ONE Championship News

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 19, 2019

Because of the strength of ONE: A NEW ERA’s main card, some of the tantalizing prelim bouts are getting overshadowed. One, in particular, is the battle between the Netherlands’ Anthony Engelen and American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Garry Tonon. The American has just begun his mixed martial arts career, but he has already become a fighter to watch.

Thomas Taylor - March 18, 2019

In June of 2018, in Yangon, Myanmar, ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight titleholder Aung La N Sang stepped into the cage with DEEP openweight champion Ken Hasegawa. This pairing turned out to be incredibly volatile, as the two stars engaged in a frenetic, back-and-forth war and a bona fide 2018 Fight of the Year contender. In the end, Aung La N Sang was able to win this grueling gunfight with a beautifully timed uppercut in the fifth round. Yet this punch would not end his rivalry with Hasegawa — not by a long shot.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 18, 2019

The Philippines’ Danny Kingad may not be where he’s at in his life today if it wasn’t for the discipline he learned through martial arts. He was only eight years old when his father passed away. And like most troubled youth, Kingad ended up with the wrong crowd and picked up bad vices at a young age. Fortunately for him, he met Team Lakay Coach Mark Sangiao who pushed him towards the life of a martial artist.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 18, 2019

There are many reasons to be excited for ONE: A NEW ERA on 31 March in Japan. While many eyes are on the four World Title bouts, and the high-profile debuts of former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez, martial arts fans should not overlook the interesting kickboxing match against Andy Souwer and Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 18, 2019

For most fighters, it’s water off a duck’s back. But for others, the reality that 10 weeks of blood, sweat and tears have equated to nothing can get the blood boiling. Xiong Jing Nan fits into that latter category. When her ONE Women’s Strawweight World Title defense against “Unstoppable” Angela Lee was cancelled back in November, the Chinese wrecking machine was angry.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 17, 2019

Every athlete scheduled to compete on ONE Championship’s historic ONE: A NEW ERA card will have the opportunity to be a part of one of the most special events in the promotion’s history. However, there are those who will have the honor of representing their home country in the promotion’s first-ever event in Japan. Tatsumitsu Wada and Mei Yamaguchi are set to see action, and so is kickboxer Hiroki Akimoto.

Thomas Taylor - March 17, 2019

The last few years have not been easy for ONE Championship atomweight titleholder Angela Lee. Although she was able to pick up a decision victory over Mei Yamaguchi in May of 2018, this victory was sandwiched between a harrowing 2017 car accident and a cancelled November, 2018 fight with ONE strawweight champ Xiong Jing Nan.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 15, 2019

ONE: A NEW ERA in Japan on 31 March will be one of the most-watched and significant martial arts events of the year. The show marks the first time ONE Championship has staged an event in Japan, and athletes from all over the world will be in action.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 14, 2019

Being a 12-time UFC champ, Demetrious Johnson is considered one of the all time greats. When ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced late last year that Johnson would be joining the promotion, one of the American’s deciding factors in joining was hearing Sityodtong’s take on martial arts as a whole.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 12, 2019

Undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin Belingon is ready to settle the score with Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes on March 31 at ONE: A NEW ERA at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The two athletes are tied in their series with a win each. The pair first met back in January 2016 when Fernandes was able to successfully defend his ONE Bantamweight World Title against the Filipino by way of submission in the first round. The loss motivated Belingon to pursue another title shot and he won six straight matches after that on his climb back up the ladder.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 11, 2019

ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang has defeated Shinya Aoki once, and if he’s going to remain champion and capture a victory in the main event of the historic ONE: A NEW ERA show, he’ll have to do it again. On 31 March, ONE travels to Aoki’s home country of Japan for one of the biggest martial arts event of the year. Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki have the honor of competing in the featured match of the night.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 10, 2019

Sage Northcutt could have signed anywhere. He had an offer to stay with the UFC and face a Top-10 ranked opponent, and he had other options as well. Despite being a wanted man, the 23-year-old from Texas chose to sign with the Singapore-based ONE Championship in early 2019. He’s now set to debut opposite kickboxing specialist Cosmo Alexandre at ONE: Enter the Dragon in Singapore on May 17.

Tom Taylor - March 8, 2019

On Friday, ONE Championship returned to Yangon, Myanmar with the compelling ONE: Reign of Valor card. Unlike ONE’s previous visits to Myanmar, this card was not topped by an appearance from middleweight and light heavyweight champ Aung La N Sang. Instead, the headlining bout was a welterweight title fight between champion Zebaztian Kadestam and challenger Georgiy Kichigin.

Drake Riggs - March 7, 2019

.@UFC hasn't stayed with just one network so why can't more fighters be free agents? @Ealvarezfight WATCH MORE: https://t.co/UWddEsNyBb pic.twitter.com/Zt8VHRQjxk

Tom Taylor - March 6, 2019

Vitor Belfort is now a ONE Championship fighter. While “The Phenom” can look forward to some exciting MMA bouts under the ONE banner, he’s also keen to take advantage of the fact that organization promotes other martial arts as well — namely boxing. Speaking shortly after he signed with ONE Championship, Belfort expressed interest in a special rules boxing match with the legendary Roy Jones Jr. “One fight that I’d really like, I told Chatri [Sityodtong] I’d really like to put on this fight, is me vs. Roy Jones Jr.,” Belfort said. “So Roy, wherever you are, I want to come challenge you for a boxing match — but with this condition. I’m going to be able to dirty box with you.

BJPENN.COM Staff - March 6, 2019

His sparring partners have felt the bone-crunching shots. And Aung La N Sang is adamant that he possesses more power than ever before as he prepares to put his ONE Middleweight World Title on the line. “I feel it when I grapple and I feel it when I hit,” the ONE Championship star said of his new-found strength.

Tom Taylor - March 1, 2019

Vitor Belfort is the latest high profile free agent to sign with Singapore-based martial arts powerhouse ONE Championship. This exciting news was announced by ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong on Thursday evening. https://twitter.com/yodchatri/status/1101295736547766272 “BREAKING NEWS: I am thrilled to announce that UFC Legend Vitor Belfort is now a ONE Championship athlete! A former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion, Vitor holds the record for the most KOs in UFC history as well as the 2nd most finishes. #WeAreONE” Sityodtong announced on Twitter.

Drake Riggs - February 28, 2019

In terms of hot MMA promotions right now, there may be none that is more of fire than the Singapore based ONE Championship. Over the recent months, ONE has made several big-name acquisitions for their roster. Most notably being none other than former UFC champions Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, and Miesha Tate (Vice President role).