ONE 167 ‘Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II’ Play-by-Play & Results

ONE Muay Thai Bout:
Johan Estupinan vs. Zafer Sayik

Round 1

Bantamweight muay thai stylists kick off festivities, as Colombia’s Estupinan takes on Turkey’s Sayik at 145 pounds. Olivier Coste serves as the third man in the cage. They step forward, touch gloves and get busy. Estupinan wild right out of the gate, as Sayik looks to counter. They clinch, exchange knees and meander over to the fence before Coste resets them. Estupinan cracks the Turk with a leg kick, misfires and drifts back into open space. He steps into an overhand right and floors Sayik midway through the round. Estupinan gets credit for another knockdown, as he counters a flying attack with a sharp jab. The Colombian has taken charge with a minute to go. A spinning back kick to the gut from Sayik gives his opponent pause. A two-punch volley snaps back Sayik’s head. The horn sounds as Estupinan rushes forward.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Estupinan
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Estupinan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Estupinan

Round 2

Estupinan looks to pick up where he left off and throws caution to the wind. He lands a spinning back kick to the body, then doubles up on chopping left hands. Estupinan backs the Turk back to the fence and uncorks another hard left to the head. He continues to pin Sayik along the fence with punches. Sayik finds the mark with a short left hook, only to see Estupinan answer with a couple shots of his own.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan

Round 3

Sayik emerges for Round 3 clearly behind on the scorecards and in need of a stoppage. Estupinan marches forward behind his kicks, dodges the return fire, resets in open space and gets back to pressure. Sayik briefly interrupts him with a jab. Estupinan continues to uncork two-punch salvos. He then targets the body with hooks from both hands. Sayik looks to be in some distress. Estupinan goes back to the body, as Sayik hand’s drop to protect his midsection. Another body shot from the Colombian. With a minute to go, Sayik appears to be doing little more than surviving. Estupinan clips him with a right hand, feints a body kick and fires a three-punch combination to the head. They exchange as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan (30-26 Estupinan)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan (30-26 Estupinan)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Estupinan (30-26 Estupinan)

The Official Result

Johan Estupinan def. Zafer Sayik—Unanimous Decision

ONE MMA Bout:
Itsuki Hirata vs. Victoria Souza

Round 1

Attention turns to mixed martial arts for the first time, as Japan’s Hirata (6-3, 5-3 ONE) squares off with Brazil’s Souza (7-2, 1-2 ONE) in a women’s atomweight tilt. Herb Dean administers the law and order. Souza moves forward behind a stout jab, then fires a body kick. The Brazilian scores with an inside leg kick and another jab. Hirata presses forward with a high guard, answers a leg kick with one of her own and whiffs on a takedown. Souza catches a guillotine before Hirata can get fully upright, wraps her in guard and puts her to sleep. Beautiful stuff.

The Official Result

Victoria Souza def. Itsuki Hirata—Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) 1:31 R1

ONE Muay Thai Bout:
Johan Ghazali vs. Tran Duy Nhat Nguyen

Round 1

Flyweight muay thai practitioners keep the line moving, as Malaysia’s Ghazali sets his sights on Vietnam’s Nhat at 135 pounds. Coste officiates. They touch gloves and get underway. Ghazali moves forward with kicks to the inside and outside of the lead leg. Nguyen having issues controlling distance against the 17-year-old. Ghazali continues to attack the leg, then fires in combination before defending himself against return fire. Nguyen backs up in a straight line, eats a partially block head kick and absorbs a few knees to the body. Ghazali wings power shots, missing most of them but keeping his opponent on the back foot. He closes the distance and sends Nguyen’s mouthpiece flying with a left hook. They paw at one another in the closing seconds before Ghazali unleashes punches.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ghazali
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ghazali
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ghazali

