ERNESTO Montilla’s ONE Championship debut was spoiled by Japanese veteran Tatsumitsu Wada after he submitted to the latter in the first round of the undercard bout of ONE Friday Fights 9 on March 17, 2023 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 31-year-Montilla, a former URCC and PXC champion, was very explosive and threw some vicious punches. Wada, however, waited for the right moment and unleashed a counter right hook that dropped Montilla to the canvas.
Wada unloaded some punches to the grounded Montilla and transitioned to his back for a deep rear-naked choke.
Montilla endured Wada’s choke for a moment before finally tapping out at the 1:52 mark.
Montilla fell to 10-5, while Wada successfully bounced back from defeat in his previous fight and improved to 25-12-2.
Montilla was one of the Pinoy fighters that competed in ONE Warrior Series Philippines for a $100,000 ONE Championship contract. He, however, bowed out of the reality show after suffering an injury.
In the main event, Regian Eersel (59-4) successfully defended his ONE lightweight Muay Thai title after a fourth-round knockout of Sinsamut Klinmee in a rematch. Eersel also holds ONE lightweight kickboxing title.
Meanwhile, Muangthai PK Saenchai (202-43-4) defeated fellow Lumpinee world champion Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai (66-17-5) via a third-round stoppage, while Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao (370-48-9) had a successful return after a two-year layoff with a second-round stoppage of World Boxing Council Muay Thai super bantamweight champion Ryan Sheehan (26-10-2). (EKA)