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ONE rising star Hu Yong notched the biggest win of his MMA career on Saturday, December 3, by knocking out former ONE flyweight world champion Geje Eustaquio in Round 1.
The three-round flyweight battle took place on Saturday, December 3, inside the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
The 26-year-old was the aggressor early as he started out the match guns blazing with a flying knee. ‘Wolf Warrior’ proved that he continued sharpening his fangs inside the gym, dropping ‘Gravity’ with a beautiful one-two combination.
The Team Lakay veteran barely survived by taking the fight to the ground. Eustaquio was able to mount some offense using his grappling and had Hu Yong in side control for a brief moment.
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However, once the fight returned to the feet, Hu bloodied Eustaquio with more battering shots.
The end came at the 4:43-minute mark of Round 1, as Hu Yong display his frightening one-punch KO power with a well-timed right cross. He followed ‘Gravity’ to the ground and rained down more punishing shots, forcing the referee to save Eustaquio from further beating.
After taking out a former world champion, the Chinese warrior gladly received a cool $50,000 bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Hu bounced back nicely after tasting his first defeat inside the circle in his last bout against Yuya Wakamatsu. Prior to that setback, he won five straight bouts.
With the win, ‘Wolf Warrior’ improved his overall record to 6-1 inside the circle. He also snapped the former world champion’s two-fight winn streak.
If Hu keeps this momentum going, he could be up for a top-five opponent from the flyweight rankings soon enough.
Who’s next for Hu Yong?
Beating a former world champion like Eustaquio, especially in the manner that he did, certainly raises Hu’s stock to an all-time high.
To test if he’s ready for the next step, the promotion can match him up with his countryman and ONE Hero Series China contract winner Xie Wei, who’s currently ranked fifth in the division.
No.4-ranked Reece McLaren is also another viable option.
‘Wolf Warrior’ can also battle another Team Lakay member, Danny Kingad, who was supposed to be in action against Gurdarshan Mangat on the same card.