Round 2

Ghazali engages Nguyen at close range, only to be tied up and neutralized. Coste separates them. Ghazali presses forward with his hands high, eats a leg kick, fires punches, exits and beckons his opponent forward. The teenager’s pressure is relentless. He points to the center of the cage and looks to entice Nguyen to throw. Nguyen lands a stepping knee to the body, resets and connects with an inside leg lick. Ghazali presses Nguyen into the fence, brushes off a head kick and ducks a spinning backfist before the round ends. Much better round for Nguyen.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen

Round 3

Nguyen checks a low kick to start Round 3 and connects with a pair of heavy kicks to the thigh. Ghazali throws wildly and misses. Nguyen follows an inside leg kick with a left hand upstairs. Ghazali paws with his jab but continues to struggle to find the mark with his power punches. Coste warns Nguyen for retreating. Soon after, Nguyen delivers a kick below the belt, resulting in a brief pause to the action. Ghazali lands a stiff jab but chooses not to follow up. Nguyen counters with a three-punch volley. The Vietnam native slams home another leg kick. Ghazali pumps out his jab. They flurry against one another to close it out.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen (29-28 Nguyen)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen (29-28 Nguyen)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nguyen (29-28 Nguyen)

The Official Result

Tran Duy Nhat Nguyen def. Johan Ghazali—Unanimous Decision

ONE MMA Bout:
Adrian Lee vs. Antonio Mammarella

Round 1

Action now shifts to MMA in the lightweight division, where Hawaii’s Lee (0-0, 0-0 ONE) makes his long-awaited debut opposite Australia’s Mammarella (1-0, 0-0 ONE) at 170 pounds. Dean draws the assignment to referee. Intense staredown leads to fisticuffs. Lee, 18, comes out firing straight punches, buckles his opponent’s knees with a sharp jab and ducks in on an attempted takedown. After considerable effort, he powers Mammarella to the mat. Lee climbs to half guard, drops elbows and punches, mixes in a few knees and maintains heavy control. Lee postures with punches and fires knees to the head while Mammarella tries to get back to his feet. He bails on an attempted anaconda choke and resets in the center of the cage. Lee doubles up on his jab, lands a leg kick and eats a few punches in return. Mammarella staying composed and working his combinations. Lee swoops in for another takedown, then lands a series of left hands to the face. Lee drags him back to the canvas with 90 seconds to go. The Hawaiian operates in half guard and keeps Mammarella pinned to the mat while hunting opportunities for knees and elbows. Lee continues to pile up points with his ground-and-pound, then threatens with a late armbar before transitioning to an inverted triangle-kimura combo.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lee

Round 2

Lee enters Round 2 with a clear lead. He fires punches in combination, closes the distance and secures another takedown. Mammarella works his way back to a standing position. Lee connects with a leg kick, then a left hook. The 18-year-old scores with a takedown, as the action stalls on the mat. Lee climbs to half guard and drops elbows before transitioning beautifully to the back. Before Mammarella can react, the rear-naked choke is in place. Lee activates his hips and prompts the tapout. Stellar debut from the prospect.

The Official Result

Adrian Lee def. Antonio Mammarella—Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 1:56 R2

ONE MMA Bout:
Denice Zamboanga vs. Noelle Grandjean

Round 1

Atomweight mixed martial artists are next to the stage, as Zamboanga (10-2, 5-2 ONE) does battle with Grandjean (5-2, 2-2 ONE) at 115 pounds. Dean administers the law and order. Zamboanga takes the center of the cage and gets busy with her jab. Grandjean tests the waters with a low inside leg kick but comes up short on her punches. Zamboanga steps into a combination, punctuating her efforts with a right hand at close range. Grandjean now steps forward to the center but continues to struggle with range. Zamboanga doubles up on right hands, resets, throws a jab and follows it with another right over the top. She is landing one-twos at will. Zamboanga steps into a heavy leg kick. Grandjean presses the Filipino star backwards and works her way into a head-and-arm takedown. Zamboanga frees herself and maneuvers onto her opponent’s back. Grandjean doing a good job of hand fighting to avoid the choke. She looks to set off a scramble but cannot shake Zamboanga. Grandjean now trapped in a body triangle. Zamboanga floats in transition, traps an arm and goes belly down on a rear-naked choke in the closing seconds. Grandjean survives.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga

