Top contender Ev “E.T.” Ting was one win away from once again challenging for the ONE Lightweight World Championship.

The New Zealand-based Malaysian mixed martial arts hero, who challenged for the title back in 2017, needed just one more victory to secure for himself another opportunity at world championship gold.

Unfortunately for Ting, the man that was standing between him and that opportunity was Japanese martial arts legend and former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki.

At ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES in Bangkok, Thailand last 6 October, Ting and Aoki met inside the ONE Championship ring in a lightweight title eliminator matchup, with the winner set to become the top contender to the ONE Lightweight World Championship, which will be contested by former champion Eduard Folayang and Amir Khan at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS in Manila on 23 November.

Looking every bit like the feared submission specialist that he is, Aoki imposed his will and took Ting down early in the first round and then secured a tight Arm-Triangle submission to end the bout in just a matter of moments.

The Kiwi-Malaysian warrior tried valiantly to avoid Aoki’s constrictor-like grip and defend the submission for as long as he could, but his efforts were ultimately in vain as he succumbed to the grappling wizard’s trap.

It was another devastating submission win for the former champion, who is now just one more victory away from reclaiming the ONE Lightweight World Championship, the same title that he had in his possession from 2013 to 2016.

For Ting on the other hand, while it is a lesson learned the hard way, it is also another opportunity to regroup.

“Sorry team, went for a nap the first round, no excuses,” Ting expressed on his Facebook page following the loss to Aoki. It was the fifth loss in his 21-bout professional career and just his second loss via submission.

“Maybe was not as good as I thought, back to the drawing boards. Much respect and best wishes to Shinya, hope you get your title back,” he humbly continued.

While the loss likely sends Ting back down a few rungs on the ONE Championship lightweight ladder, the 29-year old Auckland MMA product is refusing to hang his head low.

Instead, Ting is already looking forward to the future, eager to return to action and get back into winning form.

“Onwards and forwards,” he proclaimed. “A wise man once said ‘Only the fallen can rise.’ This is the game we play and love.”