ONE Championship will show its latest offering on May 22 as lightweight Shinya Aoki defends his title against Koji Ando in Singapore, Philippines.
The Asian MMA organization has become the largest on a continent known for its rich MMA history. For fans unfamiliar with the company, a primary difference between the action in ONE and its stateside brethren is the use of the global MMA rules. The modified rules allow for some elements from the now-defunct PRIDE organization, including soccer kicks and stomps to a downed opponent.
With ONE representing the last bastion for fans of the more no-holds barred approach to MMA and Aoki‘s penchant for finishing fights in fantastic fashion, this isn’t a card to be missed.
Here’s a look at the entire slate, how to watch the card and what to watch for from Singapore.
ONE Championship 27 Schedule, TV Info
Date: Friday, May 22
Time (ET): 7 a.m. ET
Location: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Kallang, Singapore
TV: Fight Network (exclusively in Canada, per FightNetwork.com)
Live Stream: ONEFC.com (purchase required)
Can Shinya Aoki Continue to Carry the Lightweight Title?
Shinya Aoki is easily one of the most recognizable stars in ONE. He isn’t that far removed from being one of the top lightweight fighters in the world. The 32-year-old has made a name for himself for appearances in PRIDE, DREAM and even Strikeforce marked by excellent submissions.
As the lightweight champion of ONE, the grappling wiz has been as dominant as expected. He’s 4-0 under the ONE banner, including a first-round submission win over former UFC vet Kamal Shalorus his last time out.
Now, he defends his belt against 30-year-old Koji Ando. The Japanese lightweight doesn’t have the name recognition of Aoki, but he’s been on a tear of late with four of those five wins coming by way of TKO or submission.
Although Aoki is a master of submissions, he’s been working on rounding out his game. “If there is a chance to win with a submission, then I will do it, but I have been training very hard with Kru Ake (Peneak Sitnumnoi) at Evolve MMA, and I am confident in my Muay Thai, too.” Aoki told James Goyder of MMA Mania. “I hope to win by knockout or submission.”
While his muay thai may be improving, the safe bet is still on a submission from Aoki. He might showcase some of those skills early on, but the bottom line is that when a fighter has a skill that’s the best in MMA, he’s likely going to use it.
Who Will Emerge as the Face of the Strawweight Division?
Aside from the difference in the rule set, ONE FC’s other distinct difference from the UFC is the presence of a strawweight division. The 115-pound division isn’t a destination in the UFC yet, so the best fighters in the world in the weight class can compete for the title in ONE.
Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and Roy Doliguez have the opportunity to compete for the belt first. As ONE FC CEO Victor Cui points out, Amnuaysirichoke‘s presence in the title fight is especially historic.
There’s a reason Cui is going out of his way to promote Amnuaysirichoke, too. With a proven track record as a muay thai world champion, he has serious skills on the feet. Throw in the fact that two of his four MMA wins are by submission, and he has a well-rounded fighter to promote.
Unlike ONE star Ben Askren, Amnuaysirichoke is appealing to the eye of your casual MMA fan. He basically attacks and attacks whatever is in front of him until it is no longer to continue. Doliguez is a decent fighter, but he simply doesn’t have the impressive background of his opponent.
Expect fireworks in the co-main event.
Who Is Going to Steal the Show?
Shinya Aoki is the reason most fans will tune into this. Just like Ben Askren on the last card, he’s the only fighter who has some name recognition from fighting stateside. But that doesn’t mean the other talent should be overlooked.
As the largest MMA promotion in Asia, ONE is privy to a hotbed of talented mixed martial artists. Those who tuned in to watch Askren do his thing on the last pay-per-view offering from ONE saw firsthand the excitement this organization brings.
Six of the seven previous main card bouts ended in some form of finish as several fighters put on impressive performances.
With Aoki and Amnuaysirichoke fighting in the high stakes bouts at the end, who is going to stand out among the rest when the action takes place in Singapore?
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