Round 2

Grandjean takes the center at the start of the middle stanza, only to back up in the face of her counterpart’s potent jab. Zamboanga circles on the outside, eats a right hand and returns fire with one of her own. Zamboanga looking more and more comfortable on the feet. Grandjean misfires on a left hook and a leg kick. Zamboanga shoots a two-punch combo to the body. Grandjean answers and backs her into the fence with punches. Zamboanga moves back to the center of the cage and returns to open space, where she excels. She denies a Grandjean takedown. Light on her feet, Zamboanga connects with a jab and follows it with a one-two. Grandjean facing an uphill battle in the standup department, unable to overcome the speed and skill deficits. Zamboanga continues to land the jab and shrugs off an attempted clinch. Not much going right for Grandjean here. Zamboanga delivers a kick to the ribs. With 30 seconds to go, this looks like another round for Zamboanga. Grandjean showing damage near her left eye, as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga

Round 3

All signs point to Grandjean needing a finish. Everything working off of the Zamboanga jab, as she targets the body and head with follow-up combos. Grandjean just has no answer for the jab. Zamboanga circles, stays out of danger, avoids a head kick and cuts loose with a one-two. Grandjean’s punches and movements look labored with three minutes left. Zamboanga opens a cut near Grandjean’s right eye, connects with a one-two and sweeps her off her feet with a leg kick. Grandjean plods forward and clinches, but nothing comes of it. Zamboanga circles back to the center and stays busy with jabs, punching combos and leg kicks. She shrugs off another clinch without much effort. Zamboanga whiffs on a spinning backfist but maintains her balance and gets back to what she does best: throwing jabs and backpedaling out of danger. Grandjean hunts the home run late but fails to land anything of substance.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga (30-27 Zamboanga)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga (30-27 Zamboanga)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zamboanga (30-27 Zamboanga)

The Official Result

Denice Zamboanga def. Noelle Grandjean—Unanimous Decision

ONE Kickboxing Bout:
Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong vs. Masaaki Noiri

Round 1

Featherweight kickboxers step into the spotlight as Thailand’s Sitthichai dukes it out with Japan’s Noiri at 155 pounds. Coste serves as the third man in the cage. They touch gloves to get started. Sitthichai goes to work with his kicks. Noiri answers with his own. They trade kicks to the body and legs. Noiri pushes his opponent to the fence, only to eat a two-punch volley for his troubles. Siitthichai utilizing a push kick to keep his counterpart at a desired distance. Noiri not backing down. Sitthichai hammers home a jab and continues to fire fluid punch-kick combos. Noiri connects with a left hook. Sitthichai delivers another push kick to the breadbasket, then lands a combination that snaps back Noiri’s head. Sitthichai landing two, three and sometimes four shots for every one he absorbs in return. Noiri might want to switch gears between rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai

Round 2

Noiri opens the middle stanza in a southpaw stance. Sitthichai greets him with a push kick to the body. Noiri back to orthodox. Sitthichai unleashes a four-punch volley, then punctuates it with a head kick. Noiri responds with a head kick. Sitthichai steps into a knee up the middle, fires three punches down the middle and lands another knee to the body. Sitthichai lands a left hand over the top. Noiri might just be outgunned here. Sitthichai starting to target the body with more velocity. Noiri connects with a three-punch flurry, drawing a smile out of his opponent. Sitthichai stays busy with combos and continues to drown Noiri with volume.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai

