MANILA, Philippines–ONE Championship held its biggest event in its inaugural show in Japan last April, and it’s only fitting that the Home of Martial Arts will be back in the Japanese capital for its 100th show at a grander scale.
There will be two full fight cards on the same day featuring one world title fight on top of another in ONE: Century on October 13 at the historic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
“To celebrate our historic 100th show, I am thrilled to announce that ONE: CENTURY on 13 October in Tokyo will feature two full-scale World Championship events (of 11 fights on each card) on the same day with World Championship title fights, World Grand Prix Championship title fights, and much more,” announced Chatri Sityodtong, founder, chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.
Sityodtong said the Japan card also marks the first time that the promotion will be aired live in the US in partnership with TNT on Saturday night.
“In what will be the biggest martial arts extravaganza in history, our morning Tokyo show will air live on TNT on Saturday night in the US (as well as other select countries), and our evening Tokyo show will air live across 140-plus countries.”
Sityodtong also vowed to add more explosive fights in what is already a loaded card as it stands.
Headlining the show are a pair of champion versus champion bouts with heavyweight titleholder Brandon Vera facing reigning two-division champion Aung La N Sang for the Burmese hero’s light heavyweight belt.
Angela Lee, on the other hand, will defend her atomweight crown in a rematch with strawweight queen Xiong Jing Nan.
Xiong stopped Lee in the fifth round of their scintillating first encounter.
Bibiano Fernandes is also putting his bantamweight belt on the line in an unprecedented fourth fight with Filipino star Kevin Belingon.
A couple of World Grand Prix finales are also scheduled.
Demetrious Johnson, who is regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, will take on fast-rising Filipino Danny Kingad in the Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship Final while another legend in Eddie Alvarez will lock horns with Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev in the Lightweight World Grand Prix Championship Final.
A duel between two of the best kickboxers in the world in Giorio Petrosyan and Samy Sana are also in tow in the Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Championship Final with the winner pocketing $1 million.