WITH one sharp lucky punch, Filipino-American Brandon “The Truth” Vera floored Igor Subora in their heavyweight bout in the One Fighting Championship: Warriors’ Way on Friday night.
Vera’s crunching right cross sent the dazed Subora down and finished off the Ukranian with two successive soccer kicks to the head with just over a minute into the second round.
“I was so nervous coming in because I’m fighting here in the Philippines for the first time,” said Vera, a former international mixed martial arts superstar who revived his career before raving Filipino fans at Mall of Asia Arena.
But Vera, who traces his roots in Tagkawayan, Quezon, quickly overcame his nerves, catching Subora in a clinch and unleashing a couple of knees to the head in the first round.
Gaining confidence at the start of the second frame, Vera went for the kill after Subora left himself open following a left hook that hit nothing but air.
“Igor punched so hard with that hook but I caught him as he walked right through it. Bang, bang, bang. I kicked him until the referee stopped the fight,” said the 37-year-old Vera, who holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is known for his prolific kickboxing skills.
“My plan is to climb up the ladder, face all challengers and get that OneFC belt,” he added.
In the bantamweight clash, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of Team Lakay won by decision over Japanese Koetsu Okazaki after a dazzling display of ground and standup prowess. Belingon capped the fight with a series of knife-like elbows on top of the helpless Okazaki.
Former world boxing champion Ana Julaton showcased his newfound grappling skills in decisioning Egyptian Walaa Abbas.
Another top Filipino MMA prospect Jujeath Nagaowa dominated Cambodia’s Tharoth Sam with impressive boxing in the clinch and some solid ground work. Nagaowa trapped Sam on a full mount and prevailed by referee stoppage.
Two Team Lakay fighters, however, fell.
Brazilian Herbert Burns needed just a few minutes to win by submission over Honorio Banario with a rear naked choke in the first round while hometown hero Eduard Folayang got tagged with a flying knee to the chin and hit the floor, allowing Russian Timofey Nastyukhin to end the fight also in the opening round.