Round 3

Sitthichai fires a knee up the middle, and Noiri answers with a low kick. Another three-punch burst from Sitthichai. He lands a body kick, follows with a combination and eats a right hand from Noiri. Sitthichai fakes a push kick and circles away from Noiri. Sitthichai sneaks in a left hook at close range, then ties up Noiri. Clean one-two from Sitthichai. A lot more clinches this round, necessitating increased involvement from Coste. With 30 seconds to go, Sitthichai looks to have this well in hand. Sitthichai walks Noiri into a body kick, then clinches to avoid any counterattacks as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai (30-27 Sitthichai)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai (30-27 Sitthichai)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sitthichai (30-27 Sitthichai)

The Official Result

Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong def. Masaaki Noiri—Unanimous Decision

ONE MMA Bout:
Kade Ruotolo vs. Blake Cooper

Round 1

A 2022 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championships gold medalist and one of the most decorated grapplers of his generation, Ruotolo (0-0, 0-0 ONE) makes his hotly anticipated MMA debut against Cooper (2-1, 0-1 ONE) in a lightweight showcase at 170 pounds. Erik Paulson in the Ruotolo corner. Dean officiates. They touch gloves in a mutual show of respect. Ruotolo opens with a high kick but misfires. Cooper operating out of the southpaw stance. Ruotolo lands a leg kick, as Cooper answers with one of his own. They clinch and break apart, with Ruotolo firing another head kick off the exit. Nearly two minutes in, and neither man has landed anything meaningful. Cooper picking up the pace with his punches. Ruotolo responds with a body kick, then lands a knee from the Thai clinch. He ties up Cooper along the fence and drags him to the mat from behind. Ruotolo threads on hook, then another and simultaneously snakes his arm in place for the rear-naked choke. Cooper struggles to free himself, but Ruotolo’s squeeze proves to be too much to overcome.

The Official Result

Kade Ruotolo def. Blake Cooper—Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 3:20 R1

ONE Submission Grappling Title Bout:
Mikey Musumeci vs. Gabriel Sousa

Round 1

A bantamweight submission grappling rematch now takes center stage, as Musumeci looks to avenge a September 2021 defeat to Sousa. Dean draws the assignment to referee. Sousa secures a quick takedown. Musumeci immediately locks him in closed guard. Musumeci isolates the right leg, hunts a kneebar and transitions to a heel hook. Sousa defends. Musumeci bites down on a calf slicer. Sousa looks to counter with a toe hold and cranks on the foot. Musumeci stays on the calf slicer and forces a stunning tapout. Wow.

The Official Result

Mikey Musumeci def. Gabriel Sousa—Submission (Calf Slicer) 3:07 R1

ONE Kickboxing Bout:
Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Denis Puric

Round 1

Set for co-main event duty, Rodtang collides with Puric in a three-round catchweight kickboxing battle at 141.25 pounds. Coste administers the law and order. Rodtang greets Puric with a stiff kick to the lower leg. He follows with a left hook and a leg kick. Puric sneaks in a right hand over the top. Rodtang fluidly switches stances and connects with a combination, punctuating it with a left hook to the body. Puric goes headhunting and swings and misses. Rodtang works behind his jab, mixes in a body kick and lands a left hook upstairs. Rodtang drills Puric with a left hook. Puric taunts, then eats more shots. Rodtang clips him with another left hand, marches forward, fires his jab and slams home a knee to the body. That round was not close.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang

Round 2

Rodtang picks up where he left off and targets the body with kicks. Puric swings wildly and misses, then connects with shorter, more pointed punches. Rodtang stuns him with a left hook-right hook combo. He goes to the body, then the head. A masterclass from Rodtang thus far. Rodtang steps into a knee, then slips on a kick. They restart in the center. Puric lands a right hand at close range. Rodtang delivers a kick to the body and another to the leg. More competitive round from Puric, but he still seems to be a step or two behind. They trade. Both land. Rodtang doing a better of job of going to the body. They exchange punches along the fence, bringing the crowd to a boil.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang

