ONE Championship News
EXCLUSIVE | 'Disappointed' Kevin Belingon opens up on DQ loss to Bibiano Fernandes
Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019
When Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes stepped into the cage to battle for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan, the expectation was that their fight, no matter how it ended, would settle their long-time rivalry. Fernandes had won their first fight by submission. Belingon had won their second by decision. And there, under the bright lights of Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, we finally had our tie-breaker. Much like their second fight, which occurred in November, this third fight looked like it would be a fun one from the get-go. First, Belingon rocked Fernandes. Then, Fernandes rocked Belingon. All signs pointed to a riveting, back-and-forth war.
Demetrious Johnson looking at five more years of fighting before retirement
Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019
In the world of MMA, ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson has essentially done it all. And as he now moves on to the next chapter of his illustrious career overseas, that’s where it looks like his story will end. Johnson made the transition from the UFC to ONE Championship in the groundbreaking first-ever MMA ‘trade’ that saw him get swapped for ONE’s former welterweight king, ‘Funky’ Ben Askren. Both have since made their respective and successful promotional debuts.
EXCLUSIVE | Sage Northcutt reacts to ONE Championship debuts of Eddie Alvarez, Demetrious Johnson
Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019
Over the last few months, ONE Championship has signed some truly elite talent in Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt and Vitor Belfort. Two of those fighters made their ONE Championship debuts at the recent ONE: A New Era card in Tokyo — and with very different results. Eddie Alvarez debuted first, and was knocked out by Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in a jaw-dropping upset. Demetrious Johnson debuted next, submitting a game Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round.
EXCLUSIVE | Bibiano Fernandes opens up on controversial rematch with Kevin Belingon
Tom Taylor - April 7, 2019
On March 31, at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon met for what was expected to be a third and final time. Regrettably, this bout ended in controversy. Mid-way through the third round, Fernandes completed a takedown on Belingon. Belingon responded by unleashing a salvo of elbows, most of which seemed to land in the forbidden zone on the back and top of Fernandes’ head.
Eddie Alvarez reacts to ONE Championship loss to Timofey Nastyukhin
Tom Taylor - April 2, 2019
Former UFC and Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez is one of several high profile free agents to sign an exclusive, multi-fight deal with ONE Championship of late. “The Underground King” made his debut with the Singapore-based martial arts powerhouse on at ONE: A New Era on Sunday night in Tokyo, Japan. Unfortunately for Eddie Alvarez and his throngs of dedicated fans, this debut ONE Championship fight didn’t go quite as he planned, as he was pummelled to a first-round stoppage by his dangerous opponent, Russia’s Timofey Nastyukhin.
Chatri Sityodtong suggests ONE Championship could potentially sign Tenshin Nasukawa
Tom Taylor - April 2, 2019
ONE Championship has signed a host of high profile free agents over the last few months, such as former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez and Vitor Belfort, former UFC stars Sage Northcutt, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Yushin Okami, Muay Thai star Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex, and kickboxing ace Nieky Holzken. Speaking at the ONE: A New Era post-fight press conference on Sunday, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong promised the free agent signings will continue. One possible future ONE signing, he claimed, is kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa, who was cage-side for the event.
Ken Hasegawa suffers nasty injury in loss to Aung La N Sang at ONE: A New Era
Drake Riggs - April 1, 2019
ONE Championship held their biggest event to date this past weekend with ONE: A New Era which took place live from Tokyo, Japan. The card featured several fantastic match-ups. Two of which included the promotional debuts of former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez. As well as four big title fights.
Angela Lee issues statement on first pro loss against Xiong Jing Nan
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
On Sunday night, in one of four title fights on the ONE: A New Era bill, ONE atomweight champ Angela Lee experienced her first pro loss, coming up short in a wild fight with strawweight champ Xiong Jing Nan. Speaking on Instagram on Monday, Angela Lee reacted to her first taste of defeat.
ONE: A New Era Results | Shinya Aoki sleeps Eduard Folayang in round one
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
Nobody expected Eduard Folayang to beat Shinya Aoki on the night of their first meeting in 2016, but the Filipino ONE Championship veteran did just that, clocking the Japanese veteran in the third round, and winning the lightweight title. In the years since that first fight, both fighters have enjoyed some huge wins and endured some tough losses. Their respective paths led them to a 2019 rematch, at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan. This time around, it was Shinya Aoki attempting to take the lightweight belt from Eduard Folayang.
