ONE Championship's 5 most shocking moments of 2021
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, ONE Championship has had an amazing 2021. Over 30 events and hundreds of fights have passed and it's time once again to reflect on the 12 months behind us.
If anything, 2021 proved that the fight game is a wildly different athletic endeavor from other sports. One cannot simply look at stats and numbers and come to a viable conclusion on who will win and by how much.
Many things can make the game so unpredictable and the year has been filled with contests that blind-sided most, if not all, expectations.
Just take a look at the once-kickboxing champion Stamp Fairtex submitting a known grappler Ritu Phogat:
ONE Championship has had a few shocking moments this year that will forever be etched into the annals of history. From jaw-dropping knockouts to dominant underdog wins, here are a few shocking ONE Championship moments from 2021.
#5. Ok Rae Yoon dominates Eddie Alvarez - ONE Championship on TNT 4
The Korean world domination continues through the explosive hands of ONE Championship's lightweight king Ok Rae Yoon. Arguably having the best freshman year in ONE Championship, Ok won the belt just five months after his first fight in the promotion.
After putting on a clinic in his debut against former featherweight champion Marat 'Cobra' Gafurov, Ok shocked everyone in his second outing. The Korean striker took his next bout less than a month removed from his first fight.
To make matters more difficult, Ok also agreed to face MMA legend and former UFC lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez. The Korean champion has balls of steel.
Come fight night, Ok was nowhere near being perceived as the betting favorite. Nonetheless, the Korean slugger dominated all three rounds using fluid movement and crisp striking.
Ok showed the former UFC great that he had no business being in the cage with him. Ok utilized his reach advantage to nullify Alvarez's attack, while peppering him with solid shots from the outside. He even knocked Alvarez down in the first round and almost ended the fight there.
After his momentous win over 'The Underground King', Ok received a title shot and later faced champion Christian Lee in September. The Korean won again, capping off his year with ONE Championship gold around his waist.
Watch the full fight here: