ONE Championship News

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 21, 2018

He’s taken the long road back, but Eduard Folayang says reclaiming the ONE Lightweight World Title in his fight with Amir Khan at ONE: Conquest of Heroes this Friday night (Friday morning in North America) would be the sweetest victory of his decorated career.  “Yeah, I do [believe it will be the sweetest],” Eduard Folayang declared to the applause of the pro-Filipino crowd at the ONE: Conquest of Champions kick-off press conference at the City of Dreams in Manila on Tuesday. “I want to claim that. Of course, it’s not only about that. My tough loss last year was very hard to get through, but I really worked hard and now the opportunity is present and I don’t want to miss that gift.

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

At ONE: WARRIOR’S DREAM in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 November, kickboxing legend Nieky Holzken will battle Cosmo Alexandre in a Super Series bout in the co-featured bout at the ONE Championship event. The main event is a mixed martial arts clash between Tyler McGuire and Zebaztian Kadestam that will determine the next ONE welterweight champion. In case you’re unaware, here are five reasons for you to watch Holzken take on Alexandre.

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

Bibiano Fernandes is no longer the ONE Bantamweight World Champion. After a legendary reign that spanned a whopping seven title defenses, he surrendered his belt to Filipino challenger Kevin Belingon in the ONE: HEART OF THE LION main event. Belingon won the fight by split decision after five incredible rounds of action. Although the Filipino succumbed to a few of Fernandes’ takedown attempts, he denied many others, and deftly fought off several submission attempts. On the feet, meanwhile, Belingon was the picture of excellence, punishing the long-time champion’s body with spinning kicks, and dropping him with a massive punch at the end of the third round.

Tom Taylor - November 9, 2018

On Friday evening (Friday morning in the North America), ONE Championship returned to the Singapore Indoor Arena with ONE: HEART OF THE LION. The card was originally expected to be headlined by a ONE Women’s Strawweight Title Fight between divisional champ Xiong Jing Nan and reigning atomweight Champ Angela Lee. Unfortunately, however, this bout was nixed when Lee was forced off the card with an injury.

BJPENN.COM Staff - November 8, 2018

One of Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson’s dreams as a martial artist is set to become a reality when ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced at the press conference of ONE: HEART OF THE LION at the Marina Bay Sands last Wednesday, 7 November the eight-man Flyweight World Grand Prix, which will be composed of eight of the best flyweights of the stacked ONE flyweight division. Though Sityodtong has yet to reveal the detailed set up of the tournaments, one thing is for sure, the winner will determine the undisputed champion one way or another.

Tom Taylor - November 8, 2018

23-year-old Malaysian bantamweight Muhammad Aiman is known for his unpredictable style inside the cage. One moment, he might be biding his time, and the next, you might catch him throwing back-to-back cartwheel kicks or leaping onto his foe’s back chasing a rear-naked choke. Outside the cage, however, “Jungle Cat” is not nearly as wild.