ONE Championship: A New Breed Preview, Card Start Time and TV/Stream Info
Aug 27, 2020
ONE Championship's next event, A New Breed, takes place Friday in Bangkok, Thailand. The card is highlighted by Stamp Fairtex's defense of her atomweight muay thai championship against Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, as well as the bantamweight muay thai tournament final.
The seven-match card also features the return of Wondergirl Fairtex just a week after making her ONE debut with a two-minute knockout win.
Undefeated Denice Zamboanga, who was supposed to fight atomweight champion Angela Lee before the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, also returns to action in hopes of solidifying herself again as the No. 1 contender to Lee's title.
Where and How to Watch
Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand.
Viewers in the United States can watch the contest for free on B/R Live and the Bleacher Report app.
The card starts at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Main Card
Stamp Fairtex vs Allycia Hellen Rodrigues (atomweight muay thai world championship)
Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym vs Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai (bantamweight muay thai tournament final)
Denice Zamboanga vs Watsapinya Kaewkhong
Wondergirl Fairtex vs KC Carlos
Drex Zamboanga vs Detchadin Sornsirisuphathin
Huang Ding vs Sok Thy
Yodkaikaew Fairtex vs Alex Schild
Burning Questions
Will Stamp Fairtex remain a champion?
Atomweight muay thai champion Stamp Fairtex has primarily focused on her transition to MMA over the past year, but she must now defend her title in muay thai against ONE newcomer Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.
Once a two-sport champion, the 22-year-old lost her atomweight kickboxing championship to Janet Todd last February. She got back to her winning ways less than a month ago by defeating Sunisa Srisen, improving to 5-0 in MMA competition.
Since focusing on her MMA training last year, Stamp hasn't competed under a muay thai rule set. Will her transition come back to haunt her?
Who wins the bantamweight muay thai tournament?
Due to injury, semifinal winner Saemapetch Fairtex pulled out of the bantamweight muay thai tournament final and will be replaced by his semifinal opponent, Rodlek.
He'll take on Kulabdam who's coming off a shocking first-round knockout win over the highly touted Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort.
This is a classic matchup between a savvy veteran in 30-year-old Rodlek, who's competed in 174 fights in his professional career, and a young up-and-comer in Kulabdam who's 21 and has less than half the amount of fight experience of his opponent.
Will Rodlek's experience prevail or could we see another marquee win for Kulabdam? Whoever does come out victorious will have their hands full with bantamweight muay thai champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
Are Denice Zamboanga and Wondergirl Fairtex competing for title shots?
Two of ONE's top female contenders could well be vying for championship opportunities in their respective divisions on Friday.
Zamboanga, who was scheduled to face atomweight champion Lee before the pandemic, looks to stay in fighting shape when she takes on ONE newcomer Watsapinya Kaewkhong.
This is a risky decision for the Filipino considering she's already the No. 1 contender and could fall from the top of the rankings with a loss, but she prefers to stay active after being out of action for six months.
Meanwhile, Wondergirl impressed last week after defeating her first ONE opponent in less than two minutes.
Feeling fit, the Thai took a fight against another ONE newcomer in KC Carlos on short notice to further cement herself as a contender for the promotion's inaugural women's strawweight muay thai championship.
ONE Championship No Surrender III: Card Start Time and TV/Stream Info
Aug 20, 2020
ONE Championship's next event, No Surrender III, streams Friday, Aug. 19, from Bangkok, Thailand. The card is highlighted by the second semifinal of the promotion's bantamweight muay thai tournament.
Contenders Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort and Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai look to advance to the final, while the rest of the six-match card features the MMA debut of three-time WBC muay thai champion Fabio Pinca and the ONE debut of American Quitin Thomas.
Where and How to Watch
The event was pre-taped at Impact Arena in Bangkok behind closed doors and will be shown for the first time on Friday.
Viewers in the United States can watch the contest for free on B/R Live and the Bleacher Report app.
The card starts at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Main Card
Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort vs Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai (bantamweight muay thai tournament semifinal)
Mongkolpetch Petchyindee vs Sok Thy
Shannon Wiratchai vs Fabio Pinca
Wondergirl Fairtex vs Brooke Farrell
Marie Ruumet vs Little Tiger
Ben Royle vs Quitin Thomas
Top ONE: No Surrender II Headlines
Bantamweight muay thai tournament semifinal
Sangmanee takes on Kulabdam in hopes of advancing to the bantamweight muay thai tournament final, where they'll take on Saemapetch Fairtex. The winner of the tournament earns a title shot against champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, who is 6-0 at ONE.
