ONE Championship, the Singapore-based mixed martial arts (MMA), Muay Thai, kickboxing and grappling promotion and Asia’s largest sports media property is marking its 10th-year anniversary with a blockbuster event entitled ONE X.
Set for March 26 in Singapore, the MMA event is “one for the books” as ONE again outdoes itself in putting together interesting match-ups and introducing new rules as well.
The pièce de résistance prior to the main events, which are two world title fights, is the clash between wrestling and jiu jitsu lord Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, or DJ, and Muay Thai master Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
DJ, the former inaugural UFC flyweight champion, is wily, elusive, super fast and the ultimate escape artist with the best takedown record in UFC’s flyweight annals. He was hailed as ONE’s flyweight World Grand Prix Champion in 2018 and is currently ranked No. 1 in ONE Championship flyweight rankings. This guy is slick.
Rodtang, meanwhile, is ferocious, aggressive, fearless and unrelenting. His kicks are bolt-like and well-timed. His fists punish opponents with the heartlessness of Gestapos. He avoids clinches effectively, but when drawn to it, he doesn’t back down. In short, there has never been a more interesting match-up like DJ vs. Rodtang.
But who will prevail? The two are at the top of their respective disciplines, and to put them together is the ultimate apples and oranges contest.
ONE offers the perfect solution to get the long-awaited answer. The two will compete under hybrid MMA-Muay Thai rules. The first and third three-minute rounds will be fought with Muay Thai rules in effect, no takedowns here—just strikes and kicks which are Rodtang’s weapons of choice. The second and fourth rounds will be contested using MMA rules. Here takedowns and submissions are allowed, a bow to Mighty Mouse’s expertise.
Clearly Rodtang gets the headstart while both of them are still clean as a whistle. DJ gets his chance in the next canto where he can take advantage of the sudden shift in rules to establish his footing in his element.
Former ONE lightweight world champion Christian Lee casts his lot with the American. “When it goes to the MMA round, it’s a lot harder for Rodtang to adjust to DJ’s skill level in wrestling and in jiu jitsu. It’s probably going to end as soon as it switches over,” he said.
That is one fight you might want to stay up late for to see who gets the bragging rights come March 26.
But the main event and co-main event in ONE X are awfully intriguing as well. Contesting the flyweight world championship will be Brazil’s Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan. In case you didn’t know, Adriano Moraes was the first person to knock out and finish Demetrious Johnson. In April 2021 Moraes successfully defended his title against Johnson at ONE TNT with a TKO in Round Two.
As for Yuya Wakamatsu, the “Little Piranha” has been angling at Moraes’s title since he defeated China’s Hu Yong at ONE: Winter Warriors last December. Known for his power punches and masterful takedowns, he is precise and methodical. A great counterpoint to the Brazilian submission artist.
Meanwhile, the main event is the much-awaited return of Angela “The Unstoppable” Lee into the Circle after marriage and motherhood put her on hold. The eldest Lee sibling puts her belt on the line against Stamp Fairtex, winner of the ONE Championship atomweight grand prix. Stamp, the former world champion known for her world-class Muay Thai and kickboxing abilities, may well be on her way to being ONE’s first three-sport champion if she beats Lee in MMA. Stamp is already a kickboxing and Muay Thai champion.
But wait, there’s more! There are Pinoy athletes too in ONE X. Denice Zamboanga hopes to get her revenge here against Sokor Seo Hee Ham who won their controversial match in ONE:Empower last September. This is also where a rare Pinoy vs Pinoy bout will happen between Lakay Lito Adiwang and now Bangkok-based Jeremy Miado. Pinoy folkhero Eduard Folayang will also be back in the Circle against John Wayne “The Gunslinger” Parr—kickboxer and boxer and former 10-time world champion.
But more of that next week.