ONE women’s strawweight champion Jingnan Xiong met ONE atomweight champion Angela Lee in the co-main event of today’s (Sun., March 31, 2019) ONE Championship: A New Era from Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
With A New Era a pivotal card for ONE, Lee attempted to make history by becoming the first female double-champion in promotional history at only 22 years old.
She met no easy task in Xiong, who was last seen knocking out Samara Santos Cunha at September’s ONE: Beyond the Horizon. She had won her previous eight fights, with five of them coming by way of T/KO. Lee, meanwhile, last defended her atomweight title against Mei Yamaguchi at lat May’s ONE: Unstoppable Dreams. In doing so, she extended her unbeaten record to 9-0. She had also suffered a back injury that forced her previously scheduled bout with Xiong to be moved from November to today.
This was a pivotal bout for the future of the rising ONE Championship.
Round One:
Lee came out aggressive. She winged shots and Xiong countered. Xiong followed with an overhand. Xiong clinched but Lee reversed to land some knees. Lee took Xiong down and moved to side control. The atomweight champion smothered her foe. Xiong looked to kick Lee away from the mat but Lee went for a headlock. Xiong got out and beckoned Lee to strike. Xiong scored with two combos. Lee countered with her own. Xiong clinched for a minute and threw some shots. Lee snapped some of her own, getting Xiong’s attention as she rushed in. The strawweight champion goaded Lee and landed a good shot as the first round closed.
Round Two:
Lee clinched up against the cage wall early in the second. She controlled the action, yet did little damage. Xiong broke to throw a combo. Xiong landed a front kick to the body and a right hand. Lee pressed the pace and clinched once again. Xiong reversed landing a knee. But Lee reversed and wnt for a takedown, but Xiong scored a trip. She landed two more good shots and they traded. Xiong scored solid shots and Lee did as well. They traded more strikes and Xiong unloaded a combo to end the second round.
Round Three:
The third frame started with Lee pressing the pace as usual. But once again Xiong countered with good shots. They traded positions in the clinch. Then Lee got a solid takedown to land in Xiong’s open guard. Xiong went for a triangle then created a scramble to get up. But Lee kept at it and looked for a kimura on the ground. They got back to the feet and Xiong hit Lee with the overhand again. A two-punch combo followed and a spinning back
Round Four:
Xiong landed a left hook to start the fourth. Lee countered witha good right and took Xiong down. Lee smothered Xiong from the guard, looking to land ground and pound. Lee moved to side control and went to work. Lee looked for a reverse triangle from the top. She locked an armbar and it looked dangerous. It was a wrenching, tight hold but the champion would not tap. Xiong rolled over trying to break free. Lee rolled over to her belly to lock on the armbar more. She survived to the final round.
Round Five:
Xiong came out with a combo and a kick. She followed with more shots and a body kick. Xiong scored some huge shots again. Lee looked tired and may have gassed in the fourth. A huge shot landed. More followed and a big side kick to the body. Another came and Lee was hurt badly. Xiong poured it on and it was over. Amazing comeback win.
Final Result: Jingnan Xiong def. Angela Lee via TKO (strikes) in round five
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