Both Thais are undefeated at ONE, with Sangmanee at 2-0 and Kulabdam at 1-0. Despite Kulabdam's long history of matches and a 61-10-5 record, he only has a third of the experience that Sangmanee has with a 182-27-5 record.
Fabio Pinca's MMA debut
It's not often you see a 36-year-old make an MMA debut, but three-time WBC muay thai champion Fabio Pinca will do just that.
After collecting 100 total wins in muay thai and kickboxing, the French-Italian makes the transition to MMA. Since his last match more than two years ago, Pinca has worked on his ground game in preparation for the 9-6 Shannon Wiratchai, who will be Pinca's first opponent under the ruleset less familiar to him.
American prospect makes his ONE debut
Twenty-eight-year-old American Quitin Thomas opens the No Surrender III card when he takes on Ben Royle in a featherweight clash.
The Florence, South Carolina, native was a decorated amateur before turning pro earlier this year. He amassed a 14-2 record, highlighted by a gold medal at the 2017 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA.
Since then, Thomas relocated to Thailand where he trains under Tiger Muay Thai. He made his pro debut last January, winning by second-round TKO. We'll see how he fares against a 4-1 Royle.
ONE Championship No Surrender II: Card Start Time and TV/Stream Info
Aug 13, 2020
ONE Championship's next event, No Surrender II, streams this Friday from Bangkok, Thailand. The card is highlighted by the start of the promotion's bantamweight muay thai tournament.
Contenders Saemapetch Fairtex and Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym kick the tournament off with their main event semifinal, followed by the rest of a six-match card loaded with muay thai and kickboxing veterans as well as up-and-coming MMA prospects.
Where and How to Watch
The event was pre-taped at Impact Arena in Bangkok, behind closed doors and will be shown for the first time on Friday.
Viewers in the United States can watch the contest for free on B/R Live and the Bleacher Report app.
Saemapetch takes on Rodlek in hopes of advancing to the bantamweight muay thai tournament final. The winner of the tournament earns a title shot against champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, who is 6-0 at ONE.
Saemapetch is fresh off a championship bout against Nong-O, who he lost to by knockout in one of the best matches of 2019. He'll take on fellow Thai, Rodlek, this Friday. The 30-year-old Rodlek is undefeated at ONE with a 3-0 record.
Saemapetch and Rodlek are two incredibly experienced fighters with 120-16-1 and 128-40-5 records, respectively.
John Shink makes his ONE debut
John Shink will compete under MMA rules for the first time in three years when he takes on Yodkaikaew Fairtex.
It's been quite the journey for the 3-0 British fighter to make his ONE debut after he spent nearly two years raising funds as a sports therapist in order to make a permanent move to Thailand last year for his MMA training.
We'll now see how the move paid off on Friday when the 31-year-old competes in MMA for the first time since 2017. Read more about Shink's journey here.
ONE Championship 2020: 'No Surrender' Results and Highlights
Jul 31, 2020
New ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon of Thailand falls to his knees after winning over Jonathan Haggerty, left, of the United Kingdom in their ONE Flyweight World Championship Mixed Martial Arts title fight dubbed 'Dawn of Heroes' Friday, Aug. 2, 2019 at the Mall of Asia Arena in suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines. Rodtang dethroned Haggerty via a unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Rodtang Jitmuangnon defeated Petchdam Petchyindee Academy by majority decision Friday to retain the flyweight muay thai world championship in the main event of the ONE Championship "No Surrender" card at IMPACT Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Rodtang has successfully defended the belt three times since winning it from Jonathan Haggerty last August. He knocked off Walter Goncalves in his first defense before beating Haggerty in a rematch.
The "Iron Man" owns a 263-42-10 career record after 12 wins in his last 13 fights.
Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy headlined the undercard with his victory by majority decision over Yodsanklai Fairtex to retain the featherweight muay thai world championship.
It marked the fourth straight win for Petchmorakot, who defeated Pongsiri PK Saenchaimuaythaigym in the inaugural featherweight title bout in February.
He improved his career record to 162-34-2 with Friday's effort.
Superbon Banchamek scored a triumph by unanimous decision over Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in a featherweight kickboxing matchup. It's his 10th consecutive victory dating back to June 2018.
It was the third meeting between Superbon and Sitthichai, who split their two fights in 2016.
