5 MMA knockouts that rocked Singapore
Singapore loves a knockout. It's home to ONE Championship and was an annual stop for the UFC for several years before the pandemic. Although the city has a population of less than six million people, it became a hotbed for MMA in South East Asia and has borne witness to some truly epic finishes.
With MMA gyms popping up all over the Lion City and massive fights being hosted regularly at the Singapore Indoor Stadium - the Little Red Dot has certainly produced some big moments in the sport.
Whether they took place in the octagon, the ONE Circle or indeed, the ring - there have been some earth shattering knockouts over the years. ONE Championship has leaned heavily on its home city in recent months, with the Asia-based promotion choosing to have the bulk of its shows there due to difficulties coordinating events during the pandemic.
The UFC is also expected to make a return to Singapore once travel restrictions ease up. Here are five of the best MMA knockouts that rocked Singapore.
#5. ONE: 'Enter the Dragon' - Lee's knockout over Aoki
Ever since Christian Lee burst onto the scene as a 17 year old, 'The Warrior' has established a reputation as an absolute knockout merchant. 67% of his 15 victories have been knockouts. Still only 23, the young star tore his way through the division to win the lightweight title and the grand prix in the space of less than six months.
Christian Lee 🇺🇸🇸🇬 retains the ONE Lightweight World Title with a first-round stoppage of Timofey Nastyukhin! @ChristianLeeMMA @tntdrama @BleacherReport @BR_MMA @brlive #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #ONEonTNT2 https://t.co/mxxy1ZRF8S
With back-to-back first-round knockouts against Kazuki Tokudome and Edward Kelly - Lee earned a title shot against Evolve MMA teammate Shinya Aoki. Aoki is an icon of the game, and represented a massive test for Lee. The young warrior stepped up big time. Having shown his mettle by resisting a deep armbar attempt in the first, Lee produced a stunning knockout with less than a minute to go in the second round.
Lee cracked Aoki with a one-two combination to leave the Japanese star stumbling backwards. Another followed as Aoki crumbled. Two more finishing shots was all she wrote as Lee was crowned the youngest ever male MMA world champion in a major organization.
Christian Lee STOPS Shinya Aoki in the second round to win the ONE Lightweight World Title! 🤯 @ChristianLeeMMA #WeAreONE #EnterTheDragon #Singapore #MartialArts https://t.co/4owXYgaSGh