Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan and Adrian “Papua Badboy” Mattheis opened up the action inside the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium, setting the pace for a thrilling night of martial arts on Saturday, 7 July.
Catalan dialled up the pressure in the first round, before securing a heel hook submission at the 2:10 mark of round two at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS in Guangzhou, China.
Ahead of the contest, Mattheis revealed his game plan would be to keep the action on the feet, but from the opening minute of round one, it was clear “The Ilonggo” had other plans.
As soon as he got to grips with his Indonesian foe, he hoisted him up and slammed him to the mat, using the rest of the round to dominate from the top position.
When the action restarted, Catalan wasted no time in taking the fight to the ground once again after opening up with some kicks. The 27-year-old caught a Mattheis kick and used it to finish a takedown.
“Papua Badboy” worked hard to try and get back up to his feet, but the Filipino’s control was too strong. When the opportunity presented itself, Catalan jumped backwards for a heel hook, and torqued the knee to provoke the tap from his opponent.
After taking a victory from Kritsada Kongsrichai at ONE: IRON WILL in March, this win gives Catalan back-to-back victories in ONE Championship for the first time, and he will look to keep that momentum going to move up the ranks of the competitive strawweight division.
The Filipino’s record is enhanced to 8-3 with the victory.
Mattheis never had the chance to let loose with his powerful striking, and defeat means his three-bout win streak is snapped. His record falls to 6-5.
