ONE Championship News

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 20, 2026

ONE Championship has officially announced the launch of ONE Samurai, a new monthly event series set to run in Japan. The promotion held a press conference at Kanda Myojin Hall in Tokyo on Wednesday, February 18. It unveiled the series, which will heavily feature Japan’s biggest martial arts stars across MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and submission grappling. International superstars will also appear on each card, with multiple World Title fights guaranteed per event. The inaugural ONE Samurai 1 goes down at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Wednesday, April 29. U-NEXT, Japan’s leading streaming service with 12 million subscribers, will exclusively broadcast all ONE Samurai events. ONE Championship is committed to producing 60 events over five years. Tickets are on sale now. ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong framed the series as a direct answer to what he sees as the decline of Japanese martial arts since the peak years of K-1 and PRIDE.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 20, 2026

Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree is carrying the weight of back-to-back promotional defeats into Friday’s featured bout — and he’s treating it as the fight that defines his ONE Championship future. The Superbon Training Camp representative faces Nakrob Fairtex in bantamweight Muay Thai action at ONE Friday Fights 143 on February 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The 29-year-old brings 74 career victories to the ring, but his recent ONE Championship form tells a rougher story. After stringing together four consecutive wins in 2024 that positioned him as a genuine threat in the division, Panrit dropped his last two outings. He’s gone back to the drawing board after each setback — adjusting strategy, identifying mistakes, and sharpening his game — but the margin for error on Friday night is thin.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 19, 2026

Seksan Or Kwanmuang and Pakorn PK Saenchai are headed for a long-awaited rubber match on the global stage. ONE Championship has booked the pair in a bantamweight Muay Thai showdown at ONE Friday Fights 147 on March 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The card already features Nabil Anane’s ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title defense against Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon. It also features the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title clash between Nong-O Hama and Asadula Imangazaliev.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 19, 2026

Vero is stepping into her biggest ONE Championship assignment yet — and she’s treating it exactly like that. The Myanmar striker faces Israeli standout Shir Cohen in an atomweight Muay Thai main event at ONE Friday Fights 143 on February 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s her first-ever main event slot in the world’s largest martial arts organization, and the 29-year-old Tiger Muay Thai representative understands what’s riding on the outcome. Cohen arrives with a spotless 3-0 promotional record and was previously positioned as a frontrunner for atomweight gold before an injury forced her withdrawal from a World Title shot last year. That history only sharpens the stakes for Vero. A win over an opponent of Cohen’s caliber would put her firmly in the title conversation — and Vero isn’t shy about where her eyes are fixed.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 17, 2026

Teenage MMA sensation Adrian Lee turned heartbreak into fuel at ONE Fight Night 40, weathering early adversity to announce his emphatic return to the winner’s column. The 19-year-old prodigy stormed back from his first career loss with a devastating first-round TKO victory over Japan’s Shozo Isojima on Saturday, February 14, at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The path to redemption was anything but smooth for the youngest member of the famed Lee family. Mere seconds into the opening frame, the Singaporean-American star found himself in danger. Isojima worked behind a stiff jab to counter Lee’s forward pressure, finding his rhythm early with a crisp combination that wobbled the teenager.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 17, 2026

Scottish knockout artist Nico Carrillo finally achieved the dream he visualized for years. The 27-year-old captured the ONE Interim Featherweight Muay Thai World Title by defeating Thai standout Shadow Mavinn via unanimous decision over five grueling rounds in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. Shadow started strong with signature leg kicks and punches that tested the Scottish challenger early. However, Carrillo picked up the pace as rounds progressed. He methodically broke down the 26-year-old Thai star with powerful punches and relentless forward pressure. For years, the Glasgow native visualized wearing ONE Championship gold during training sessions and long flights to fight camps. That mental preparation made Friday’s reality feel surreal.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 16, 2026

Former longtime bantamweight Muay Thai king Nong-O Hama meets undefeated Russian standout Asadula Imangazaliev for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title at ONE Friday Fights 147 on March 20 inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 39-year-old Thai legend brings championship pedigree into this high-stakes showdown. Nong-O spent years establishing himself as one of ONE Championship’s most dominant titleholders. He captured the inaugural ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title in 2019 and defended it seven consecutive times against elite opposition. His reign featured sharp counters, clean combinations, and devastating finishing power that made him nearly untouchable at 145 pounds.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 16, 2026

