ONE Championship 162 results: Jon Di Bella beats Zhang Peimian to claim kickboxing title
- Di Bella knocks Zhang down in dramatic final round to win vacant strawweight kickboxing title in Kuala Lumpur.
- Reece McLaren gets second-round TKO in co-main event as martial arts promotion makes its return to Malaysia after nearly three years
ONE Championship returned to action on Friday night with its first card in Kuala Lumpur for nearly three years.
In a dramatic finale, Jonathan Di Bella beat Zhang Peimian in the ONE 162 main event to claim the vacant strawweight kickboxing title.
Saturday morning’s ONE on Prime Video 3 event at the Axiata Arena will cap a double header of events in Malaysia.
Here are all of the results from ONE 162.
Di Bella wins kickboxing title
Jonathan Di Bella swiped the vacant ONE strawweight kickboxing title with a unanimous decision victory over Zhang Peimian in the main event.
A close fight that could have gone either way suddenly swung in the fifth round in the Canadian-Italian’s direction, when he caught “The Fighting Rooster” with a head kick that knocked the Chinese fighter down.
An automatic 10-8 round, it was enough to convince all the judges.
“We’ve been through crazy things in this camp – a car accident, we got stuck in the airport ... but we’re here,” Di Bella said. “And new, baby. I knew it.”
“I knew it was close, but I didn’t feel nothing from him. He didn’t have much power at all. I train with hard people, we go hard. I was doing more damage, I saw he was in pain. It was about to happen, the head kick.
“He’s tough, I’m not surprised he got back up. But if there had been a minute more I would have finished him for sure.”
McLaren calls out Kingad
Reece McLaren called for a rematch with Danny Kingad after a second-round TKO of Windson Ramos.
The Brazilian was unable to answer the bell for the start of the third round, slumping from his stool to the canvas with his right foot seemingly broken.
“This is me on half a camp and a bit of a head cold, so give me a full camp, please,” said the Australian McLaren, who had legendary striker John Wayne Parr in his corner.
“My timing was off, it’s getting better. That’s me finding range.
“I take my hat off to Windson. The dude is game. ONE Championship is leading the way, best flyweights in the world, son. This is where I want to stay.
“Give me someone higher. I’ve got to move up. I’ve been No 5 now since the rankings came out. I’d love to run it back with all these guys above me. Danny Kingad, come on brother.”
Rusu out-fights Murtazaev
Constantin Rusu got the call to fight Islam Murtazaev on short-notice, after Nieky Holzken was forced off the ONE 162 bill with an injury, but the short-notice circumstances were not a problem for the Moldovan-Russian. He was the more aggressive and effective fighter over three rounds, and captured a unanimous decision win in their lightweight kickboxing contest as a result.
Now 1-1 in ONE, and with a win over a former title challenger in Murtazaev, he could be next for a crack at the division’s long-reigning champ Regian Eersel.
Balart shocks Silva
“El Gladiador” Gustavo Balart continued his sharp rise with a third straight win, securing a shock split decision victory over former strawweight champ Alex Silva.
The diminutive Cuban weathered a nasty heel hook attempt at the end of the first round, before imposing his striking game in the 131- catchweight bout.
Vienot decisions Larsen
France’s Jimmy Vienot got back to winning ways on the ONE 162 main card, picking up a decision victory over Denmark’s Jimmy Vienot in a featherweight Muay Thai contest.
The win separated the Frenchman from a controversial decision loss to Petchmorakot Petchyindee in a failed bid for featherweight Muay Thai title and brought him to 1-1 in ONE.
Larsen is now 0-2 in ONE, having been stopped by Tawanchai PK.Saenchai, who now holds the division’s title, in his promotional debut.
Saputra keeps streak alive with bonus-winning sub
Eko Roni Saputra’s hot streak continued in the opening bout of the ONE 162 main card, as he submitted Thailand’s Yodkaikaew “Y2K” Fairtex in the first round.
It was the Indonesian’s seventh finish in a row, and all of them have occurred in the first frame. The latest was good for a US $50,000 post-fight courtesy of ONE boss Chatri Sityodtong.
Saputra is now 7-1 overall, with all of those wins occurring in the Circle, and is seemingly ready for another step up in competition. In defeat, Y2K is now on a four-fight skid.
Belakh guts out win over Issa
Russia’s Artem Belakh picked up a thrilling unanimous win over Brazilian veteran Leandro Issa in the final bout of the ONE 162 lead card.
Issa, who was returning to the ONE Circle after a long layoff, had his moments in the fight, most notably threatening with a deep arm bar in round two.
But Belakh survived that close call and took control of the fight with his cardio and his striking, and left the 39-year-old Issa battered and bloodied.
It was the 26-year-old Russian’s first win in ONE after a 9-2 run on the regional scene in his home country. Issa, meanwhile, is now 7-3 across two stints with ONE.
Puric gets decision
Denis Puric got the better of Tagir Khalilov in their catchweight fight, with a first-round knockdown helping to deliver him a decision victory.
Russia’s Khalilov missed weight for the bout, with a catchweight of 138 pounds agreed.
Khalilov bounced back from his first-round setback, arguably getting the better of the Canadian in the second and third rounds, but it was not enough.
“I’m glad I hit him hard in the first round,” Puric said. “Five weeks training camp, I did the job – that’s all that matters.”
Ruslan submits Wilhelm
Ruslan Emilbek Uulu kicked off the lead card with a first-round submission of Ben Wilhelm on Friday night.
The Kyrgyzstani tapped the American out with a rear naked choke with just two seconds remaining in the first round.
