Aung La N Sang looked to become ONE Championship’s next dual-weight class champion at ONE Championship: Quest for Gold.
ONE Championship returned to action on Friday, February 23 with ONE: Quest for Gold. Going down at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, the card featured a main event of middleweight champion Aung La N Sang taking on Alexandre Machado for the promotion’s vacant 205lb title.
Also on the ONE: Quest for Gold card, Ev Ting faced off with Ariel Sexton in lightweight action. Ting (14-4) had bounced back from a title challenge loss in April against Eduard Folayang by defeating former welterweight champ Nobutatsu Suzuki in August at Quest for Greatness.
Further down the Quest for Gold card, 155lb standout Amir Khan brought his six fight win streak to Yangon, facing Timofei Nastyukhin of Russia.
Preliminary Bouts
In early prelim action, Myanmar’s Bozhena Antoniyar, a boxing standout, made short work of fellow country woman Shwe Sin. Getting the fight to the ground early and quickly moving to mount, she did her boxing from the top, scoring the TKO just twenty-four seconds into round one. And in the night’s other preliminary bout, atomweight Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol used a pair of takedowns to dictate her fight against Krisna Limbaga. That allowed Lumban Gaol to get into position for a sneaky arm-bar, which came from an almost crucifix-like position.
Roel Rosauro vs. Li Kai Wen
In featherweight action, the ‘Chinese Bad Boy’ Li Kai Wen came storming out of the gate early. Swarming Roel Rosauro with punches, he forced Rosauro to literally run in retreat. Rosauro would twice try a spinning back fist to fend off Wen, but it was ineffective. Wen refused to back off, chasing down his opponent. More barrages of punches came, until Wen was able to grab the neck of the embattled Rosauro. Wen quickly sank in a guillotine choke while stacking Rosauro up against the fence, and had the tap moments later!
Li Kai Wen def. Roel Rosauro by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 0:43
Saw Min Min vs. Ye Thway Ne
Ye Thway Ne looked to be the aggressor early in this rematch from the pair’s fight at Hero’s Dream in November. Saw Min Min appeared a little flat-footed and allowed himself to be backed up against the cage. Both men were firing off combinations, however, and both men were landing. Saw Min Min went to the body, but Ne continued to push forward. Ne was more accurate with his strikes, and the bout was quickly becoming a firefight. Things slowed a little towards the final minute as Ye Thway Ne looked for a takedown, only to wind up reversed with Saw Min Min on top.
Ne again went on the attack early in round two. However, Saw Min Min was eager to fire back, and even mixed in some body kicks. Saw Min Min appeared to be shifting momentum in the brawl just a little, but a low blow briefly paused the action. They went back underway, but another infraction then earned Saw Min Min a yellow card. Both men had touched each other’s chin repeatedly, and it quickly became apparent that whoever had the most left in the tank would be the favorite to score the win. Then, incredibly, Saw Min Min connected with a low blow again, and received a second yellow card — though the ref chose not to deduct any points.
In the third, Ne quickly got Saw Min Min’s attention, getting inside and lighting him up. Min Min was using his jab to create space, but Ye Thway Ne was undeterred. However as the round wore on, he slowed just a little; Saw Min Min saw that as the opening to begin pressing forward. However, it went to the final bell. There, two of three judges saw it for Ye Thway Ne!
Ye Thway Ne def. Saw Min Min by split decision
Dae Han Kim vs. Daichi Takenaka
In the night’s third main card fight, Daichi Takenaka opened the action with a kick to he body, then shot for a takedown. He succeeded, only to have Dae Han Kim pop back up. Takenaka would take him back down again, but it was the Japanese fighter taking the back shortly after that led to an incredible moment. With Kim standing and holding Takena’s weight, it looked like the submission was in. However, Kim fell his back, in an attempt to shake Takenaka off. That resulted in a clash of heads, and after a long while to see if Takenaka could recover, the ref gave a red card to Kim, disqualifying him (for what was ruled an illegal head spike).
Daichi Takenaka def. Dae Han Kim by DQ
Amir Khan vs. Timofei Nastyukhin
Knockout artist Amir Khan took on another heavy hitter in Timofei Nastyukhin on Friday, and it was the Russian pressing the action and landing a takedown early. Khan however just popped right back up. Nastyukhin initiated the exchanges throughout much of the first round, while Khan for the most part settled into a counter game. When Nastyukhin later went for another takedown, Khan deftly stuffed it. Both men were loading up on their puches however. Nastyukhin launched one last attack in the dying moments of the round, but while he had Khan in danger, they went to a second.
