ONE Championship News
Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy ready for Muay Thai action after George Mann match
BJPENN.COM Staff - July 10, 2019
Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy hopes to continue reaping international success at ONE: Masters of Destiny on July 12 against WMC Muay Thai World Champion George Mann. The Thai-native, who returns to action at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, revealed he is excited to be competing in Muay Thai again in ONE Championship.
Chatri Sityodtong reacts to Ben Askren's first pro loss
Thomas Taylor - July 9, 2019
Over the weekend, former ONE Championship welterweight king Ben Askren experienced his first professional loss, succumbing to a flying knee just five seconds into a UFC 239 bout with Jorge Masvidal. Speaking on Facebook on Tuesday, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shared his take on the former ONE Champ’s first taste of defeat. https://www.facebook.com/yodchatri/posts/2438854596176687
Bibiano Fernandes discusses potential bout with John Lineker
Tom Taylor - July 9, 2019
Shortly after John Lineker announced that he has signed with ONE Championship, he set his sights on two of the Singapore-based promotion’s brightest shining stars: flyweight contender Demetrious Johnson and bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes. “He’s an excellent athlete, a great fighter, but I’m coming,” Lineker told MMA Fighting of the bantamweight champ Fernandes. “I want to do my best in there and put on a show for the fans. Bibiano is a great athlete, has a good ground game and heavy hands, but I’m going there to give them a show.”
John Lineker calls out Demetrious Johnson for ONE Championship superfight
Adam Martin - July 9, 2019
It didn’t take long for John Lineker to feel comfortable in his new home. Just one day after signing with ONE Championship, Lineker called out Demetrious Johnson for a superfight. “If they want to make this superfight, I’m here. I’m here to fight him. It’s going to be the opportunity that I didn’t have before. Finally,” Lineker told MMAFighting.com.
ONE Championship's Gianni Subba hoping to compete again soon
Tom Taylor - July 4, 2019
Gianni Subba was less than a day out from a fight when he received the news. The talented ONE Championship flyweight contender was informed by the promotion’s medical team that he had an arachnoid cyst — a congenital cyst, present at birth — and was pulled from his scheduled bout as a precaution. It was the day before his birthday.
Demetrious Johnson comments on Dillashaw's EPO use
Tom Taylor - July 1, 2019
For a time, there was much discussion about a potential flyweight title super fight between TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson, then the UFC bantamweight and flyweight champions respectively. At the time of these discussions, Johnson expressed some doubt that TJ Dillashaw would be able to make the 125-pound limit for their potential flyweight title fight. Dillashaw later made 125 pounds for a January title fight with Henry Cejudo, but subsequently tested positive for EPO, and named his tough weight cut as one of the reasons he turned to this substance.
Bibiano Fernandes makes prediction for fourth fight with Kevin Belingon
Tom Taylor - June 30, 2019
Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon have a long and complicated history under the ONE Championship banner. The pair first fought in 2016, when the Team Lakay product Belingon challenged Brazil’s Fernandes for the ONE Championship bantamweight title. On that night, Fernandes quickly took care of business, defeating his challenger with a first round armbar.
ONE Championship announces three title fights, multiple GP finals for ONE: Century
Tom Taylor - June 30, 2019
On October 13, ONE Championship will return to Tokyo, Japan with ONE: Century — its 100th event. The promotion is delivering a suitably stacked card for this momentous occasion. Speaking on social media, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced three massive title fights and several other huge bouts for this event.
'Losing sucks,' but Angela Lee vows to grow from the experience
Tom Taylor - June 28, 2019
ONE Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee recently had her first taste of defeat. This unappetizing dish was served up at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo in March when, after a four frenetic rounds of action, she was stopped by a volley of fifth-round strikes from ONE Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan. Lee does not plan on having a second serving.
Eddie Alvarez shares theory on why he struggles in promotional debuts
Natasha Hooper - June 28, 2019
Eddie Alvarez is a firm believer in the old adage that respect is earned, not given. Despite having a great track record and wins over notable stars including Anthony Pettis and Rafael Dos Anjos, Alvarez is now back to square one in ONE Championship and is ready to earn any respect he receives. Back in March, Eddie Alvarez made his ONE Championship debut against Timofey Nastyukhin. He experienced a first-round TKO at the hands of the Russian fighter. Many fans predicted Alvarez would win and were shocked by the outcome. There were residual expectations coming from his UFC and Bellator careers that not all debuting ONE Championship fighters have to contend with.
