ONE Fight Night 44 Recap: Owen Jones Hands Fabricio Andrey His First Loss, Paul Elliott Posts 6-Second KO

Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27

Owen Jones vs. Fabricio Andrey: A Grappling Match Worth Rewatching

The sole submission grappling match on the card was the most technically rich exchange of the evening. Owen Jones, a 21-year-old from Britain competing in ONE Championship for the first time, came into the fight with specific motivation: three years earlier, Fabricio 'Hokage' Andrey had handed him a loss. Jones made it clear from the opening moments that he had studied that result and built on it. Both competitors engaged immediately in leg lock exchanges that reflected the current state of high-level no-gi grappling -- where the leg lock game is now as sophisticated as any other aspect of the submission grappling meta.

The match's decisive moment came in the second half, when Jones secured a leg entanglement tight enough that the referee issued a catch -- a formal acknowledgment that the submission threat was real and that Andrey was in a precarious position. Andrey managed to survive and answered back with an armbar attempt that appeared to have Jones in a tight spot, but Jones defended brilliantly, escaping what looked like a dangerous position and demonstrating exactly the kind of defensive capability that separates top-level grapplers from the rest. After ten minutes of action, two of three judges awarded Jones the split decision.

The result is significant in multiple ways. Andrey had been on a three-fight winning streak in ONE and had never been defeated in the promotion before Jones broke that record. For Jones, this is the kind of win that announces a career -- defeating a respected grappler in a debut, and doing so with authority over a full match. Jones' record now stands at 17-6, and his arrival at ONE sets up intriguing future matchups in the promotion's stacked submission grappling division.

Paul Elliott's Six-Second KO and the MMA Card Highlights

When Paul Elliott stepped into the circle against Regan Upshaw in their heavyweight MMA matchup, nobody expected the bout to be over before anyone had settled into their seat. Elliott landed a devastating shot within the first six seconds of the opening round, putting Upshaw down and out immediately. The finish tied the fastest knockout in ONE Championship history -- a benchmark that stands out even in a promotion with plenty of dramatic finishes.

The six-second stoppage is worth examining beyond the spectacle. Elliott has consistently shown heavy hands in his ONE appearances, and the Upshaw result reflects both his power and the inherent volatility of heavyweight MMA where a single landing can end things instantly. For fans of BJJ and grappling, quick finishes like this also serve as reminders of why submission grappling specialists sometimes find the pure finish-by-ground less accessible in MMA settings -- when a striker has that kind of power, fights often end before they hit the floor.

In the co-main event, Lucas Gabriel continued to build one of the more quietly impressive records in ONE's lightweight MMA division. Gabriel's split-decision win over Ok Rae Yoon -- a former ONE lightweight champion -- extends his unbeaten run in the promotion and gives him the biggest scalp of his career at 11-1. Karen Ghazaryan's first-round TKO of Hisashi Ezaki in the strawweight MMA division was equally sharp, providing the kind of emphatic rebound win that resets the conversation after Ghazaryan's first career loss.

What ONE Fight Night 44 Shows About the Global Grappling Scene

ONE Championship continues to run some of the most interesting mixed cards in combat sports -- events that pair submission grappling with MMA under a single broadcast, giving grappling fans elite-level matches without needing to track a separate event calendar. For BJJ practitioners watching from home, seeing Jones vs. Andrey at this level serves as both inspiration and education: the techniques on display -- leg locks, heel hooks, inside heel hooks, dynamic armbar setups -- are the same ones being drilled in academies around the world.

The ONE grappling division also functions as a proving ground that connects to the broader competitive landscape. Athletes who perform well in ONE submission grappling matches often become targets for ADCC invitations, EBI appearances, and other high-profile grappling events. Jones' debut win over Andrey puts him on the map in exactly this way. The ADCC World Championship in Krakow in September 2026 is the biggest grappling event of the year, and performances like Jones' in Bangkok contribute to the conversations about who belongs on that stage.

If watching matches like this makes you want to get on the mat yourself, that motivation is worth acting on. The techniques you see at the highest levels of submission grappling trace back to the same fundamentals taught in BJJ academies to brand-new students every day. Finding a gym near you -- and specifically trying a no-gi class -- is the most direct way to start building those same skills from the ground up. The CTA at the bottom of this page can help you locate an academy close to where you are.

5 Grappling Techniques That Were on Display at ONE Fight Night 44

The Jones vs. Andrey grappling match was a clinic in modern submission wrestling. Here are the key techniques that made it worth breaking down -- and what beginners can take away from each.

1. Leg lock entanglements: Both competitors worked from leg entanglements throughout the match, seeking heel hooks and knee bars from various inside and outside positions. Understanding which way your opponent is facing -- inside or outside position -- is the foundational concept that governs the entire leg lock meta at this level.
2. Referee catch recognition: When Jones' leg lock threatened enough that the referee issued a formal catch, it reflected a submission threat real enough to affect the scorecards. Understanding the scoring mechanics of submission grappling -- including how near-submissions are evaluated -- matters for anyone following high-level matches.
3. Armbar defense and escape: Andrey's armbar was applied from a position that looked very dangerous, and Jones' escape involved maintaining composure under pressure and executing a specific mechanical defense. Armbar escapes are among the most important survival skills in grappling and are taught in every BJJ curriculum.
4. Pace and energy management: At ten minutes, Jones and Andrey sustained technical engagement without burning out. High-level grapplers develop extraordinary cardiovascular efficiency through years of training that builds grappling-specific endurance -- something regular BJJ class develops even in beginners.
5. Split decision criteria: The judges evaluated takedowns, submission attempts, control, and near-submissions over the full ten minutes. Understanding how judges score submission grappling matches helps fans follow the competition and helps competitors know where to focus their energy when a finish is not imminent.

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