Sunoto Eyes Rematch with Filipino Rival Edward Kelly After Jakarta Fight

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Indonesian standout Sunoto might have a scheduled bout on 14 January in his hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia, but he has an opponent in mind for his next fight.

The 31-year-old Indonesian fighter has set his sights on a rematch with Filipino fighter Edward Kelly inside the ONE Championship cage later this year.

Both men crossed paths last December on the undercard of ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION, where Kelly overcame a spirited performance from Sunoto to nab the victory in round three by referee stoppage.

Sunoto believes that he has a score to settle with Kelly, who is currently riding high on a three-match winning streak in ONE Championship.

“I want a rematch with Edward Kelly. My fight against him is my only loss in 2016. I would like to redeem myself by facing him again,” he stated.

Before Kelly mounted a much-need rally in the third frame, Sunoto was in control of the featherweight contest as he battered and maneuvered his Filipino foe effortlessly on the ground.

Tides changed in the last round when Kelly had a stand-up exchange and landed a thunderous body kick that sent Sunoto crumbling to the mat, giving him an opening to secure a full mount and finish it with ground-and-pound.

“I was close to finishing Edward Kelly. I believe that I was winning on the judges’ scorecards as well. It was an unfortunate ending for me,” Sunoto said about the fight against Kelly.

Vitaly Bigdash Aims to Win First World Title Defense with Decisive Finish

Wazzup Pilipinas!

ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash has a 100 percent finishing rate in his eight-fight professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career, owning four knockout victories and four submission wins.

In his most recent trip to the ONE Championship cage, Bigdash captured the intricately-crafted ONE Middleweight World Championship belt with a scintillating second-round knockout conquest of Igor Svirid.

The 32-year-old Russian combatant looks to accomplish another emphatic triumph as he defends his gold-plated strap for the first time against Burmese MMA superstar Aung La N Sang in the main event of ONE: QUEST FOR POWER, which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January.

“I don’t want to leave any doubt every time that I step inside the cage. The judges are not always on your side. The outcome of the fight should be decided by the fighter. That’s why I always go for the finish,” he said.

“I won all of my fights by either knockout or submission. I would like to continue my way of winning fights in my first title defense,” Bigdash added.

However, it appears that fishing for the stoppage will be a tough task for Bigdash as Aung La has 95 percent success rate of thwarting his opponents. 

​​Turkish MMA Prospect Seeks to be a World Title Contender in 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Undefeated Turkish lightweight contender Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev is rapidly making a name for himself as an unstoppable force inside the ONE Championship cage.

The 22-year-old Dagestan, Russia-bred fighter has just four victories so far in his young mixed martial arts (MMA) career, but he attained three of the fastest finishes in ONE Championship.

Having an average cage time of just under a minute, Arslanaliev’s three wins have come by technical knockout and one by submission.

No opponent has even come close to surviving just one round with him. In his most recent bout, Arslanaliev forced China’s Haolan Jietebusibai to wave the white flag with a standing guillotine choke at the center of the cage.

After acing his three tests in ONE Championship with flying colors last year, Arslanaliev cemented his position as one of the bright MMA prospects in Asia.

Despite the recognition from many cageside pundits, Arslanaliev has set his sights on a heftier prize in 2017 as he looks to insert his name in the world title picture.

If it only took him one year to elevate himself as one of the must-watch young fighters in the region, Arslanaliev believes that he can work his way up the ladder in 2017 to secure a date with ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang.

“If you train right and stay focused, anything is possible. Of course, if ONE Championship thinks that I deserve a shot at the title, I will get it right away. I won’t think twice,” he said.

Arslanaliev stressed that he always gets a championship fight-type of preparation every time he is booked for a bout.

“I can tell you that I will be more than ready to take the responsibility if ONE Championship chooses to give me a chance,” he stated.