ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II was billed as a spectacle of martial arts and ONE Championship more than delivered.
The promotion’s first card on Amazon Prime Video was explosive in every sense of the word with seven of the nine high-octane fights ending in finishes. Yet some victories are worth their weight in gold.
The card saw five fighters take home the coveted US$50,000 bonus, including Demetrious Johnson, who also became the new ONE flyweight world champion.
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Superlek Kiatmoo9 started it off when he finished Walter Goncalves in the last match of the lead card at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The main card saw a streak of three fighters cashing in on that sweet $50,000 bonus with Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida, Panpayak Jitmuangnon, and ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao all winning in succession.
Here’s a rundown of the awe-inspiring night that won fighters the bonuses on ONE on Prime Video 1.
#5. Superlek Kiatmoo9 (Muay Thai)
ONE on Prime Video 1 was already shaping up to be an explosive card, and the only thing Superlek had to do was pull the trigger.
Superlek and Walter Goncalves didn’t need a feel-out period during their semifinal match of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix. Both fighters were hellbent on taking each other’s heads off but it was the Thai superstar who got the better of the exchanges.
The No.1-ranked contender tagged Goncalves with a quick elbow strike that sent the Brazilian star crashing to the canvas. Goncalves quickly got back up after the first knockdown but that proved to be a show of false confidence as Superlek went berserk in the next exchange.
Superlek hunted the backpedaling Goncalves and all he needed was one more elbow to the forehead to take the first-round KO win and the first bonus of ONE on Prime Video 1.
#4. Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida (MMA)
Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida once again proved that his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills are in a world of its own.
The 17-time BJJ world champion faced off against Kirill Grishenko, a fighter considered to be his toughest opponent yet in MMA, but ‘Buchecha’ showed that getting tangled with him is a fatal proposition.
Grishenko and Almeida tried to gauge each other’s striking game but ‘Buchecha’ flew in for a leg that began the Belarusian’s downward spiral into BJJ hell.
‘Buchecha’ grabbed hold of Grishenko’s left foot and slapped in a nasty heel hook that nearly tore the ankles off its ligaments. The first-round submission win at ONE on Prime Video 1 was Almeida’s fourth straight finish in his MMA career and pushed him to a perfect 4-0 record.
#3. Panpayak Jitmuangnon (Muay Thai)
Panpayak Jitmuangnon didn’t care if he was called in on two days’ notice. He had one thing in mind - to get his feet into the final of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix.
The Thai phenom replaced ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnong and faced Savvas Michael in the World Grand Prix semifinals at ONE on Prime Video 1.
The two fighters weren’t going for the kill in the first round and were hesitant in throwing heavy shots that would guarantee a knockout. Panpayak, however, quickly changed his pace in the second round and produced a knockout of the highest order
Panpayak threw a right hook to shift Michael’s guard and followed it up with a savage left roundhouse for the walk-off KO just 10 seconds into the second round.
#2. Nong-O Gaiyanghadao (Muay Thai)
Head-kick KOs are a common occurrence in Muay Thai, as are body shot knockouts. But leg kick stoppages are a one-in-a-million rarities.
Such was the case when Nong-O Gaiyanghadao successfully defended his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title against Liam Harrison at ONE on Prime Video 1. Their fight was seen as a showcase of Muay Thai artistry, but what happened was the complete opposite.
The two legends were eager to exchange knockout blows but it was Nong-O who secured the finish in the unlikeliest of ways. The Thai icon launched a cracking leg kick that took out all the sensation from Harrison’s left leg.
Unable to stand up, Harrison was waved off by the referee and Nong-O defended his world title for the sixth straight time at ONE on Prime Video 1.
#1. Demetrious Johnson (MMA)
History has been written and Demetrious Johnson became the first fighter to win world titles in both ONE Championship and UFC.
Johnson’s rematch against Adriano Moraes had a lot riding on it and ‘Mighty Mouse’ knew that another loss to the Brazilian star would practically end his world title quest in ONE Championship.
Aware of what happened when he first challenged for the ONE flyweight world title, Johnson flipped the script through pure martial arts magic.
Johnson had difficulty in the first two rounds but was able to find his footing in the third. In the next round, ‘Mighty Mouse’ found the answer to solve the Moraes equation and clocked ‘Mikinho’ with a quick punch. After wobbling his opponent, Johnson connected with a beautiful flying knee that folded Moraes in a cruel reminder of ONE on TNT I back in April 2021.
Johnson not only avenged his previous loss but completed his mission at ONE on Prime Video 1 to add the ONE flyweight world title to his stacked cabinet.