ONE Championship News
Vitor Belfort challenges "fraud" Brock Lesnar to "bare hands" showdown
Tom Taylor - September 2, 2020
ONE Championship star Vitor Belfort is hoping to get his hands on former WWE and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Belfort, who spent many years as one of the UFC’s top middleweights, recently made the jump over to ONE Championship. While he was briefly linked to a special-rules fight with Alain Ngalani, that plan hit a snag due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Eddie Alvarez has no interest in Michael Chandler trilogy
Andrew Whitelaw - September 1, 2020
Eddie Alvarez has shot down talk of a trilogy against former Bellator rival Michael Chandler. The pair first met in 2011 in a bout that is now considered a classic.
Vitor Belfort sends fiery message to arch rival Wanderlei Silva
Tom Taylor - August 31, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort has sent a scathing message to the chief rival of his career, Wanderlei Silva. Over the weekend, Silva shared a poster for a fictional fight card involving himself and Belfort, as well as other legends like Fedor Emelianenko, Tito Ortiz, and Rashad Evans. Belfort, who defeated Silva by first-round knockout way back in 1998 and has been open to a rematch ever since, was not impressed by his rival’s post.
ONE: A New Breed results and highlights - Stamp Fairtex loses second world title
Tom Taylor - August 28, 2020
Stamp Fairtex is no longer a world champion. At Friday’s ONE: A New Breed card in Bangkok, Thailand, the Thai star surrendered her ONE atomweight Muay Thai title to Brazil’s Allycia Hellen Rodrigues. Rodrigues defeated Stamp with a close and controversial decision in the ONE: A New Breed main event.
ONE Championship announces Demetrious Johnson, Angela Lee, other stars will appear on The Apprentice
Tom Taylor - August 18, 2020
ONE Championship announced recently that Demetrious Johnson, Angela Lee, Brandon Vera, Sage Northcutt, Xiong Jingnan and Ritu Phogat will all appear on the promotion’s special edition of The Apprentice. One athlete is expected to guest star per episode, and will participate in physical challenges that will test athletic ability and cardio endurance.
BJJ Legend Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida inspired by Daniel Cormier as he begins MMA career in ONE
Tom Taylor - August 13, 2020
Brazilian jiu jitsu legend Marcus Almeida, known more widely by the nickname “Buchecha” recently signed with ONE Championship to begin a career in MMA. It’s a transition the Brazilian heavyweight has been plotting since 2015, but one that finally come together when his manager, Ali Abdelaziz entered into a new partnership with the Singapore-based martial arts organization.
Demetrious Johnson: UFC fighters that call me out are "building my brand"
Tom Taylor - August 5, 2020
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is now firmly embedded as a member of the ONE Championship roster, but he’s still routinely called out by UFC fighters. Most recently, Johnson was called out by Deiveson Figueiredo, who captured the vacant UFC flyweight title with a win over Joseph Benavidez in July.
Manager: Usman Nurmagomedov is "a better version" of cousin Khabib
Tom Taylor - August 4, 2020
Ali Abdelaziz, the CEO of MMA management firm Dominance MMA, says that undefeated lightweight prospect Usman Nurmagomedov is even better than his cousin, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Speaking to Andy Whitelaw of Asian MMA, Abdelaziz was asked to identify the brightest prospects he currently represents—prospects like Khamzat Chimaev, who recently burst into the limelight in the UFC.
Vitor Belfort says Wanderlei Silva deserves a "beating"
Adam Martin - July 30, 2020
MMA legend Vitor Belfort once again called out his long-time rival Wanderlei Silva, saying his fellow Brazilian deserves a “beating.” Two of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, Belfort and Silva first met almost 22 years ago, back at UFC Brazil in October 1998. In one of the greatest knockouts of all time, the young phenom Belfort blitzed Silva and finished him in just 44 seconds in what is still one of the most stunning, brutal, and violent finishes we’ve ever seen in mixed martial arts.
VaynerSports enters MMA management industry, signs multiple stars
Tom Taylor - July 28, 2020
VaynerSports, a talent agency that is already established in professional football, baseball and e-sports, has entered the MMA industry. This news was first reported by veteran MMA reporter Mike Russell, and confirmed in a release on Tuesday.
PFL hires former ONE Championship executive Loren Mack as VP of Corporate Communications
Tom Taylor - July 28, 2020
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has named Loren Mack Vice President of Corporate Communications. Mack, with over 15 years of experience in media and sports, becomes the latest hire to join a growing list of top sports, media and entertainment executives for the first organization to present Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) through a Regular Season, Playoff and Championship format.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon excited to complete trilogy with Petchdam on July 31
Tom Taylor - July 24, 2020
ONE Championship returns to Bangkok, Thailand, with ONE: NO Surrender on Friday, July 31. Headlining the promotion’s return card will be a trilogy bout for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Petchdam Petchyindee Academy. Prior to joining the organization, the Thai strikers met at the world-famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok twice – Petchdam took the first meeting by decision in 2017, and Rodtang evened the score a year later.
ONE Championship announces 10 events, starting on July 31
Tom Taylor - July 13, 2020
ONE Championship is set to return from its coronavirus-related hiatus with a procession of 10 events, starting on July 31. ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced the organization’s comeback plans on Facebook on Monday morning.
Henry Cejudo teases "super legacy fight" with Demetrious Johnson
Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020
Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo recently teased a “super legacy fight” with ONE Championship star Demetrious Johnson. Cejudo and Johnson have met twice previously. The pair first fought in 2019, when Johnson still held the UFC flyweight title in a vice grip. On that night, Johnson blew Cejudo away with a first-round TKO victory.
Aung La N Sang tests positive for COVID-19
Tom Taylor - July 3, 2020
ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight champion Aung La N Sang has tested positive for COVID-19. Aung La announced his positive test on Instagram on Thursday evening, adding that he and his wife and two children will now self-isolate for 14 days in their South Florida home.
VIDEO | Vitor Belfort in phenomenal shape ahead of ONE Championship debut
Tom Taylor - July 1, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort looks to be in truly phenomenal shape ahead of his debut with ONE Championship. Belfort has not fought since he was knocked out by Lyoto Machida in the final bout of his UFC career in 2018. Shortly thereafter, he signed with ONE Championship. He was expected to make his debut with the promotion opposite Alain Ngalani earlier this year, but that plan was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
ONE Championship announces return on July 31 in Bangkok, Thailand
Tom Taylor - June 26, 2020
After a brief hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, ONE Championship has announced that it will return to our screens with an event in Bangkok, Thailand on July 31. ONE recently promoted a pair of ONE Hero Series of events in Shanghai, China, but the bouts did not air outside the country. This Bangkok event will be broadcast globally.
ONE Championship makes successful return with back-to-back events in China
Tom Taylor - June 23, 2020
Singapore-based martial arts organization ONE Championship made a successful return over the weekend, promoting a pair of ONE Hero Series events in Shanghai, China. The bouts aired on ByteDance’s Toutiao/Xigua video platform, as well as on Douyin. Qinghai TV and Shenzhen TV5 will also air a delayed broadcast.