Stamp Fairtex, who dropped the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title to Janet Todd in February, returned to MMA on Friday with a first-round knockout of Sunisa Srisen.
Fairtex is now 5-0 in MMA competition with three KOs in the opening round.
Fabricio Andrade was impressive in his ONE Championship debut as he forced Mark Abelardo to submit to a rear-naked choke in the second round. It was the Brazilian's first fight since May 2019.
Superlek, who'd gone just 1-4-1 in the previous meetings, scored the win by unanimous decision. It's the first time he's beat Panpayak since February 2017.
ONE: No Surrender Burning Questions, Card Start Time and TV/Stream Info
Jul 30, 2020
ONE Championship's next event, No Surrender,is this Friday, and it marks the return of ONE after the COVID-19 pandemic halted proceedings. The card is highlighted by two title fights and an appearance from star Stamp Fairtex.
Flyweight muay thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon defends his belt against fellow Thai Petchdam Petchyindee in the main event. The co-main event features two more Filipino legends as featherweight muay thai world champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee takes on Yodsanklai Fairtex.
Also, atomweight muay thai champion Stamp continues her quest to become the first three-sport champion as she competes in her fifth mixed martial arts match against Sunisa Srisen.
Where and How to Watch
The event will be held this Friday at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, behind closed doors.
Those in the U.S. can watch the contest for free on B/R Live and the Bleacher Report app.
The card starts at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Main Card
Rodtang Jitmuangnon (c) vs. Petchdam Petchyindee (flyweight muay thai world championship)
Petchmorakot Petchyindee (c) vs. Yodsanklai Fairtex (featherweight muay thai world championship)
Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong vs. Superbon
Stamp Fairtex vs. Sunisa Srisen
Mark Abelardo vs. Fabricio Andrade
Panpayak Jitmuangnon vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9
3 Burning Questions to be Answered
Who wins the trilogy fight between Rodtang and Petchdam?
Two of the best strikers ONE has to offer face off as Rodtang takes on Petchdam for the flyweight muay thai belt.
It's crazy to think that both competitors are in their early 20s but have already participated in over 400 fights combined. Two of those fights were against each other as Petchdam defeated Rodtang in 2017 before "Ironman" returned the favor a year later. This Friday, their rubber match determines who the top flyweight in the world is.
Rodtang knocked out Jonathan Haggerty last January in another anticipated rematch to retain his title. Meanwhile, Petchdam won a razor-thin majority decision in January when he beat Kohei Kodera. That was his first win at ONE since dropping his kickboxing world championship to Ilias Ennahachi last August.
Will Rodtang improve to 8-0 at ONE or will Petchdam become the promotion's third athlete to win a championship in kickboxing and muay thai?
In the other title fight, Petchmorakot takes on the legendary Yodsanklai.
All the momentum that the 35-year-old Thai gained from his 34-fight winning streak stretching from 2012 to 2019 came to a grinding halt with back-to-back losses last year, both of which were considered massive upsets. However, Yodsanklai's reputation as one of the greatest to ever do it was enough to earn his first title shot at ONE. History may be on his side though, as he's never lost three matches in a row.
"The Boxing Computer" will now take on Petchmorakot, who won the inaugural featherweight muay thai championship last February and is 5-2 at ONE.
We could be seeing the twilight of Yodsanklai's career with a third straight loss, but a title win would quickly take any talks of retirement off the table.
Stamp Fairtex is the atomweight muay thai world champion and a former kickboxing champion, but her transition to mixed martial arts started two years ago. Her MMA career is young, but the former two-sport champion is on the right track in her newest endeavor with a 4-0 record.
She'll take on another young, undefeated up-and-comer in 19-year-old Sunisa Srisen, who is 3-0 and making her ONE debut. Stamp could be well on her way to challenging atomweight champion and fellow star Angela Lee with another win or two.
Will we see another callout from Stamp to Lee after her match or will the debuting Srisen throw a wrench into her plans?
One Championship Confirms July 31 Return in Bangkok; Will Be Held Without Fans
Jun 29, 2020
JAKARTA, INDONESIA - MAY 12: Sergej Maslobojev of Lithuania (red) fights against Antonio Plazibat of Croatia (blue) during Catch Weight (95.0 kg) ONE Super Series Kick boxing match in the ONE Championship: Grit and Glory at Jakarta Convention Center on May 12, 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)
Mixed martial arts promotion One Championship announced plans to resume its major events July 31 with a show in Bangkok.