ONE: A New Era Results | Xiong Jing Nan survives near finish, smashes Angela Lee in the fifth
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
At ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, which marked the first ONE Championship in Japan, ONE Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee moved up a weight class to battle ONE Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan in a bid to become the first female two-division champion in the promotion’s history. This bout was originally expected to occur at ONE: Heart of the Lion in Singapore in November of 2018, but was unfortunately postponed when Angela Lee was forced out of the bout with a back injury. After this delay, anticipation for this bout was extra high.
ONE: A New Era Results | Aung La N Sang KOs Hasegawa, sets up fight with Brandon Vera
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
When ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang first met DEEP Openweight Champion Ken Hasegawa, the result was a 2018 Fight of the Year contender. The two fighters, contesting for the ONE middleweight strap, battled for four and half frenetic rounds until finally, Aung La put a decisive end to things with a ridiculous one-punch knockout in the fifth. From the moment this unforgettable war ended, it was quite clear that we would eventually see a rematch. It was simply too good a fight not to run back.
ONE: A New Era Results | Bibiano Fernandes wins title with DQ win
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
In November of 2018, Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon went to war for the ONE Championship bantamweight belt. After five, frenzied rounds of action, Belingon was awarded a razor close decision victory, ending Fernandes’ longstanding reign as the ONE bantamweight king in the process. On Sunday night in Tokyo, Japan (Sunday morning in North America), at ONE: A New Era, Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes met again. This time around, it was Fernandes vying for Belingon’s belt. Because the pair also fought in 2016, with Fernandes winning by first-round submission, this bout marked the tie-breaking of their riveting trilogy.
ONE: A New Era Results | Timofey Nastyukhin stops Eddie Alvarez in round one (video)
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
On Sunday night in Tokyo, Japan, former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez made his ONE Championship debut. Alvarez’s debut fell on the stacked ONE: A New Era card, where he battled Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in the final, first-round bout of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix. Both fighters entered the ONE Championship cage looking to bounce back from recent losses. Eddie Alvarez last fought in July in the UFC’s Octagon, where he came up short against Dustin Poirier. Timofey Nastyukhin, meanwhile, last fought in September, when he was stopped by the surging Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev.
ONE: A New Era live results and highlights
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2019
On Sunday night (early Sunday morning in North America), Singapore-based martial arts powerhouse ONE Championship debuted in the MMA hotbed of Tokyo, Japan with the aptly named ONE: A New Era card. To celebrate this Tokyo debut, ONE Championship bolstered this card with some of the biggest names on its roster.
VIDEO | Demetrious Johnson looks forward to fighting for audience that 'respects smaller weight classes'
Drake Riggs - March 29, 2019
Demetrious Johnson says he couldn't pass up the chance to "to fight in front of an audience that respects smaller weight classes." Watch full interview: https://t.co/Z4S150u8RD pic.twitter.com/66PzOQAhLQ
EXCLUSIVE | After first staredown, Yuya Wakamatsu believes Demetrious Johnson is 'intimidated'
Tom Taylor - March 28, 2019
Yuya Wakamatsu is being counted out by almost everybody as he prepares to battle former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson this Sunday at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan. However, the 24-year-old Japanese fighter feels that he has some crucial advantages heading into this matchup with the MMA legend. One such advantage is his size.
EXCLUSIVE | Chatri Sityodtong opens up on meeting with Georges St-Pierre
Tom Taylor - March 28, 2019
ONE: A New Era official fight card and start time
Tom Taylor - March 27, 2019
On Sunday night (Sunday morning in North America), Singapore-based martial arts powerhouse ONE Championship will debut in the MMA hotbed of Tokyo, Japan with ONE: A New Era. To celebrate this Tokyo debut, ONE Championship has stacked this card with some of its best and brightest.
Demetrious Johnson has studied Yuya Wakamatsu well ahead of matchup
BJPENN.COM Staff - March 26, 2019
Former UFC champ and mixed martial arts legend Demetrious Johnson can’t contain his excitement when talking about his ONE Championship debut at ONE: A NEW ERA which takes place 31 March at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. Johnson will be part of the highly-anticipated eight-man tournament, the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, which was designed to determine the top contender for the ONE Flyweight World Title currently held by Brazil’s Adriano Moraes.