Several of ONE Championship’s biggest fights in 2022 are official, and three of them are happening on the same night.
On Wednesday, promotion CEO Chatri Sityodtong appeared on popular industry podcast The MMA Hour to reveal that ONE Championship’s tenth-anniversary event ONE X will be led by a pair of title fights and one of the most anticipated mixed rules matchups in the sport.
In the March 26 main event, women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee (10-2) will make her return to action after more than two years away to defend her throne against Grand Prix winner Stamp Fairtex (8-1). Pregnancy for her first child has kept Lee out of the cage since October of 2019. While former ONE Muay Thai and kickboxing champ Fairtex has quickly evolved into one of the fastest rising talents in atomweight MMA.
ONE X has a new date and gets Lee vs Fairtex, Johnson vs Rodtang, and Moraes vs Wakamatsu
In the night’s co-main event, the greatest flyweight in ONE history, Adriano Moraes (19-3) will look to follow up his landmark win over MMA legend Demetrious Johnson (30-4-1) in April when he defends his title against slick Japanese striker and top contender Yuya Wakamatsu (15-4). This will be “Little Piranha’s” first shot at ONE gold and the Brazilian’s second defense, in his third reign, as flyweight king.
The card will also feature Johnson vs Rodtang Jitmuangnon. The mixed rules bout was originally scheduled for Dec. 5 before the card was scrapped due to COVID-19 surges in the region. The fight will alternate between Muay Thai and MMA rounds and will pit arguably the two best flyweight fighters on the planet, from two different sports, against each other.
ONE X will also be the promotion’s first event that will allow a full house in the Singapore Indoor Stadium since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
ONE: Bad Blood features Fernandes vs Lineker headliner
Also announced was a major matchup for the organization’s Feb. 11 “Bad Blood” event. In the night’s main event another bout originally scheduled for Dec. will go down when ONE bantamweight legend Bibiano Fernandes (24-4) defends his championship against fellow Brazilian, and UFC veteran, John Lineker (34-9).
This will be Fernandes’ first fight since October 2019. Lineker is unbeaten after three bouts in the organization and has won his last two by knockout. The most recent was a first-round KO of Troy Worthen in April.
Between Lee vs Fairtex, Moraes vs Wakamatsu, Johnson vs Rodtang, and Fernandes vs Lineker, which fight are you most looking forward to?
Join the discussion on this topic…