Round 3

Puric opens the third round with a leg kick and steps into a right hook at close range. Rodtang sneaks in a head kick and largely avoids the return fire. Puric starting to string together punches. Rodtang answers with a kick to the body. Rodtang jabs to the body, then the head. Puric throws a spinning back kick to the body and a spinning backfist. The first shot gets blocked. The second finds only air. A minute to go, and Puric needs a knockout. Rodtang connects in combination, then taps his own head to beckon forth his counterpart. Rodtang steps in with a knee to the body. Puric misfires on a spinning backfist. Puric lands a left hook in the waning seconds, but Rodtang eats it without issue.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang (30-27 Rodtang)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang (30-27 Rodtang)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rodtang (30-27 Rodtang)

The Official Result

Rodtang Jitmuangnon def. Denis Puric—Unanimous Decision

ONE Muay Thai World Championship Fight:
Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai vs. Nattawut ‘Smokin’ Jo’ Somkhun

Round 1

Tawanchai puts his ONE featherweight muay thai championship on the line against Nattawut in the headliner—a rematch of an Oct. 7 encounter between the two men that was won by the champion via unanimous decision. Coste officiates. Tawanchai dodges a low kick, blocks a high kick and slams a kick into the inside of Nattawut’s led leg. Both men off to a measured start. Tawanchai scores with another inside leg kick. He follows a body kick with a left cross. Nattawut already cut over the eye, the result of a Tawanchai elbow strike. They trade kicks, with Tawanchai burying his shin into his opponent’s ribcage. Two more follow.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai

Round 2

They touch gloves to start Round 2, then trade leg kicks. Tawanchai continues to target the left side with powerful kicks, then connects with a counter left hand upstairs. Another body kick from Tawanchai. Nattawut sneaks in a right hand and checks a low kick. Tawanchai mixes in a push kick to the chest. Neither man moving forward much. Should Nattawut continue down this road, it ends with another decision loss to the champion. He has done nothing to push him out of his comfort zone. Tawanchai lands a body kick and eats a right hook to the head as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai

Round 3

Champion and challenger meet in the middle. Tawanchai blasts the body and arms with kicks. Nattawut steps into a right hand, appearing to briefly rattle Tawanchai. Back to the center of the cage. Nattawut upping his aggression. He backs Tawanchai to the fence and uncorks a leg kick and a right hook to the head, then flurries. Tawanchai throws out a push kick to the body. Nattawat continues to pressure the champion. They trade body kicks. Nattawat lands multiple leg kicks and dodges the return fire. They trade knees in the clinch before Coste can separate him. Swelling developing near Tawanchai’s left eye. Excellent round for the challenger, who put himself back in the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut

Round 4

Can Nattawut maintain the momentum? Tawanchai fires a kick to the body, while the challengers with a multi-strike burst of kicks and punches. Tawanchai again tenderizes the midsection with his shin. The champion steps forward with punches, wanders into the clinch, trades knees and breaks free, unloading with a head kick. Back in the center of the cage, Tawanchai scores with another body kick. Nattawut answers with a body shot of his own. Tawanchai presses forward. Nattawut eats a low kick, then cuts loose with a four-punch volley. Tawanchai crashes forward, only to have his legs swept out from underneath him. Nattawut connects with a leg kick and a punching combination to close the round.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut

Round 5

They enter the final round with the outcome very much in doubt. Tawanchai opens with a left hook and a body kick. Nattawut answers with a push kick but fails to cut off the champion’s pressure. Tawanchai lands clean. Nattawut responds with a knee to the body and a multi-punch flurry. Tawanchai turns to elbows, the crowd reacting with every strike that lands. Nattawut cuts loose with punches upstairs, as Tawanchai presses him onto the back foot. Tawanchai catches a kick and connects with a kick to the body. Nattawut lands an inside leg kick, then connects with a counter right hand. Tawanchai moves forward behind his body kick, and they exchange punches to finish it out.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai (48-47 Tawanchai)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nattawut (48-47 Nattawut)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tawanchai (48-47 Tawanchai)

The Official Result

Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai def. Nattawut Somkhun—Majority Decision