According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), there will be no fans in attendance.
The UFC resumed on May 9 with UFC 249 in an empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bulk of the UFC's events have taken place at its Apex training facility in Las Vegas, and President Dana White unveiled the long-awaited details surrounding "Fight Island" in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Dana White provided additional info about "Fight Island" on @FirstTake, including UFC 251 card details, facilities and more. pic.twitter.com/mkCjU5WBsz
In an interview with the AP, One Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong alluded to the logistical hurdles the company has experienced in preparing for a return amid the COVID-19 pandemic:
"Most national borders remain closed in Asia, and this has posed unique logistical and operational challenges. However, our superstar team at One Championship continues to work hard to deliver fans the authentic martial arts experiences they crave. Our athletes are ready to showcase their skills and tell their stories."
One Championship's last marquee show was Feb. 28 in Kallang, Singapore. In the main event, Janet Todd won a split decision over Stamp Fairtex to claim the kickboxing women's atomweight title.
The AP noted the July 31 card includes two muay thai title bouts and a kickboxing match, with an MMA fight likely to be added.
Demetrious Johnson Headlines ONE Championship's 1st Official Ranking
Apr 27, 2020
ONE Championship announced its first official athlete rankings for select weight classes across mixed martial arts, kickboxing and muay thai divisions on Monday.
"The rankings will bring more clarity and transparency for our athletes as they chase their dreams for a world championship title," said Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of ONE Championship. "Fans can also follow their favorite athletes and their journeys more closely as they climb or fall in the rankings."
Fans who are familiar with UFC's rankings system will recognize the benefits of being able to track each division's title picture as matches are booked. For the ranked competitors, this added element makes their bouts even more important as they continue their quest for a championship opportunity.
The official athlete rankings will be updated by an independent panel of media members and former mixed martial artists who will consider the participants based on wins and losses, their most recent performances and the quality of competition. The panel includes former UFC champions and current ONE executives Rich Franklin and Miesha Tate. Ranking updates will be published after each event.
The initial rankings include the atomweight, strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight divisions. Rankings for the welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions will be announced at a later date as ONE continues to fill out the talent in those classes.
Here is ONE's first crack at ranking their athletes.
Women's Division
Angela Lee
Atomweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Angela Lee 1. Denice Zamboanga 2. Meng Bo 3. Lin Heqin 4. Mei Yamaguchi 5. Gina Iniong
Lee already confirmed to James Goyder of Asian MMA that the undefeated Zamboanga will be the next challenger to her 115-pound title.
Atomweight Kickboxing
World champion: Janet Todd 1. Stamp Fairtex 2. Alma Juniku 3. Chuang Kai Ting 4. Anne Line Hogstad 5. Ekaterina Vandaryeva
Todd defeated Stamp in February to become just the second American ONE champion. Stamp remains the No. 1 contender at 115 as a trilogy bout with Todd may be on the horizon.
Atomweight Muay Thai
World champion: Stamp Fairtex 1. Janet Todd 2. Anne Line Hogstad 3. Alma Juniku 4. Ekaterina Vandaryeva 5. Rudzma Abubakar
Stamp and Todd switch spots in the muay thai 115 rankings. The question is if their impending trilogy match will take place under muay thai or kickboxing rules.
Xiong Jing Nan
Strawweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Xiong Jing Nan 1. Tiffany Teo 2. Michelle Nicolini 3. Angela Lee 4. Ayaka Miura 5. Maira Mazar
After defeating Miura last February, Teo has earned her spot as the No. 1 contender to Xiong's championship. The Panda hasn't defended her 125-pound belt since March of last year when she defeated Angela Lee.
Men's Division
Strawweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Joshua Pacio 1. Yosuke Saruta 2. Yoshitaka Naito 3. Rene Catalan 4. Alex Silva 5. Lito Adiwang
Pacio and Saruta exchanged the strawweight championship in 2019, with the latter defeating the current champion earlier in the year before the Filipino regained his 125 title just three months later.
Strawweight Kickboxing
World champion: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao 1. Astemir Borsov 2. Wang Junguang 3. Rocky Ogden 4. Josh Tonna 5. Daren Rolland
Sam-A will have particularly heavy interest in the 125 rankings as a two-division champion. Having already defeated three of the five ranked kickboxing athletes in Wang, Ogden and Rolland, it seems like the next obvious opponent would be Borsov. Funny enough, the Russian has yet to compete for ONE.
