Geje losses in contentious bout against Akhmetov
A CONTROVERSIAL time out by referee Yuji Shimada in the first round proved costly to Team Lakay’s Geje Eustaquio as he yielded to Kairat Akhmetov via split decision in the main event of One Championship’s ‘Total Victory’ Saturday evening in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Akhmetov brought the action to the ground with his takedowns right at the start of the bell, working on ground and pound from top position but in a controversial sequence towards the end of the first stanza Eustaquio would connect on two upward kicks, the second of which rattling the former flyweight champion.
Shimada then called a timeout to check on Akhmetov after he failed to recognize the kick as a legal move, but would resume the bout shortly thereafter.
In round two, Akhmetov had fully recovered, and continued to put the pressure on Eustaquio, who exuded confidence on the back foot.
Eustaquio, timing Akhmetov’s high kick, landed a pair of stiff right hand counters to do damage. Akhmetov, on the other hand, would continue his stifling wrestling game, and went on to successfully execute two more takedowns.
In the third and final round, both competitors made a case for victory. Akhmetov caught a careless Eustaquio coming in with a beautifullytimed left hand to drop the Filipino to the canvas, but he was unable to capitalize.
In the third and final round, both competitors made a case for victory. Akhmetov caught a careless Eustaquio coming in with a beautifullytimed left hand to drop the Filipino to the canvas, but he was unable to capitalize.
Two Filipinos however raised the country’s banner with former ONE world title challenger Roy Doliguez stopping Yago Bryan of Brazil to win by third round technical knockout. It was gruelling contest from start to finish, as both competitors were
very evenly matched.
Doliguez, operating behind his world-class boxing stance, would keep Bryan on the outside with fast kicks and punch combinations.
Although Bryan would land the cleaner, stronger punches throughout the bout, Doliguez soon began to find his range late into the contest.
A straight left hand down the middle felled Bryan in the third round from which he was unable to recover.
Filipino karate practitioner Ramon Gonzales showcased a new grappling dimension to his overall game, finishing Chinese wrestler Liu De Li Ge Ri Hu via arm triangle choke submission. After dominating the first round with his striking, Gonzales was able to take Liu De Li to the mat near the halfway point of the second, where he secured side control and swiftly locked in the choke moments after. Roderick Osis