Preview: One Championship ‘Reign of Kings’

Lightweights
Garry Tonon (1-0) vs. Rahul K. Raju (5-2)

The fact that five-time Eddie Bravo Invitational champion Tonon won his first MMA fight was not a shock, but that he did it without relying on his ground game was. In March the BJJ wunderkind defeated Filipino Richard Corminal via a second-round stoppage and looked as calm and relaxed on his feet as he does on the mat. His striking may still have some way to go before he can rely on it the same way he can his BJJ, but not once during his fight with Corminal did he look flustered or out of his depth as the two traded blows.

Raju is a Singapore-based Indian fighter who trains at the Juggernaut Fight Club. This will be his second bout in One Championship. The 27-year-old’s debut fight was a brief affair resulting in a 21-second KO loss to Shannon Wiratchai.

To go from Wiratchai to Tonon in the space of four months is a tough ask for any newcomer. "The Kerala Krusher" likes to get in close to his opponents, establish a clinch and then work on a takedown. Obviously against a fighter who is as proficient on the ground as Tonon, this strategy will not be an option. In interviews leading up to the fight, Raju and his team are clear that they are all too aware of the need to plan for the skills that Tonon will bring to the cage. While Tonon will be the odds-on favorite, he is still in the beginning stages of his MMA career, and that may offer Raju a chance to spring a few surprises on the 26-year-old New Jersey native.

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