Strawweight Muay Thai
World champion: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao 1. Josh Tonna 2. Rocky Ogden 3. Daren Rolland 4. Andy Howson 5. Rui Botelho
With Sam-A busy with Borsov in the kickboxing realm, Tonna should get a 125 title shot against the legendary Thai in the muay thai category.
Demetrious Johnson
Flyweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Adriano Moraes 1. Demetrious Johnson 2. Danny Kingad 3. Kairat Akhmetov 4. Yuya Wakamatsu 5. Reece McLaren
Demetrious Johnson's match against champion Adriano Moraes has been delayed twice now due to the COVID-19 outbreak. When their match finally does happen, it'll be a battle between two of the better 135-pounders in the world. The winner will have a host of young challengers awaiting them.
Flyweight Kickboxing
World champion: Ilias Ennahachi 1. Rodtang Jitmuangnon 2. Superlek Kiatmoo9 3. Walter Goncalves 4. Panpayak Jitmuangnon 5. Elias Mahmoudi
Perhaps one thing we can expect from ONE's rankings is the occasional surprise inclusion.
Rodtang, the ONE flyweight muay thai champion, has never competed in a kickboxing match before. However, ONE has shown that many athletes tend to have a seamless transition from muay thai to kickboxing and vice versa. A meeting between Rodtang and 135-pound kickboxing champion Ilias Ennahachi would be a dream match of sorts as both are notorious for their ability to give out and absorb the harshest of strikes.
Flyweight Muay Thai
World champion: Rodtang Jitmuangnon 1. Panpayak Jitmuangnon 2. Superlek Kiatmoo9 3. Jonathan Haggerty 4. Elias Mahmoudi 5. Petchdam Petchyindee Academy
It'll be interesting to see if Rodtang would even take a match against Panpayak since it's normal for teammates from Asian gyms to refuse to fight one another. If that ends up being the case, Superlek is a worthy next option having gone 7-1-1 over the past year.
Bantamweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Bibiano Fernandes 1. Kevin Belingon 2. Shoko Sato 3. Yusup Saadulaev 4. Shuya Kamikubo 5. Daichi Takenaka
Fernandes is in desperate need of a new opponent at 145 after facing Belingon the last three matches. Sato and Kamikubo are the most intriguing challengers as they're on six- and seven-match winning streaks, respectively.
Bantamweight Kickboxing
World champion: Alaverdi Ramazanov 1. Nong-O Gaiyanghadao 2. Sangmanee Sathian MuayThai 3. Zhang Chenglong 4. Liam Harrison 5. Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym
Ramazonov was supposed to face ONE bantamweight muay thai champion Nong-O last month, but that was delayed.
Bobo Sacko comes in with the highest winning percentage of any contender with a 72-6-1 record. Despite only having one match at ONE so far, he's already made a name for himself around the world to earn the No. 2 contender spot at 145.
Garry Tonon
Featherweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Martin Nguyen 1. Christian Lee 2. Koyomi Matsushima 3. Thanh Le 4. Tetsuya Yamada 5. Garry Tonon
Of all the division rankings, this should be the most interesting to an American fanbase. Champion Martin Nguyen is one of the most exciting athletes in ONE, and the challengers behind him at 155 are just as enticing.
ONE lightweight world champion Christian Lee made his desire very clearto move down a weight class and face Nguyen for a third time in an interview with B/R Live. Despite losing to the Situ-Asian both matches, he feels his game has grown immensely since.
Meanwhile, Americans Thanh Le (11-2) and jiu-jitsu star Garry Tonon (5-0) both feature on the rankings as well. Tonon has been angling for a title shot for months now. Perhaps we see him and Le compete in the near future to determine the next contender after Lee.
Featherweight Kickboxing
World champion: Vacant 1. Giorgio Petrosyan 2. Superbon Banchamek 3. Tayfun Ozcan 4. Samy Sana 5. Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex
The only vacant title at ONE at the moment, world grand prix champion Giorgio Petrosyan will be the heavy favorite to win the inaugural 155 title. However, Superbon is one of ONE's newest signings and comes into the promotion on a nine-match winning streak and a 110-34 record.
Featherweight Muay Thai
World champion: Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy 1. Superbon Banchamek 2. Jamal Yusupov 3. Jo Nattawut 4. Samy Sana 5. Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex
Petchmorakot was supposed to face Yusupov in February, but the latter pulled out due to an injury. Will he be rewarded another title shot, or is Superbon going to get his hands on the champion first?
