5 Takeaways From ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov
ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video rattled the roof of the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium this past Friday, June 9, with 10 extraordinary martial arts contests.
Bangkok, Thailand, buzzed after another evening filled with memorable finishes and wild back-and-forth battles.
As wandering eyes begin to look over the horizon at what comes next, here are five takeaways from another unforgettable evening in the Thai capital.
‘The Immortal’ Remains Impeccable
ONE Lightweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel had one goal to establish when he arrived on the global stage — build a lasting legacy. Following another dominant performance, it’s safe to say he’s secured his status.
“The Immortal” rocked Dmitry Menshikov with a right jab, and the Russian couldn’t regain his bearings after just 46 seconds of action. In four-ounce gloves, Eersel’s showcasing his power in droves.
The win pushed the Surinamese star’s streak to a wondrous 22-straight and earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
The two-sport king is seemingly only getting better, which must send chills down the spines of all those looking up from the base of the lightweight mountain. With textbook technique, an endless gas tank, and staggering power, Eersel’s legacy is not being written in ink, but etched into stone.
Superbon Proves He’s Still Top Contender
Former ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon Singha Mawynn was perfection personified inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
Although #5-ranked contender Tayfun “Turbine” Ozcan attempted to replicate Chingiz Allazov’s game plan by putting pressure on the Thai superstar, Superbon’s defense was impenetrable. In fact, it allowed the former king to read his opponent and set up his second-round finish.
As Ozcan fired off a combination, Superbon connected flush with a flawless left high kick that put his rival out cold. It was such an exceptional shot that he, too, also bagged a US$50,000 bonus.
In his post-match interview, the #1-ranked featherweight kickboxing contender called for a rematch with Allazov and a shot at the title. But he’ll have to wait until after Allazov’s August 4 defense against Marat Grigorian at ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video.
Regardless of who holds the belt after that match, Superbon deserves the chance to reclaim his throne after another head-kick knockout of an elite featherweight contender.
Freymanov Nears Shot At Featherweight Crown
Last year, Ilya Freymanov made his presence known with a stunning finish over former two-division ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen in his promotional debut. At ONE Fight Night 11, he proved it was no fluke after taking out Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg in their featherweight MMA showdown.
Perhaps even more impressive, he was able to show his toughness by eating hard shots from the Mongolian. The Russian showcased his resilience after he bounced back and took the action to Shinechagtga.
The #3-ranked featherweight contender dropped his adversary with a knee, mounted him on the ground, and eventually took the victory with a rear-naked choke, all within 2:18 of the first round.
With the win, Freymanov not only pocketed a US$50,000 bonus, but also landed on ONE Featherweight World Champion Tang Kai’s radar as one of the fastest-rising contenders in the sport.
Malachiev Enters ONE Strawweight World Title Picture
If Mansur Malachiev’s promotional debut victory defined anything about the unbeaten Russian, it was that he could handle the pressure of competing on ONE’s global platform.
Malachiev stood across surging Filipino MMA contender Jeremy Miado on a stacked card, but for the 31-year-old it looked like a typical Friday night out on the town.
The Russian shut down Miado at every turn and finished him with a slick D’Arce choke at 4:31 of the first round. Throughout the ordeal, Malachiev never once wavered, stuck to his game plan, and got his hand raised in under five minutes.
The win didn’t simply keep a mark off his loss column — it was also an announcement that the strawweight division has a new challenger in its ranks.
Kwon Steps Closer To Rematch With Andrade
Everything is coming up roses for bantamweight MMA dynamo “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il. The South Korean exited Bangkok with a sterling second-round TKO over Artem Belakh. Now he nears a golden opportunity for himself.
The impressive finish against the #5-ranked bantamweight contender continued Kwon’s perfect 100 percent finishing rate on the global stage and solidified his #4 spot in the rankings.
With a US$50,000 performance bonus and riveting post-match interview, “Pretty Boy” has done everything to silence his doubters and put himself in a position to get a crack at the bantamweight crown.
The fact that he may get that opportunity against the last man to serve him a loss — ONE Bantamweight World Champion Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade — only adds to the excitement of what could be a career-defining achievement for the South Korean.
