Given the gulf between their respective records you might have expected Ze Lang Zha Xi to outclass Xie Wei. But that prove to be far from the case in the main event of the first ever ONE Hero Series event in Beijing this afternoon.
Both men were billed as regional Sanda champions and they showcased their striking skills in the opening round, trading punches and kicks. The contest was very even until Wei dropped Zha Xi with a right hand just seconds before the bell.
The second stanza saw Wei attempt the first takedown of the fight and they spent much of the round trading elbows and knees in the clinch. Towards the end of the round he finally got the fight to the ground with a trip and was raining down elbows as the bell sounded.
Having finished the first two rounds so strongly Wei would have been well ahead at this stage. However he wasn’t content to bide his time and win a decision, instead unleashing an overhand right early in the third which knocked Zha Xi out.
With the win Wei improves to 1-2, and is clearly a far better mixed martial artist than his record suggests. Zha Xi drops to 9-4-1. Next up for ONE Hero Series is an event in the same city on February 25th.
ONE Hero Series 1, Beijing, January 28th
Xie Wei def. Ze Lang Zha Xi by KO in Round 3
Makeshate Sailike def. Tao Yu Fei by KO in Round 1
Sun Shu Wei def. Ma Teng by Submission in Round 1
Lu Zhao Huang def. Hu Li Zong by Submission in Round 2
Hu Yong def. Yan Zhi Yuan by Decision (Unanimous) in Round 3
Ma Meng Hao def. Chang Shuai by Submission in Round 1
Chen Hao def. Xu Hong Xi by Decision (Unanimous) in Round 3
Li Zhe def. Yang Ying Qiang by Submission in Round 1
Wang Zhen Zhang def. Yu Sen by KO in Round 1
Cai Xiong Xiong def. Zhao Tian Cheng by KO in Round 1