Lightweight Mixed Martial Arts
World champion: Christian Lee 1. Iuri Lapicus 2. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev 3. Pieter Buist 4. Timofey Nastyukhin 5. Shinya Aoki
It might be a surprise to many not seeing Eddie Alvarez in the 170-pound rankings. After defeating Eduard Folayang in his second match at ONE and rehabbing from an ankle injury, The Underground King wanted a match for Lee's strap. That now seems very unlikely in the near future until Alvarez earns at least a couple of more victories.
Lee was supposed to defend his championship against Lapicus (14-0) on May 29, but that card has been cancelled. Expect that match to be rescheduled, though. Nastyukhin sits at No. 4 despite being inactive for over a year due to injury. Japanese legend Aoki rounds out the lightweight division's Top Five.
Lightweight Kickboxing
World champion: Regian Eersel 1. Nieky Holzken 2. Mustapha Haida 3. Anthony Njokuani 4. Andy Souwer 5. Elliot Compton
Eersel needs new competition after defeating Holzken in his two most recent matches and Njokuani the bout before. It's also unlikely we see Haida or Souwer get title opportunities considering they've lost their most recent ONE matches.
Perhaps it's time the promotion injects some new blood into their 170-pound kickboxing division.
Watch: Demetrious Johnson Says His 'Dream Match' Is Against Khabib Nurmagomedov
Apr 21, 2020
ONE Championship's Demetrious Johnson, former UFC flyweight champion and record holder for most title defenses at the promotion with 11, told B/R Live in a recent Instagram Live that he would like to compete against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in a "dream match" scenario:
Johnson, who hasn't competed in the UFC since 2018 when he lost the flyweight crown to Henry Cejudo in a tight split-decision defeat, joined ONE as part of a trade for Ben Askren. Since then, Mighty Mouse has gone 3-0 in the Singapore-based promotion, won the ONE flyweight world grand prix last October and is now the top contender for Adriano Moraes' flyweight championship.
Nurmagomedov told Vinayak Manoj of Essentially Sports in March that he considers Johnson one of the greatest martial artists to ever step in a cage, comparing him to Jon Jones, Fedor Emelianenko, Anderson Silva, Daniel Cormier and Cejudo.
There's a noticeable difference in size between the two competitors. Johnson stands 5'3" and competes in ONE's 135-pound flyweight division while Nurmagomedov is 5'10" and fights in UFC's 155-pound lightweight division. The odds of this match happening are as close to zero as you can possibly get, but it's fun to think about a prospective match between the two and hear Johnson's admiration for The Eagle.
Johnson also discussed his favorite matches, weird fan interactions, homeschooling his children, gaming and various UFC fighters like Israel Adesanya, T.J. Dillashaw and Cejudo.
Demetrious Johnson on Living in Shadow of U.S. Ground Zero for Coronavirus
Apr 13, 2020
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters Demetrious Johnson of the United States celebrates after defeating Japan's Yuya Wakamatsu during their flyweight world grand prix quarterfinal of One Championship bout in Tokyo, Sunday, March 31, 2019. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Early March may feel as distant today as the second Ice Age, but Demetrious Johnson instantly recalls the moment he heard the news.
More and more people were talking about an incurable disease called COVID-19 and wondering how it might manifest on American soil. The country's first official case—a man in Washington state—had already been documented, and now there was news of the first major outbreak. The site of the outbreak, Life Care Center of Kirkland, solidified Washington state as the de facto ground zero for the coronavirus in the United States.
About a 10-minute drive from Life Care Center of Kirkland is an MMA gym called AMC Kickboxing & Pankration. That has served as Johnson's training home for all of his record 11 UFC title defenses.
So when he heard about the outbreak at the nearby assisted living facility, Johnson's reaction was pretty swift:
Oh, s--t.
For Johnson and other locals, the coronavirus wake-up call came early. The rest of the world, MMA and otherwise, hasn't always been as quick on the uptake. That's certainly true of Johnson's former employer, the UFC, as well as his current one, Singapore-based ONE Championship, at least to an extent.
"It's definitely hard," Johnson recently told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. "We've had the dark cloud over our heads. Not just with the virus but social distancing and everything else."
AMC Pankration shuttered its doors soon after the Life Care Center outbreak and well before it was a frequent occurrence in the state, much less anywhere else. As a point of reference, play stoppages in the NBA and March Madness—both widely viewed as early examples of dramatic action on the coronavirus, particularly in the sports world—didn't occur until mid-March.
