MMA: How would Malaysia's Aiman fare against 'The Terminator'?

Malaysian martial arts will be put on the world map again on Friday, 2 August, as “Jungle Cat” Muhammad Aiman returns to action in ONE Championship for the first time this year.

His bantamweight clash against “The Terminator” Sunoto at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES in Manila, Philippines will be the first of 15 exciting duels awaiting fans watching worldwide and inside the Mall of Asia Arena.

Both athletes are very technical, but the Negeri Sembilan-born Aiman is eager to return to the win column following a decision loss to Shuya Kamikubo in November 2018.

He has trained very hard and even promised the Malaysian fans that they will see a new version of himself in Manila.

Ahead of this clash, we take a look at how Aiman could fare against one of Indonesia’s toughest warriors at The Home of Martial Arts.

Jungle Cat’s striking dexterity

The Bali MMA product has showcased top-class striking skills throughout his amateur and professional mixed martial arts career.

Molded with a boxing background, the 24-year-old Aiman holds superb ring control and footwork, something which was perhaps most evident in his match against China’s Yang Fei at ONE: HEART OF THE LION.

His punch-to-kick combinations are his biggest x-factor too, having rocked opponents like Eduardo Novaes and Hisyam Samsudin with his distinctive skillset.

Aiman’s lateral movement, coupled with slipping and weaving seems to be his cup of tea when it comes to staging up his attacks and defense.

Aiman’s takedown defence

The former MIMMA Champion’s ever-evolving takedown defence has made him one of the toughest bantamweight martial artists to try and wrestle to the ground.

Take a look at his previous performances against the likes of “Rock Man” Chen Lei and Yang.

Under the careful eyes of the Leone brothers (Anthony and Andrew) and Don Carlo-Clauss, his knowledge in that department could be a pivotal point in his bout against “The Terminator,” who is a submission specialist.

Keeping an eye on Sunoto’s instincts on the ground

“The Terminator” has been known for his exceptional jiu-jitsu, having submitted the likes of Yohan Mulia Legowo, Rin Saroth, and Bernard Soriano.

Sunoto has shown that he can finish his opponents by knockout or submission in all of his 11 wins.

He has remarkable transitioning skills on the mat and superior top positioning. The IndoGym / Team Phantom MMA standout also loves dishing out the ground-and-pound and head-and-arm locks, something truly noteworthy.

Overall, we have yet another striker versus grappler showdown. Can Malaysia’s “Jungle Cat” terminate “The Terminator” at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES?