ONE Championship News

Tom Taylor - November 23, 2018

ONE: Conquest of Champions, which went down in Manila, The Philippines on Friday night (Friday morning in North America), did not disappoint. To the elation of the deafeningly loud crowd in attendance, two Filipinos left the arena with belts wrapped round their waists, as Brandon Vera sniped Mauro Cerilli to retain his ONE heavyweight title, and Eduard Folayang out-duelled Amir Khan to capture the vacant ONE lightweight strap. Eduard Folayang battled Amir Khan in the card’s co-main event. While Singapore’s Khan enjoyed some success in the first frame, Folayang came alive in the second, and did not relent until the end of the fifth. The Filipino champion, who is now the first two-time titleholder in ONE lightweight history, punished his dangerous foe with a stunning breadth of spinning attacks — just what we’ve come to expect from the top fighters out of the belt-hoarding Team Lakay gym.

Tom Taylor - November 23, 2018

On Friday night (Friday morning in the North America), ONE Championship took over Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena with the stacked ONE: Conquest of Champions card. This ONE: Conquest of Champions bill was topped by a heavyweight title fight between long-absent Filipino-American champion Brandon Vera, and debuting Cage Warriors champion Mauro Cerilli.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 22, 2018

ONE Championship’s Honorio Banario barely had time to wallow in self pity and he was back in the game. Digesting the news of Dae Sung Park’s withdrawal from the blockbuster ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS card in Manila on Friday night, the smile soon returned to Banario’s face when he realised he had a new challenger.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 21, 2018

Amir Khan dubbed it the “most satisfying performance” of his career. A heavy underdog in his last bout against Honorio “The Rock” Banario, Khan prevailed — and in style. It was a victory of epic proportions for the 24-year-old Singaporean, who bashed down the door for a shot at the vacant ONE Lightweight World Title.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 21, 2018

He hasn’t been inside the ONE Championship cage for almost two years, but Brandon Vera insists he is faster and stronger than ever as he bids to defend his ONE Heavyweight World Title against Cage Warriors champion Mauro Cerilli at ONE: Conquest of Champions this Friday, November 23 in Manila, The Philippines.  “Everybody’s worried that it’s been nearly two years, but it doesn’t feel like that to me,” the Filipino-American Brandon Vera said. “I’ve been doing action stuff, and I’ve been training on my days off. I’ve really been just working.

Drake Riggs - November 18, 2018

ONE Championship and the UFC made some MMA history recently with the first ever fighter ‘trade’. The trade saw an exchange between former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and former ONE welterweight champion, ‘Funky’ Ben Askren. With the trade now in the rearview mirror and each fighter with their expected debuts mapped out, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong doesn’t think it will be the last MMA trade we’ll see.

Thomas Taylor - November 17, 2018

On Saturday night (Saturday morning in North America), ONE Championship returned to Jakarta, Indonesia with ONE: Warrior’s Dream. This exciting, finish-filled card, was topped by a welterweight title fight, as Swedish knockout artist Zebaztian Kadestam battled undefeated American wrestler Tyler McGuire for the ONE welterweight title vacated by Ben Askren. With less than 30 seconds left in the fight, Kadestam won with a huge, last-minute knockout.  

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 16, 2018

He didn’t go out and party. Nor did he toast his title triumph with a few beers. Instead, new ONE Championship Bantamweight king Kevin Belingon savored the moment with his loved ones. “I just enjoyed a simple victory lunch with my family,” said Belingon, who dined out on Filipino pinakbet (a meat and vegetable stew) yesterday.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 13, 2018

It might be time to acknowledge that Indonesia’s Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol (4-3) could be the hardest working athlete in ONE Championship. Lumban Gaol is scheduled to take part in her sixth match of the year on Saturday 17 November. The wushu specialist will go head to head with Filipina Angelie Sabanal at ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM, which will take place at Jakarta’s Stadium Istora.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 13, 2018

There is something about a Grand Prix tournament that gets the pulse of every mixed martial arts fan racing. So it came as no surprise that when ONE Championship announced it would be holding not one but two Grands Prix in 2019, the news spread like wildfire across the internet. These eight-man tournaments will take place in two of the most stacked divisions in the promotion: lightweight and flyweight.They will run throughout the year and the winners will walk out of the cage with the prefix ONE World Champion attached to their name.

Tom Taylor - November 10, 2018

On Friday night in Singapore, (Friday morning in North America), in the main event of ONE: HEART OF THE LION, Filipino spitfire Kevin Belingon ended the reign of longstanding ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes with a thrilling split decision victory. For Belingon, who lost his first encounter with the champion Fernandes by first-round submission, this title victory was a huge moment.

Tom Taylor - November 9, 2018

Miesha Tate is the latest high profile mixed martial arts star to sign with Singapore’s ONE Championship — but she will not be fighting for the promotion. Instead, the former UFC bantamweight champion will be working as a ONE Championship executive and color commentator. Tate was in attendance at ONE Championship’s ONE: HEART OF THE LION card in Singapore on Friday, and despite having just arrived in the city and being plagued by jet-lag, graciously fielded a few questions from the media in attendance.