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ONE 162 | Belakh and Issa Deliver an instant classic

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In the age old dynamic of prospect vs veteran, Leandro Issa (17-8) and Artem Belakh (9-2) closed out the lead card for ONE 162 in a fashion fitting of the Halloween spirit.

Belakh certainly had a ONE debut to remember, not only drawing combat sports veteran Leandro Issa, a name in itself, but finding himself embodying one half of a bell to bell banger which kept us all entertained, all while securing a huge unanimous decision victory to begin his ONE campaign.

His opponent, Leandro Issa, although in the twilight of his career at 39 years of age, has been fighting for ONE ever since their inception in 2011 and was part of their first ever show, only departing for a UFC stint in between ONE runs. The Brazilians 26 fight career has seen him consistently don incredible heart and the stellar BJJ game he’s come to be known for.

The unrelenting grappling of Issa was the talk of the fight in the early stages, securing top position and dealing damage with consistency, while snatching up a nasty armbar with an even better display of toughness via his Russian opponent, one Dan Hardy would be proud of.

Belakh weathered the early storm, continued to attack from the bottom with knees and elbows, while fighting with an undeniable hunger on the feet to butcher the Brazilian throughout his relentless approach. The Russian flourished from the top when he found himself there late on, thrashing away at his opponent, creating a canvas that looked like a crime scene, quite a masterpiece for a pallete consisting of red alone. The pairs battle tested bodies could easily be fooled for a pair of zombies come October 31st.

The toughness of both men prevailed and although Artem may have taken the decision, it was the fans that really won. A clash of styles, a clash of ages and somewhat of a passing of the torch. This day of combat sports is only getting started.

Where would you like to see both men go from here?