Round two saw Nastyukhin, who found success with his overhand right in round one, clip Khan early. The crowd roared, but Nastyukhin could not capitalize. They went back into a similar patter to the fist frame until Nastyukhin landed a fying knee late in the second. He stormed in, unleashing heavy blow after heavy blow, but didn’t have enough time, and a third round became inevitable.
Despite a couple of close calls, and a flying knee by Amir Khan launched late in the third, the bout would go the distance. Nastyukhin converted a takedown in the dying moments, which could have swayed the judges.
Timofei Nastyukhin def. Amir Khan by unanimous decision
Phoe Thaw vs. Sor Sey
Thaw vs. Sey didn’t last long, but it was certainly entertaining. Phoe Thaw pressed the action early, but things quickly devolved into a brawl. Both men were swinging, but it was Thaw doing more damage. Sor Sey answered back with a straight right, however, and then the two began to slow down just a little. That pause was brief. Sey attacked his opponent’s leg, using the kick to set up a combo. But Phoe Thaw clipped his foe, then launched a crushing push kick to the face that flattened Sor Sey!
Phoe Thaw def. Sor Sey by TKO, Round 1, 1:53
Ev Ting vs. Ariel Sexton
Sexton started this scrap circling, looking to find an opening in which to attack. Ev Ting lashed out with a leg kick, then briefly threatened to trap Sexton against the cage. An Ev Ting head kick went high; Sexton then attacked the leg leg of his opponent. Ting went to the body, and it looked as if this bout might be one of the more tactical fights of the evening. Ting fired off a combo with Sexton’s back to the cage, then dropped down for a double leg attempt that was stuffed. Ting next fired off a pair of leg kicks, the second of which wobbled Ariel Sexton. A third followed. Sexton was already showing the effects, stepping gingerly. Ting caught Sexton with a hook shortly after! In the scramble that ensued Sexton threatened to take the back, but Ting managed to come out on top. Ultimately, the first round saw plenty of back-and-forth action, but Ev Ting appeared to have the edge.
In the second, Ev Ting continued his game plan of attacking Sexton’s lead leg, knocking him off balance repeatedly. Sexton finally changed momentum with a takedown about 90 seconds into the round, but Ting quickly regained his feet. Back to the leg kicks it went, with each one further taking some of the steam out of Sexton. He’d look for a takedown again later in the frame, slowing the action slightly. Ting, however, fought him off. Sexton then landed a jump knee! They’d trade in the final minute with Sexton briefly getting Ting down; the action would go to the final frame.
Sexton attempted another flying knee early in the third, and looked to turn the bout into a grinding, grappling-heavy affair. He had certainly changed momentum, and later in the third managed to lock in a D’Arce choke! The ref checked on Ev Ting, but Ting did not go out and was able to break free. The momentum shift could make things interesting for the judges; Ting meanwhile went back to work on the feet. He’d get back in control as the round wore down, managing to get Sexton down and dropping some nasty elbows. Then it went to the judges, resulting in the second split decision of the night.
Ev Ting def. Ariel Sexton by split decision
Aung La N Sang vs. Alexandre Machado
The main event of ONE: Quest for Glory saw Aung La N Sang looking to claim a second title in the promotion. Standing in his way, Alexandre Machado, equally motivated to claim the promotion’s light heavyweight crown. However, it was Myanmar’s hero who got the job done, and fast! Circling early, holding the center of the cage, Aung La N Sang launched a huge head kick! Machado partially blocked the kick, but the force of the blow to the side of his head sent him crashing to the floor! And that was all she wrote. Aung La N Sang had claimed his second world title.
Aung La N Sang def. Alexandre Machado by knockout, Round 1, 0:56
The ONE: Quest for Gold preliminary card streams live on Facebook and Twitter come fight time, starting roughly 7:30 AM ET. Check back come fight time for updates!
ONE Championship: Quest for Gold Main Card Results:
Aung La N Sang def. Alexandre Machado by knockout, Round 1, 0:56 – for the vacant ONE light heavyweight championship
Ev Ting def. Ariel Sexton by split decision
Phoe Thaw def. Sor Sey by TKO, Round 1, 1:53
Timofei Nastyukhin def. Amir Khan by unanimous decision
Daichi Takenaka def. Dae Han Kim by DQ
Ye Thway Ne def. Saw Min Min by split decision
Li Kai Wen def. Roel Rosauro by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 0:43
ONE Championship: Quest for Gold Preliminary Results:
Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol def. Krisna Limbaga by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 4:05
Bozhena Antoniyar def. Shwe Sin by TKO, Round 1, 0:24
