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| (Image Source: Tapology.com/ONE Championship) |
ONE Championship, the largest combat sports organization in Asia and the most valuable global sports media property in Asian history, is gearing up for its tenth year anniversary and celebrating the momentous occasion is one of the biggest fight cards in the promotion's decade-long history. During his appearance on The MMA Hour with host Ariel Helwani, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has announced three colossal bouts that will headline ONE X slated to be held on December 5, 2021 (Sunday).
One of these bouts will feature striking Thai superstar Rodtang "The Iron Man" Jitmuangnon and mixed martial arts' greatest of all time (GOAT) Demerious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson in an innovative four-round Muay Thai and MMA hybrid fight. Jitmuangnon has been invincible since his promotional debut in September 2018 - winning ten of his stand-up matches on the global stage, claiming the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship, and establishing himself as the number one ranked flyweight kickboxing contender. Rodtang is hoping to become the first ONE World Champion in three different sports and, now, his grappling will be tested by the best mixed martial artist to ever wear the four-ounce gloves.
Johnson has won the GOAT moniker for years and rightfully so. The American icon was a twelve-time MMA World Champion in North America when he signed with ONE Championship in 2018. "Mighty Mouse" then proved himself worthy of that status when he defeated three worthy competitors to win the 2019 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship. However, he suffered his first career knockout loss to the division's reigning king Adriano "Mikinho" Moraes back in April on ONE On TNT I. The American wants to smash his way back into World Title contention but, first, he's eager to share the Circle with Rodtang in this one-of-a-kind battle.
ONE X will also feature the return of the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano "The Flash" Fernandes where he is scheduled to defend the title against the number one ranked contender John "Hands Of Stone" Lineker. Fernandes has established himself as the most dominant ONE World Champion in history, winning eleven World Title bouts during his nine-year promotional run but Lineker firmly believes he can knock his fellow Brazilian off the throne. The top-ranked bantamweight contender has been unstoppable since joining ONE Championship defeating Muin "Tajik" Gafurov, knocking out the division's previous king Kevin "The Silencer" Belingon, and then repeating the peat against Troy "Pretty Boy" Worthen during the ONE On TNT event series. With both men willing to engage and impose their will, ONE and MMA fans should expect fireworks.
Finally, ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le is set to make his long-awaited return. The Vietnamese-American knockout artist who claimed the featherweight title last October by knocking out former two-division king, Martin "The Situ-Asian" Nguyen, at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX is set to make his first World Title defense against Garry "The Lion Killer" Tonon. Tonon, a multiple-time BJJ No Gi World Champion, has masterfully applied his elite submission skills to mixed martial arts where he's gone a perfect 6-0 record. This should be a classic striker-versus-striker matchup and whoever imposes their strength will leave the Circle with the ONE Featherweight World Title belt.
For more updates on ONE X and ONE Championship news and features, visit ONEFC.com and follow @ONEChampionship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Catch ONE Championship on One Sports (free TV channel 41, Cignal channel 6, SKYcable channel 59) and One Sports+ (Cignal SD channel 91 and HD channel 261), ONE's official YouTube channel and the ONE Super App available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
