A patient Leandro Ataides struck suddenly with thunder with six seconds left in the second round of his middleweight ONE contest against Mohamed Ali to win by flying knee KO. The bout took place at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION at Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, 2 December”

The victory allowed Ataides to snap a three-fight losing streak on his daughter’s birthday, in a bout he had dedicated to his sister who died tragically earlier this year.

“I dedicated this fight to my sister,” said Ataides emotionally after the bout. “She passed away, but I know wherever she is, she watches over me, and now I can say, ‘look at me, I did great’. I do my best for her and my family.”

The first round saw both men stay largely out of range, firing and mostly missing with powerful strikes. Early on, Ali caught a kick of the Brazilian’s to score a takedown, but Ataides was quick to pop back up to his feet.

With under a minute left in the round, it was Ataides’ turn to take things to the mat, as he shot in and scored with a double-leg takedown. Ali held on for a while with double overhooks from underneath in his own half guard, and then managed to get back to his feet.

In the second round, Ataides once again found himself momentarily on his seat after kicking and taking a punch to the head at the same time. Once more, however, he quickly regained his footing and soon wobbled Ali with a right punch after Ali missed with a knee strike.

Ataides did not pounce on the hurt Ali, deciding instead to stay patient and tactical. Ali got back on more solid footing eventually, but soon absorbed a few left hooks to the head as Ataides began to stalk him, leaning on his lead leg heavily, and walked the Egyptian back into the fence.

After a one-two punch combination from Ataides, he began to pick up the volume of his strikes. It was a pause, however, that set up a flying knee strike from the Brazilian to the head of Ali, who was backed against the cage.

The knee connected and immediately slumped Ali to the mat. The end came at 4:54 of the second round.

Ataides screamed in celebration before leaping onto the top of the cage, standing and raising his arms in victory. The win improves his record to 9-3. Ali’s defeat is his third straight, and drops his career mark to 10-11.

Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly made his home nation proud on Friday Night, 2 December, when he finished “The Terminator” Sunoto in the third round via strikes at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION, held at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

“It is very satisfying. Even though I was a little frustrated in the first round, in my mind, I felt I would knock him out,” the 32-year-old wushu specialist says. “He is a good fighter. He trained hard for our fight, and I am glad I got the win.”

Following a brief exchange, Sunoto wrestled “The Ferocious” to the canvas and methodically worked the rear-naked choke. He got the back, slowly hooked his legs over Kelly’s body, and re-positioned his legs into a figure-four before attempting to slide his arms under the hometown hero’s chin.

The Team Lakay standout read the scenario perfectly, wisely defending it by tying up Sunoto’s free arm. Somwhow, Kelly was able to roll into the Jakarta, Indonesia, native and reversed course, eventually ending the round with a guillotine choke attempt that never seemed to threaten the Indonesian grappling wiz.

In the second round, the Filipino clinched Sunoto against the cage and effectively flung a plethora of hard knees to his thighs. “The Terminator” had enough, however, and burst forward with a takedown.

Perhaps frustrated by Kelly’s much improved submission defense, Sunoto tried to transition to a better position, but that allowed “The Ferocious” to reverse his Jakarta nemesis and land in side control, where he tried sinking in a modified rear-naked choke. Sunoto escaped and the stanza ended with both fighters acting tentatively on the feet.

Although Kelly returned to his clinch and knee attack in the third round, he changed the destiny of the bout when he threw a perfectly timed kick into the head of a ducking Sunoto, who instantly collapsed to the cage floor. “The Ferocious” then lived up to his nickname by jumping onto his opponent, entered full mount, and rained blows on his opponent until the ref called the bout.

“In the first round, I felt my strikes were not hitting him and I was a little frustrated. I got tense because my game plan was not going to what I had planned,” Kelly admits, recalling his thought process during the fight.

“For sure, in my mind, I thought he would be out of breath in the second or third round. He would be tired, and that is when I would have the advantage because of my high intensity training”

The Baguio City is headed swiftly up the divisional ladder. The hometown hero improves to 9-3 and rides a three-fight win streak, while Sunoto falls to 5-3.

Team Lakay flyweight prospect Danny Kingad of Baguio City put together a complete performance against enigmatic striker Eugene Toquero of Manila, winning via armbar submission with less than a minute left in the first round.

The pair locked horns at the center of the ONE Championship cage at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION, which took place Friday night, 2 December, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Kingad, who is coming off a scintillating knockout victory over Malaysia’s Muhammad Haidar last April, showcased his elite wushu striking skills and high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Toquero, known for his fast-paced, thunderous striking chops, failed to get his offense going against Kingad, who utilized his distance very well. Kingad attacked Toquero from the outside with a series of kicks and well-placed punch combinations.

On the ground, Kingad effortlessly transitioned from one dominant position to another, stifling Toquero who simply appeared a class lower than the Baguio City native.

Latching onto Toquero’s right arm, Kingad swiftly stepped over and locked in a deep armbar attempt, hyperextending Toquero’s arm as the Manila-based fighter’s face contorted in pain. Toquero was left with no choice but to tap out.

The end came officially at the 4:26 mark of the very first round.

It was a complete performance from Kingad, who at 21-years old has shown maturity inside the ONE Championship cage well beyond his years. Toquero, nearly 15 years Kingad’s senior, possessed the experience inside the cage, but it was Kingad’s promising talent that shined.

With the victory, Kingad improves his record to a perfect 4-0 to remain unbeaten as a professional mixed martial artist, while Toquero drops to 8-4.