Kelly vs Jadambaa winner will get title shot, says ONE FC top brass

MANILA, Philippines – The stakes are much higher in the upcoming featherweight encounter between Filipino fighter Eric Kelly and Mongolia’s Jadambaa Narantungalag as a world title shot awaits the winner of the marquee match-up. 

Both men are booked to square off against each other in the main event of ONE Championship’s “Dynasty of Champions 6” card, which takes place at the Hefei Olympic Sports Center in Hefei, China on July 2.

ONE Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong told Rappler that the winner of the Kelly-Jadambaa cage confrontation will earn a date with Marat Gafurov, who holds the organization’s featherweight crown. 

“Yes, there will be a potential title shot waiting for whoever wins in this fight,” the Thai businessman said. 

Jadambaa had a grueling history with Gafurov as the 40-year-old feisty Mongolian striker relinquished the ONE Championship featherweight belt to the undefeated Russian via fourth-round submission in November 2015. 

Gafurov’s title-winning performance came with a hefty price as he had to withstand a spirited surge from Jadambaa, who battered the Russian standout with well-timed kicks and pinpoint punching. 

However, Gafurov managed to dominate from top position with various submission attempts, giving him an opening to fasten a rear naked choke to render Jadambaa unconscious. 

“I think the fans all want to see Jadambaa versus Marat part two. Everyone wants to watch that fight. So if Jadambaa wins, he possibly gets the title shot,” Sityodtong said. 

Meanwhile, Kelly seeks to get another crack at the gold-plated strap after his third-round submission defeat at the hands of Malaysian-Kiwi sensation Ev Ting last January spoiled his bid to become the division’s No.1 contender.

The 30-year-old Baguio City native is widely considered one of the most successful products of the local mixed martial arts (MMA) scene in the Philippines, but the missing accolade in his impressive resumé is the recognition of being a world champion in the sport. 

Kelly had the opportunity to vie for the promotion’s inaugural featherweight championship against compatriot Honorio Banario in February 2013, but he yielded to the Team Lakay representative via fourth-round stoppage. 

“The Natural” again managed to cement his status as the rightful contender for the ONE Championship featherweight belt by pulling off a come-from-behind submission win against Rob Lisita in July 2014.

Despite the impressive triumph over Lisita, Kelly’s nose was badly injured due to his refusal to relent against the hard-hitting Australian. This left him with no other choice but to put his championship hopes on hold as he was not medically cleared to square off with then-titleholder Koji Oishi in August of the same year.

By the time he was next in line, ONE Championship had already enshrined a new titleholder in Jadambaa. 

Jadambaa was supposed to lock horns with Kelly in December 2014, but the planned championship clash did not push through as the latter had a highly-publicized contract dispute with ONE Championship.

‘Someone will get knocked out’

Sityodtong believes ONE Championship will provide another “Fight of the Year” candidate with the 3-round meeting between Kelly and Jadambaa. 

“Eric Kelly always comes to bring it. Jadambaa obviously and always comes to bring it. I think it will be a striking war,” he said.

Sityodtong expects Kelly to rely on his stand-up game against Jadambaa, who has a splendid takedown defense. 

“I don’t think Eric Kelly has the wrestling to take Jadambaa down. I think they will be slugging out toe-to-toe,” he explained.

Before becoming an MMA fighter, Kelly was first introduced to Yaw-Yan, a Filipino style of kickboxing with emphasis on hip-torquing motion, attacks from long range, and downward-cutting kicks. 

After mastering Yaw-Yan, Kelly then transitioned to Wushu Sanshou, where he represented the Philippines in international tournaments from 2001 to 2004.

Since Kelly started his MMA career in 2009, he has been heavily regarded as a submission specialist, owning 9 triumphs by way of forcing his foes to tap. 

Jadambaa, meanwhile, is a highly-decorated kickboxer who holds 5 submission victories and one knockout win in MMA. 

With both competitors’ respective backgrounds, Sityodtong stressed that a knockout victory by either man might be inevitable.

“If they stand toe-to-toe, somebody is going to get knocked out.” – Rappler.com