Eddie Alvarez: 'I don't see how Max wins' against Frankie Edgar
Tom Taylor - June 24, 2019
Former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar is currently gearing up for a title fight with reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway, scheduled for UFC 240 on July 27. One of Edgar’s main training partners for this fight will be former Bellator and UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, who is gearing up for a ONE: Dawn of Heroes showdown with former champ Eduard Folayang. Over the years Alvarez and Edgar have spent as training partners, under the tutelage of legendary coach Mark Henry, they have grown very close. They’ve spent countless hours grinding away, side-by-side, and have seen their efforts in the gym pay dividends in the cage.
Eating and living clean is the secret to success for Ev Ting
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 24, 2019
New Zealand-Malaysian star Ev Ting is getting back to basics ahead of his clash with Japan’s Daichi Abe at ONE: Masters of Destiny in Malaysia. The 29-year-old has been a mainstay of what is arguably ONE Championship’s most talent-rich division for over five years, where he’s experienced plenty of success in establishing himself as one of its toughest competitors.
Eric Kelly wants to end his martial arts career on a high note
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 21, 2019
It was a tough night at the office for Filipino mixed martial arts veteran Eric Kelly at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST. The former ONE World Title contender came up short against Sanda specialist, Niu Kang Kang last 15 June in Shanghai, China’s Baoshan Arena. Kelly admitted that even before event night, a few things began to go awry. The 37-year old suffered an injury in training, getting a cut from an accidental headbutt.
Bouts to make after ONE: Legendary Quest
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 21, 2019
ONE: Legendary Quest was another successful martial events for ONE Championship as the promotion brought its brand of action to Shanghai once more. In the main event, 21-year-old two-sport world champion Stamp Fairtex successfully defended her ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship against 18-year-old Alma Juniku. The challenger made an excellent account of herself, but in the end, she didn’t have the power or experience necessary to dethrone Stamp.
Why Sage Northcutt can come back stronger from tough ONE debut
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 19, 2019
At ONE: Enter the Dragon in Singapore last May 17, Sage Northcutt’s ONE Championship debut didn’t last very long. Unfortunately for Northcutt, he was on the losing end of a destructive finish. As tough of an evening as it was for Northcutt, there is still room for recovery and improvement. There are a lot of things in his favor, but let’s first break down how it all happened.
Undaunted by debut loss, Eddie Alvarez targets finish of Folayang and ONE Championship gold
Tom Taylor - June 18, 2019
Eddie Alvarez was widely expected to blow through Russia’s Timofey Nastyukhin in his ONE Championship debut, which occurred on the stacked ONE: A New Era card in late March. In the end, however, the former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion was stopped by his unheralded opponent in the waning moments of the first round. Despite this setback, Alvarez remains focused on his ultimate goal: the ONE Lightweight World Title. He came to the Singapore-based promotion eager to add a new belt to his crowded trophy case, and he’s still confident he’ll achieve this goal.
What a ONE Championship Welterweight World Grand Prix field might look like
BJPENN.COM Staff - June 17, 2019
Tournaments and Grand Prix are excellent for martial arts promotions. It hearkens back to the golden days of competition in a variety of combat sports. ONE Championship is capturing that magic with its various ladder-style tournaments. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev has already secured himself a spot in the lightweight final on the strength of two KO victories over Ev Ting and Amir Khan. Arslanaliev will face the winner of the Timofey Nastyuhkin vs. Honorio Banario semifinal, which takes place in Manila this August.
Agilan Thani eyeing quick finish of Yoshihiro Akiyama
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2019
On Saturday, in the co-main event of ONE: Legendary Quest in Shanghai, China, Agilan Thani will look to spoil the ONE Championship debut of K-1 and UFC veteran Yoshihiro Akiyama — more widely known as “Sexyama.” This massive fight was first offered to Thani in April, at the ONE Elite Retreat, on the sun-soaked beaches of Thailand. At first, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but of course he could not turn the opportunity down.