Guto Inocente launched his ONE Championship career with a stunning finish of tough-as-nails Bruno “Ironclad” Susano at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The Brazilian star scored a dominant second-round TKO of his Portuguese opponent in their ONE Super Series heavyweight kickboxing bout at ONE: FULL CIRCLE on Friday, 25 February.
Hands low and chin up, Inocente broke every defensive rule in the book as he walked his foe down.
But defense wasn’t initially necessary when he popped Susano with a straight punch, uppercut, high kick, and then another straight punch – all from the left side.
That combination bounced “Ironclad” off the Circle Wall, and he retaliated with a right hand. Inocente, now forced to showcase his defense, swayed back, escaping Susano’s mighty right hand.
The debutant then ripped into his rival’s torso with hooks and kicks, and the Portuguese striker was left blowing air in the middle of the Circle.
The Brazilian finished the round with two knees and a spinning back kick to Susano’s liver, which prompted “Ironclad” to try his own twirling trick. His kick didn’t have the same effect, though, and both men laughed it off like good friends.
Susano did make an impact at the start of the second round, as he shot from the stool and fired off left hooks and low kicks. But Inocente was harder to shake off than the common cold.
A left hook twisted the Portuguese man’s jaw and sent him backward, and Inocente followed up with a jumping knee.
A minute later, a spinning back kick to the head warranted an eight-count from referee Olivier Coste.
Susano took the count and marched back into the fray, but Inocente rolled over the man who was now on rickety legs.
Jabs, hooks, and low kicks – they came at “Ironclad” with the force of a runaway train. Coste had no choice but to step in and derail the excitement at 2:22 of the second round.
With the rousing victory, Inocente bumped his record to 39-10 and proved to be a dangerous threat in ONE’s heavyweight kickboxing division – and potentially a challenger for the inaugural World Title belt. (One Championship)
(Photo credits to: One Championship)