ONE Fight Night 12 brought the heat with some of the promotion’s most accomplished jiu-jitsu artists taking tough matchups on both the MMA and submission grappling sides of the card.
Garry Tonon vs. Shamil Gasanov (MMA)
In a co-main event MMA fight against previously undefeated Dagestani powerhouse Shamil Gasanov, Garry Tonon handed the Russian his first defeat with a vicious kneebar entry. Gasanov appeared to take the advantage early, with a takedown that allowed him to throw several vicious knees to the head of a grounded Tonon — a technique that is legal under ONE FC MMA rules.
However, Tonon found his feet and immediately fired back with a standing back take. The two spent the remainder of the first round largely stuck in a clinch with each other.
The second round saw Tonon opening the round with some long range striking combinations that forced Gasanov into the corner. Gasanov, likely hoping to shut down Tonon’s kicks, took a shot, but landed in the guard of the jiu-jitsu ace. Tonon took his opportunity to wrestle up, before diving in on a kneebar entry. Though Gasanov tried valiantly to roll free, Tonon’s leglocking expertise proved too much to handle for the Dagestani, who screamed his tap just shy of the 2:30 mark.
According to commentators, this marks the fiftieth submission victory of Tonon’s combat sports career, with seven of those finishes coming from his eight ONE FC MMA fights.
“Before we say anything, [Gasanov] beat the **** out of me out there,” Tonon bluntly told ONE FC ring commentator Mitch “The Dragon” Chilson in the immediate aftermath of his victory. “Give a round of applause for Shamil! And thank god for submissions.”
Tonon — who called for, and received, a $50,000 bonus for his history-making submission victory over the Dagestani — now sets his hopes on a shot at the championship belt.
RESULTS: Garry Tonon def. Shamil Gasanov (kneebar, round 2)
Garry Tonon
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) July 15, 2023hands Shamil Gasanov his first pro MMA loss with a nasty kneebar!
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Tammi Musumeci vs. Tubby Alequin (Submission Grappling)
Meanwhile, in the submission grappling realm, Amanda “Tubby” Alequin, fresh off a dominant WNO performance over Alex Enriquez, took on longtime rival Tammi Musumeci. The women went the full ten-minute distance, engaging in some particularly vicious leglock shootouts from both sides, with Musumeci ending the round on Tubby’s back via her famously dangerous berimbolo entry.
However, what truly set the tone for the judges’ scorecards was a near-immediate flying guillotine attempt by Musumeci off a double leg takedown attempt by Alequin in the opening of the match. The submission attempt, which occurred less than a minute into the match — scored as an early “catch” by the ref — eventually proved critical to tipping the scales in Musumeci’s favor. After their ten minutes were up, that guillotine attempt would ultimately earn Tammi the judges’ decision.
The victory takes Tammi Musumeci to 2-0 in ONE Championship, with both wins emerging from decision victories.
RESULTS: Tammi MUsumeci def. Tubby Alequin (unanimous decision)
Catch up on all the action over at Amazon Prime Video, and don’t forget to check out our pre-fight interviews with all three of these phenomenal jiu-jitsu athletes:
What Makes BJJ Work for MMA: Garry Tonon Talks Strategy for ONE Fight Night 12
From Farm Owner to Gym Owner: How Elite Black Belt Tubby Alequin Does It All
“I Do My Own Thing”: How Staying True to Herself Keeps Tammi Musumeci in Love With Jiu-Jitsu
The post ONE Fight Night 12: Garry Tonon Kneebars His Way to Victory, Tammi Takes Decision Win Over Tubby appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.