In a thrilling night of martial arts, ONE Fight Night 15: Le vs. Freymanov lived up to the hype with two World Title clashes. The event was headlined by the much-anticipated bout for the ONE Interim Featherweight MMA World Title and also witnessed a gritty contest for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.
ONE Championship, collaborating with the top-tier luxury brand TUMI, awarded the coveted ONE World Title belt to the night’s victors.
Highlights of the Night:
- Thanh Le Clinches Interim Featherweight Gold: Former featherweight champion Thanh Le showcased his underestimated grappling skills against #3-ranked Ilya Freymanov. When Freymanov aimed to ground Le, the Vietnamese-American phenom replied with a surprising leg entanglement, swiftly locking in a heel hook. Freymanov found himself tapping just over a minute into the opening round. This victory paved the way for an epic face-off with ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai.
- Jonathan Di Bella Defends Kickboxing Crown: Jonathan Di Bella, still undefeated, retained the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title against a determined Danial Williams. Throughout their five-round duel, Di Bella consistently remained a step ahead, utilizing clean strikes to neutralize his opponent. The judges acknowledged Di Bella’s mastery with a unanimous decision in his favor.
- Tawanchai’s Power Display: Tawanchai PK Saenchai dominated his compatriot, “Smokin” Jo Nattawut, in their featherweight kickboxing encounter. Even with Nattawut stepping in on short notice, Tawanchai’s aggression proved too much, and he was awarded a unanimous decision.
- Musumeci’s Bravery in Adversity: Overcoming food poisoning, Mikey Musumeci battled former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion, Shinya Aoki, in an openweight submission grappling bout. The reigning ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion submitted the legendary Aoki with a precision heel hook, further solidifying his unbeaten streak in ONE.
Additional reports and detailed bout breakdowns from the night can be accessed at www.onefc.com.
ONE Fight Night 15 was brought to you in partnership with Stage Front VIP, Monster Energy, TUMI, and Fairtex. The partners enjoyed substantial branding both inside the Circle and in-stadium.
As a token of their phenomenal performances, Thanh Le, Mikey Musumeci, and Zhang Lipeng were awarded performance bonuses, each pocketing a cool US$50,000.