All articles tagged with #one championship
Stamp Fairtex returns to headline ONE Fight Night 47 on Sept. 5 in Bangkok, facing Selina Flores in an atomweight Muay Thai main event at Lumpinee Stadium; the return comes after she vacated the ONE atomweight MMA title due to a knee injury, with her last MMA bout in Sept. 2023, and the event will air live on Prime Video in the U.S.
Anatoly Malykhin spoiled Reug Reug’s upset bid by landing a fourth‑round knockout to reclaim the ONE heavyweight title at ONE Friday Fights 154 in Lumpinee Stadium, Bangkok, 18 months after their first fight. A post‑KO skirmish and Malykhin removing his gloves added drama, with his corner briefly getting involved; the finish capped a late surge after a slow start. The win boosts Malykhin’s legend as a two‑division champ, now 15‑1, with titles in heavyweight (twice) and light heavyweight to his name.
ONE Championship has abolished its women’s strawweight division and released champion Xiong Jing Nan, making the 38-year-old a free agent as the promotion moves away from MMA. She hadn’t defended the title in four years, returned in 2025 at atomweight, then beat Meng Bo after missing weight by 1.5 pounds to run her record to 14 wins in her last 15 fights. Fans speculate UFC interest given her pedigree, though her recent weight history and market fit are factors, with talk of a Macau debut against Jessica Andrade and potential signings by other promotions like Rizin.
ONE Championship has shuttered the women’s strawweight division and released longtime champion Xiong Jing Nan, ending the 125-pound weight class. With many top contenders already moving to atomweight, Xiong Jing Nan exits as a free agent after a storied title reign and a recent weight-cut issue in 2025.
Reinier de Ridder, a former ONE Championship titleholder, successfully debuted in the UFC by defeating Gerald Meerschaert. Post-fight, de Ridder warned MMA fighters against signing with ONE Championship, citing stress and lack of fight opportunities in recent years. He expressed satisfaction with his treatment in the UFC, highlighting the positive experience with the organization and its staff.
Reinier de Ridder, a former dual-weight champion in ONE Championship, has criticized the organization and advised fighters against signing with them, citing inactivity and stress as major issues. Now with the UFC, de Ridder is eager to stay active and has expressed interest in fighting Khamzat Chimaev. Despite his negative experience with ONE, he fondly remembers their post-fight celebrations. De Ridder recently secured a victory at UFC Vegas 100, enhancing his reputation in the middleweight division.
Anatoly Malykhin successfully defended his ONE heavyweight title against Oumar Kane, known as Reug Reug, at ONE 169 in Bangkok, extending his undefeated streak to 15 wins. The event also saw Rodtang Jitmuangnon lose his ONE flyweight Muay Thai title due to a weight miss, with Jacob Smith still eligible to win the championship in a catchweight bout. Other notable results included Jackie Buntan's unanimous decision win over Anissa Meksen in kickboxing and Adriano Moraes' submission victory over Danny Kingad.
Rich Franklin, former UFC middleweight champion and current ONE Championship VP, anticipates an exciting heavyweight title fight between Anatoly Malykhin and Oumar Kane, also known as 'Reug Reug.' Malykhin, undefeated with a 14-0 record, is a strong favorite, but Franklin warns against underestimating Kane's wrestling and unorthodox striking, which could challenge Malykhin's dominance. The fight marks Malykhin's return to the heavyweight division, adding to the event's significance.
ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru featured a mix of rising stars, legendary athletes, and top contenders in high-stakes matchups across kickboxing, MMA, and special rules. Shinya Aoki submitted John Lineker, Nieky Holzken knocked out Yoshihiro Akiyama, Marat Grigorian scored a KO against Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, Garry Tonon submitted Martin Nguyen, and Ayaka Miura dominated Itsuki Hirata in their respective bouts.
Angela Lee, a top star in ONE Championship, has announced her retirement from MMA and will vacate her ONE women's 115-pound title. Lee's decision comes after the tragic suicide of her sister Victoria, who also fought for ONE Championship. The 27-year-old fighter, who holds the record for being the youngest champion in major mixed martial arts history, cited her sister's death and her own struggles with mental health as reasons for stepping away from the sport. Lee plans to focus on her non-profit organization, FightStory, which aims to raise awareness about mental health.
Demetrious Johnson, former UFC flyweight champion now competing in ONE Championship, expressed interest in fighting UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, despite the unlikelihood of a trade back to the UFC. Johnson, who is more focused on grappling competitions and his content business, believes he can solve the complexity of Sterling's game and would put himself through a training camp for the opportunity. Sterling's recent comments about Johnson being "too little" and his size advantage motivated Johnson, who believes he would dominate in the clinch and eat Sterling alive. While Johnson acknowledges the difficulties Sterling's size and grappling present, he is open to sparring and grappling sessions to test himself against the UFC champ.
Chatri Sityodtong, the founder of ONE Championship, has called out Elon Musk for "bullying" Mark Zuckerberg in their hypothetical MMA fight. Sityodtong, a lifelong martial artist, criticized Musk for his lack of fighting knowledge and false bravado. He expressed his support for Zuckerberg, stating that while Musk may have the advantage in size and weight, Zuckerberg's training and technical skills make him the likely winner in a fight. Sityodtong also mentioned the potential for ONE Championship to get involved in hosting the fight, despite the promotion's focus on the purity of martial arts.
Francis Ngannou, former UFC heavyweight champion, signed a historic and lucrative contract with the PFL, ending a five-month free agency period in which he also garnered interest from Bellator, ONE Championship, and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Ngannou described his experiences dealing with each of those situations, stating that Bellator was "very professional," ONE Championship was "too much," and BKFC was "just a joke." In the end, Ngannou received what he wanted from the PFL, including a deal that will allow him to pursue boxing, PFL equity, and a leadership role within the promotion.
Francis Ngannou has signed with PFL after some high-profile promoters publicly withdrew themselves from the Ngannou sweepstakes. Ngannou says neither he nor his team even spoke with BKFC, and that ONE Championship Chairman Chatri Sityodtong's pitch was a "performance." Ngannou is targeting a return to the cage in 2024, with his sights still set on boxing sometime later this year.
Demetrious Johnson won a unanimous decision victory over Adriano Moraes to retain his ONE flyweight title at ONE Championship's U.S. debut. Johnson's conditioning led him to victory, using knees and winning exchanges in the clinch. Johnson said he hadn't decided whether he'd continue to fight, but if there is a financial deal to be had, he may not be through after all.