(James Goyder is the owner/editor of AsianMMA.com)
Xiong Jing Nan cruised past Ayaka Miura at ONE: ‘Heavy Hitters’ in Singapore tonight. The Japanese challenger spent five rounds trying and failing to take the Chinese champion down.
At the start of the fight Miura looked to catch Xiong’s kicks and had some success but was unable to complete a takedown. It would prove to be the story of the fight with the challenger constantly looking to put the champion on her back.
She ducked under a punch and shot for a double leg at the start of the second but Xiong sprawled. Miura seemed close to getting the takedown but the Chinese fighter grabbed the fence and received a warning from the referee.
In the third Xiong landed a knee as Miura shot in. After fighting off another takedown attempt the champion landed a solid body kick on the break.
The fourth began with Miura looking for a single leg and Xiong sprawling and landing a knee to her opponent’s midsection. This pattern continued for the remainder of the fight with the Japanese fighter unable to complete her takedowns or land any effective offence in the striking exchanges.
The decision win for Xiong takes her to 17-2 while Miura drops to 11-4. Having cleared out the strawweight division she looks set to drop down to atomweight and challenge for a second title.
Earlier in the night Saygid Izagakhmaev (20-2) got his ONE Championship career off to the best possible start. He finished James Nakashima (12-3) with a second round D’Arce choke.
Meanwhike Tiffany Teo (10-2) cemented her status as the #1 conetender in the strawweight division. The Singaporean has a 100% winning record in non title fights which she maintained by submitting Meng Bo (18-6) with a second round rear naked choke.
Shuya Kamikubo (12-1-1) maintained his 100% winning record in the ONE Championship cage. He put himself in pole position for the next shot at the bantamweight belt by submitting Troy Worthen (7-3) late in the final round.
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ONE: ‘Heavy Hitters’, Singapore, January 14th
- Xiong Jing Nan def. Ayaka Miura via Decision (Unanimous)
- Muay Thai: Tawanchai PKSaenchaigym def. Saemapetch Fairtex by TKO (Punches) at 2:55 of Round 1
- Saygid Izagakhmaev def. James Nakashima via Submission (D’Arce Choke) at 2:17 of Round 2
- Muay Thai: Supergirl Jaroonsak def. Ekaterina Vandaryeva via Decision (Split)
- Senzo Ikeda def. Elipitua Siregar via KO (Punch) at 2:00 of Round 3
- Kickboxing: Giannis Stoforidis def. Beybulat Isaev via KO (Punch) at 0:31 of Round 1
- Tiffany Teo def. Meng Bo via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:45 of Round 2
- Shuya Kamikubo def. Troy Worthen via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:36 of Round 3
Xiong Jing Nan cruises past Ayaka Miura at ONE: ‘Heavy Hitters’