"We stopped training two weeks before Gov. [Jay] Inslee shut it down," Johnson said, referencing the state's March 16 directive to close gyms and other businesses. "But when I first saw the news [about Life Care Center] I was like, 'Oh, s--t.' We were way ahead of the curve, though. No one had canceled any fights or games or anything yet."
Of course, sports fans and curiosity seekers of all stripes are well-versed by now in UFC president Dana White's frothy personal struggle to continue doing business in the face of, you know, a major disease pandemic. Just last Thursday, cooler heads prevented UFC 249 from going off as scheduled on April 18. The company has also suspended all other events indefinitely. But this, as they say, is another story.
It looked, at least for a little while, like the fights might go on for Johnson and ONE Championship. The Singaporean government has garnered global recognition for its effective (if hard-to-imitate) response to the pandemic—a simple truth that one imagines would make a difference when holding fights on Singaporean soil, as ONE was planning to do. (ONE never detailed the actual measures it would have taken or what, if any, role the government of Singapore would have played in the effort.) As the UFC thrashed around, Johnson's April 11 flyweight title bout with Adriano Moraes quietly stayed on course.
But we all know where a plan is going to get you these days. As the virus spread, ONE officials announced they would move to exclusively closed-door events in Singapore. Then, Johnson's date with Moraes was pushed back. Not long after—but still three days before the UFC threw in the towel—ONE announced what was essentially a suspension of all fight operations.
"To extinguish the recent growth of the coronavirus, the Singapore Government has wisely ordered a partial lockdown of the country, whereby effective tomorrow onwards, only essential services (such as food, healthcare, and transportation) are allowed to operate," said ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong in a statement.
Such is the nature of things these days. And so, like innumerable other fighters and other humans, there Johnson sits, all trained up and no place to go. But, as he himself readily admits, it could be a lot worse, and he extends that sentiment to decision-making from both ONE and the UFC.
"I think at the end of the day, any company, whether it's the UFC or the NBA or ONE or whoever, they're doing everything in their power to make sure everyone is healthy," he said.
Hardcore fight fans know Johnson not just by the Hall of Fame resume but by his reputation as an affable family man. Those descriptions were evident during a recent phone interview, with Dopplerized kid voices streaking by in the background. An avid gamer, he's knee-deep in several game titles, he said, most notably Escape from Tarkov. Breakfast is more of a happening these days, as is homeschooling. In short, he's making do, and given that he's been at this for longer than most other Americans, maybe he's ahead of the curve in finding a new normal.
"Everything's closed up, but it's fine being around the house," he said. "We're making sure we wash our hands. We've got a little schoolroom now. ... We're all just trying to find a way. It'll get better."
Chatri Sityodtong on What's Next for ONE Championship During COVID-19 Outbreak
Mar 24, 2020
CEOs like Chatri Sityodtong of ONE Championship, one of the largest mixed martial arts promotions in the world, have their hands full trying to steer the sports industry back on track during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Singapore-based company was among the first major sports organizations in the world to face the coronavirus outbreak. It hasn't held an event with fans since Feb. 7 and, like all of sports, is trying to figure out what comes next—and when.
We spoke with the ONE founder and chairman, who said he is committed to keeping athletes and fans safe while finding a way to keep the show going on.
"In a situation like this, you're juggling many different priorities," Sityodtong told Bleacher Report. "Different countries are changing their policies on a daily basis. Very quickly, you have to prioritize what's most important. For ONE, the safety and health of our athletes, fans, staff and general public was the priority."
ONE was the first global sports organization in the world to host events with no fans in attendance when they did so on Feb. 28 in Singapore. Despite the company's attempt to keep the atmosphere of the show as energetic as they could with the entrance music of their athletes blaring through the empty arena and a plethora of lights and lasers to accompany it, obviously something was missing.
There was nothing that could replace the sound of a crowd cheering. Even when Janet Todd shocked Stamp Fairtex in the main event to win the atomweight championship in one of the biggest upsets in ONE history, there was no one there to react besides the competitors and their teams.
And of course, Chatri Sityodtong, who strapped the title around Todd's waist after her victory.
"Funny enough, because everything in Asia was closed down, the TV viewership numbers were very, very strong for that event," the Thailand native said. "In many ways, fans rallied behind us because we're still going on with the show and yet still keeping everyone safe."