ONE Championship announced a massive bantamweight Muay Thai World Title showdown for ONE Friday Fights 147 on Friday, March 20. ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane puts his crown on the line against explosive Thai contender Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The blockbuster title clash delivers on a challenge issued immediately after Rambolek’s explosive second-round knockout of Abdulla Dayakaev at ONE Fight Night 39. The Thai knockout machine grabbed the microphone and demanded his shot at Anane. Backstage, the champion accepted instantly. Now the stage is set for an epic clash between two of the sport’s brightest young stars.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 12, 2026

ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jackie Buntan has mastered the art of knockout power inside the ring. Outside of competition, the Filipina-American has discovered an unexpected second career striking poses for fashion magazines rather than opponents. Buntan defends her title against Muay Thai queen Stella Hemetsberger in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 28-year-old California native has graced the pages of Vogue Philippines and Numéro Netherlands despite never planning a modeling career. High-fashion publications approached her organically.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 12, 2026

Thai striking sensation Black Panther rides a four-fight winning streak into his flyweight Muay Thai showdown against Colombian-American fighter Diego Paez at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Friday, February 13, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 26-year-old Team Mehdi Zatout affiliate carries serious momentum into this contest. With the ONE flyweight Muay Thai throne currently vacant, every performance carries championship implications. Black Panther understands another statement victory could push him into serious title contention. He’s prepared nearly three months for this opportunity, significantly longer than his previous fight camps.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 11, 2026

Malaysian atomweight contender Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan returns to ONE Championship with redemption on her mind. She welcomes undefeated Brazilian Gabriela “Gabi” Fujimoto in a pivotal atomweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Friday, February 13, broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. Radzuan aims for her first victory since submitting Jenelyn Olsim at ONE Friday Fights 35. The Wushu World Champion has since absorbed consecutive losses to Chihiro Sawada and Macarena Aragon. Those defeats tested her resolve but sharpened her hunger. The 27-year-old relocated training camps to Foxgloves Fight Gym in Singapore, closer to her family home in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to make critical adjustments.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 11, 2026

Japanese judoka Shozo Isojima believes he’s identified the blueprint to defeat Adrian Lee when they clash in a lightweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 40 on February 14 inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 28-year-old sees vulnerabilities in the Hawaiian teenager’s explosive approach that he plans to exploit once the initial storm passes. Lee enters the matchup carrying the momentum of three consecutive first-round submission victories that each earned him $50,000 performance bonuses. His aggressive fighting style overwhelms opponents from the opening bell, leaving little room to breathe. But that whirlwind offense also revealed its limitations when Tye Ruotolo neutralized it last September. There, he forced Lee to tap via rear-naked choke in the second round.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 10, 2026

Back-to-back defeats hit differently when you’ve spent a decade building elite status. Danny Kingad knows that feeling intimately. The 30-year-old Filipino faces Hu Yong in a flyweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 9, 2026

Magomed Akaev waited through two canceled bookings to get his shot at redemption. The 29-year-old Dagestani faces Lucas Gabriel in a lightweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 9, 2026

Defeat cuts differently for 22-year-old fighters who’ve built their reputations on finishes. Ryugo Takeuchi tasted that failure in Tokyo, and the bitterness hasn’t left his mouth. The Japanese knockout artist faces Ben Tynan in a heavyweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 6, 2026

The first defeat stings differently when you’re unbeaten. Adrian Lee tasted that bitter reality in September and returns hungry to prove it was temporary. Lee faces Shozo Isojima in a lightweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 5, 2026

Stella Hemetsberger made history once already in 2025. Now Austria’s first ONE Championship titleholder wants to join the promotion’s most exclusive club. The ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion challenges Jackie Buntan for the ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

BJPENN.COM Staff - February 5, 2026

Three straight wins put Samingdam NF Looksuan within striking distance of his dream. But standing between him and a life-changing contract is a fighter with nothing left to lose. Samingdam faces Komawut FA Group in a flyweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 141 on February 6 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.