Former flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio returned to the win column in devastating fashion at Friday’s ONE Championship: Masters of Fate in Manila, Philippines.
Looking to avenge a 2016 submission defeat to former title contender Toni Tauru, Eustaquio scored one of the best knockouts of 2019 in the third round, flooring Tauru with a spinning back kick to the liver.
THE REMATCH KING REIGNS SUPREME
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
Geje Eustaquio knocks out former foe Toni Tauru with a THUNDEROUS spinning back kick in Round 3!#WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/poyTGJSTta
The fight card was headlined by dominant ONE Championship strawweight king Joshua Pacio against Rene Catalan.
Both fighters went for heel hooks early in the opening round, and Catalan transitioned to a kneebar. But Pacio successfully defended the submission attempt, and he ended up on mount. They hit the ground again in the second round, but this time, the Filipino talent wasted no time getting to mount, and he locked in an arm-triangle choke that forced Catalan to tap.
THE KING DEFENDS HIS CROWN
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
Team Lakay phenom Joshua Pacio stops the streaking Rene Catalan with a Round 2 arm-triangle choke to retain his ONE Strawweight World Title!#WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/wYPFL4dKG5
In the co-main event, former lightweight titleholder Eduard Folayang looked to snap a two-fight skid against Tsogookhuu Amarsanaa. The bout ended prematurely when an unintentional clash of heads at 2:08 of the second round resulted in a big cut under Amarsanaa’s left eye.
The doctor stopped the contest, and Folayang was declared the victor via technical decision.
Filipino hero Eduard Folayang gets the unanimous nod over Amarsanaa Tsogookhu after an unintentional clash of heads prompts a technical decision. @efolayang #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/7iMsiLmFFD
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
The early portion of the show featured the return of Nong Stamp “Stamp Fairtex” to MMA against Bi Nguyen. The ONE Championship muay Thai champion put on an impressive performance throughout three rounds to win via unanimous decision, but the highlight of her night happened before she entered the cage.
Stamp Fairtex’s walkouts are better than yours #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/TqFYbMVSLv
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
Check some highlight-real finishes from the card, courtesy of Robin Catalan and Li Kai Wen, and the complete ONE Championship: Masters of Fate results below.
WHAT. A. KO
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
Hometown hero Robin Catalan sends the crowd into a frenzy with a HUGE knockout of Gustavo Balart!#WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/OiNnVIkr1a
Chinese supernova Li Kai Wen makes a statement in his return to action, toppling "The Great King" Paul Lumihi with a first-round KNOCKOUT #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #MastersOfFate pic.twitter.com/JyMm5acgcZ
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 8, 2019
Joshua Pacio def. Rene Catalan via second-round submission (arm-triangle choke) (2:29)
Eduard Folayang def. Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu via technical decision (R2, 2:08)
Geje Eustaquio def. Toni Tauru via third-round knockout (2:11)
Stamp Fairtex def. Bi Nguyen via unanimous decision
Li Kai Wen def. Paul Lumihi via first-round knockout (2:39)
Yoshitaka Naito def. Pongsiri Mitsatit via unanimous decision
Robin Catalan def. Gustavo Balart via second-round knockout (4:443)
Jae Woong Kim def. Rafael Nunes via third-round TKO (0:38)
Kim Kyu Sung def. Akihiro Fujisawa via first-round knockout (1:08)
Roshan Mainam def. Khon Sichan via first-round submission (americana) (3:22)