Going on with the show despite trying circumstances has always been a part of the MMA world. Just look at the UFC, which, despite a plethora of political skirmishes, legal confrontations, regulatory battles and financial struggles in its early existence, only cancelled four previous events before having to postpone their next three shows planned for the coming weeks. Long after sports organizations around the world halted operations due to the virus, the UFC attempted to fight on as has always been its instinct.
"Unless there's a total shutdown of the country where people can't leave their houses, these fights will happen," UFC President Dana White said on SportsCenter on March 15 after carrying on UFC Fight Night 170 in anempty arena in Brazil. "We're going to move on. These guys will compete. We will find venues, and we will figure this thing out."
Two days later when the Trump administration called for gatherings to be limited to 10 or fewer people, that was the final nail in the coffin for UFC's hopes to carry on with an event in London last weekend and two events in Las Vegas this Saturday and April 11. Despite being direct competitors with the UFC, ONE's Sityodtong respects White's drive to carry on even in the worst of times.
"I appreciate Dana White's unbreakable spirit and desire for the show to go on," Sityodtong said. "I have the same mindset. He wants to make the fans and athletes happy. This is just what we do. We also want the shows to go on, but safety and health is our biggest priority."
After postponing an event originally scheduled for last Friday, ONE added four closed-door events from April to May in hopes of making up for lost time. However, it's getting even more challenging for the promotion to schedule events now as nations impose travel restrictions for their citizens. This includes fighters from countries that make up a sizable portion of ONE's roster.
Australia declared just last week that none of its citizens could leave the country, effectively barring all Aussie fighters that were supposed to be on upcoming cards to participate. In Singapore, which is scheduled to host the four closed-door ONE events in April and May, a 14-day quarantine went into effect for all international arrivals. This likely means that any fighter living outside Singapore, a city-state at the southern tip of Malaysia, would need to arrive two weeks earlier to go through the quarantine process.
Sityodtong is working with the Singaporean government to come up with alternative solutions but says it might have been wishful thinking to add events over the coming months.
"We're trying to refill cards," Sityodtong said. "We have to work with a variety of national governments though. We've had a lot of late nights and emergency meetings called with my leadership team to get everyone's input across various constituents.I don't want to comment prematurely, but I will say that the April events are looking very tough. We're scrambling because of all the changing conditions.
"Right now, our schedule stands as is. However, there's a lot of shuffling going on behind the scenes. Everyday life is being impacted in many different countries day by day. We have global media rights and athletes all around the world, so we have to be on top of every policy change in every country. Plus, we need to be able to put these events on safely. It's a very fluid situation and still too early to come to any decisions."
One of those fluid situations is stateside, as Sityodtong admits he's considered that the U.S. could go into a nationwide shutdown of its own soon. This would rule out some of their most marketed athletes like Eddie Alvarez, Demetrious Johnson, and Angela and Christian Lee from competing for at least the next couple of months. If you think this virus would dampen the spirits of ONE's roster though, think again.
"Literally all our athletes have said they want to compete," Sityodtong said. "No one has come to me and asked to be taken off cards. This is what they love. This is what they were born to do. They've given ONE Championship a ton of love and support so far on the decisions we've made. It's ironic. In many ways, tragic circumstances create more unity. People are rallying together. We all want to do something, so let's see what happens."
ONE has never faced a situation like this one in its decade-long existence, and one of the most affected constituents are broadcasting partners that no longer have the drive of live sports with massive viewership numbers and advertisement dollars behind them. What helps ONE though is, unlike the airline and hotel industries that struggle when flights and rooms aren't being booked, the promotion is simply "delayed" in Sityodtong's words.
"We obviously have broadcasting commitments and live sports content is the king of all content, but when sports properties don't host events, they don't have any cost aside from what's going on day to day in their facilities. In that regard, I'm very optimistic ONE will be back shortly in a huge way. I know several other sports properties are shuffling behind the scenes to see what they can do to pull off live sports for fans. I think as sports properties, everyone's pausing but everyone also has an unbreakable will to say that the show must go on. That's the mindset of the peers around the world I've spoken to and ONE's as well.
"As a business, we have to be very prudent with our financial performance. At the same time, we want to excite and delight our broadcast partners, wow our fans and give livelihood to our athletes by showcasing their skills on a global stage."
Everyone's at home right now wanting to be inspired by entertainment and to forget about their problems. Sports are an incredible way to do that. For many at ONE, the show must go on. Fans can only hope the show continues sooner rather than later.
