ONE Championship News

BJPENN.COM Staff - August 1, 2023

Despite the tantalizing prospect of a World Title shot, Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida remains resolute in keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the task at hand, choosing to value the challenge before him rather than the potential rewards that lie ahead. The unbeaten Brazilian star is set to face “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane in a pivotal heavyweight MMA battle at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, August 4.

Cole Shelton - August 1, 2023

The 133rd episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live ahead of UFC Nashville this Saturday. We’re first joined by ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong (1:36), while BJ Penn (21:38) comes on to talk to Chatri. 14th-ranked UFC light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby (27:54) stops by. UFC featherweights Billy Quarantillo (43:00) and Damon Jackson (59:42) close out the show.

Josh Evanoff - July 20, 2023

ONE Championship is headed back to America for a packed 2024 schedule. The Asia-based company has made massive strides over the last year. In May, the promotion headed to Colorado for its first event inside the United States. The card featured many names familiar to UFC fans, including former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, among others.

Harry Kettle - June 26, 2023

ONE Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong believes Anatoly Malykhin is the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts. Last week, Anatoly Malykhin went head to head with Arjan Bhullar in a heavyweight title unification bout. From beginning to end, the Russian sensation seemed to have the upperhand, eventually managing to finish Bhullar via strikes.

Harry Kettle - May 9, 2023

Sage Northcutt has called out Shinya Aoki for a fight following his recent comeback victory in ONE Championship. Last week, Sage Northcutt returned to the cage for the first time in four years. Back in 2019, he was knocked out by Cosmo Alexandre in a contest that shattered his face – quite literally. However, just 39 seconds into his comeback, he was able to submit Ahmed Mujtaba with a nasty heel hook.

Chris Taylor - May 5, 2023

ONE Championship made its debut on US soil this evening in Colorado, with Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes 3 headlining the card. Johnson (25-4-1 MMA) had recaptured the promotion’s flyweight title last August in Singapore, scoring a fourth-round knockout victory over ‘Mikinho’ (see that here). The former UFC flyweight kingpin had gone 4-1 under the ONE Championship banner ahead of tonight’s title fight, with his lone loss in that time coming to Moraes.

Chris Taylor - May 5, 2023

ONE Championship will make its debut on US soil this evening in Colorado, with Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes 3 headlining the card. Johnson (24-4-1 MMA) recaptured the promotion’s flyweight title last August in Singapore, scoring a fourth-round knockout victory over ‘Mikinho’ (see that here). The former UFC flyweight kingpin has gone 4-1 since joining the ONE Championship ranks, with his lone loss in that time coming to Moraes.

Chris Taylor - May 5, 2023

Tonight’s ONE Championship Fight Night 10 main card features a lightweight bout between Sage Northcutt and Ahmed Mujtaba. Northcutt (11-3 MMA) will be returning to action for the first time since his clash with Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019. That fight resulted in a nasty knockout loss for ‘Super Sage’, as he suffered eight broken bones and required surgery.

Cole Shelton - May 1, 2023

Francis Ngannou will not be signing with ONE Championship. After Ngannou fought out his UFC contract and was released from the promotion, many expected him to sign with another promotion rather quickly. The former UFC heavyweight champion was adamant about taking a boxing fight first but he made it clear he would fight in MMA. Immediately, ONE Championship, PFL and Bellator expressed interest but after meeting with Ngannou, ONE has decided not to submit a final offer.

Josh Evanoff - April 18, 2023

ONE Championship flyweight titleholder Demetrious Johnson won’t be around much longer. ‘Mighty Mouse’ has been out of the cage since his rematch with Adriano Moraes last August. In their first outing the previous April, the Brazilian scored a highlight-reel second-round knockout win. To his credit, Johnson repaid the favor last year, winning the flyweight title with a third-round stoppage.

Harry Kettle - March 31, 2023

A leaked contract for a ONE Championship fighter has caused a great deal of uproar across social media. Over the course of the last few years, ONE Championship has established itself as one of the biggest promotions in MMA. In addition to their work within mixed martial arts, they also play host to fights from across a variety of practices.

Cole Shelton - March 20, 2023

Iuri Lapicus, a one-time ONE Championship title challenger has died at 27. Lapicus’ death was first reported by his friend and training partner in former ONE featherweight kickboxing champion Giorgio Petrosyan. The news was later confirmed by multiple outlets including ONE Championship, who confirmed the news to SCMP.

Josh Evanoff - January 25, 2023

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong is unsure if Angela and Christian Lee will fight again. Earlier this month, news broke that Victoria Lee passed away at 18 years old. ‘The Prodigy’ was 3-0 inside the promotion, having made her debut two years prior at just 16. At the time, Lee made headlines for being the youngest athlete in promotional history.

Josh Evanoff - January 23, 2023

ONE Championship lightweight contender Sage Northcutt is finally slated to make his return. ‘Super Sage’ has been out of action since his clash with Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019. The bout was a massive one for the lightweight, as it was his debut in ONE Championship. He exited the UFC the prior year with a three-fight winning streak, last knocking out Zak Ottow in July 2018.

Harry Kettle - January 17, 2023

UFC fighter Dan Ige has hit out at conspiracy theorists over the death of ONE Championship fighter Victoria Lee. Earlier this month, it was announced that Victoria Lee had passed away at the age of 18. Lee had just started her mixed martial arts career, following in the footsteps of her siblings Angela and Christian.

Josh Evanoff - January 12, 2023

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem could be heading to ONE Championship. ‘The Demolition Man’ was famously released from the UFC in 2021 following a loss to Alexander Volkov. Despite reportedly receiving interest from Bellator, Overeem seemed disinterested in competing in MMA. Instead, he signed to Glory Kickboxing.

Josh Evanoff - December 5, 2022

ONE Championship is looking to make a splash in its United States debut. The Asia-based organization is one of the top promotions in the sport today. Given its streaming deal with Amazon Prime, and several high-profile fighters such as Demetrious Johnson, the company has momentum. It seems they’re now ready to capitalize on it.

Harry Kettle - November 22, 2022

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has taken a shot at Bellator by comparing their respective success. In recent years, ONE Championship and Bellator have widely been viewed as two of the biggest promotions in MMA. Of course, the UFC leads the way by quite some distance, but Bellator and ONE certainly have great products in their own right.