Brandon Vera loses ONE heavyweight belt to Indian foe

MANILA – Brandon Vera’s reign as ONE heavyweight champion came to a bitter end recently after bowing to Indian opponent Arjan Bhullar at ONE: Dangal.

In the pre-recorded match from the Singapore Indoor Stadium which was aired on Saturday night, Bhullar knocked out Vera after banking on the ground and pound in the second round.

Vera somehow got the upperhand early into Round 1 as he delivered jabs and some kicks to Bhullar.

Bhullar somehow took down Vera late into the opening frame, but Vera’s half guard kept Bhulllar at bay in the end.

In Round 2, however, Bhullar rocked Vera with a right hook that wobbled the latter.

Bhullar eventually sent Vera down afterward, and with the latter still in pain after a body shot before the takedown, the Indian fighter went for the jugular with a series of blows that prompted the referee to stop the contest.

Bhullar, now at 11-1, became India’s first ever mixed martial arts champion.

In the other matches, Thai pugilist Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai Muaythaigym impressed in his ONE Championship debut after knocking out Sean Clancy, former world title contender Bi Nguyen stunned Ritu Phogat with a split decision win, Ayaka Miura submitted Rayane Bastos, and Gurdarshan Mangat prevailed over fellow Indian Roshan Mainam via unanimous decision.