Tag: ONE Championship News

Shinya Aoki seemingly slams ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong at promotion’s latest event: ‘I really came to hate him’

Shinya Aoki and Chatri SityodtongThe relationship between Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki and ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has seen better days. On…

Shinya Aoki and Chatri Sityodtong

The relationship between Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki and ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has seen better days.

On Sunday, Aoki returned to the ring at ONE 165 in his home country expecting to square off with ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt. Instead, ‘Tobikan Judan’ ended up fighting former ONE bantamweight world champion John Lineker in a remarkably short-notice openweight MMA bout. Given their significant size difference and opposing skill sets, Aoki made quick work of Lineker, earning a first-round submission via neck crank.

Following the bout, Aoki spoke with ONE commentator Mitch Chilson in the ring where he was asked about why he accepted the fight with Lineker. “Since he asked me to, there was no other choice, but to do it,” Aoki said, the “he” referring to Sityodtong.

However, it appeared as though Aoki had said something else that the translator either missed altogether or chose to omit. According to X user @puraiya, the former ONE lightweight titleholder shared his disdain for the promotion’s founder in his comments to the live crowd.

“When my relationship to Chatri, a man I thought of as a friend, became one of “boss and employee”, I really came to f*cking hate him… but when that guy asks something of me, I guess I have no choice.”

We can’t confirm the 100% accuracy of the translation provided, but during Aoki’s post-fight interview, there was a very noticeable moment of awkward silence from the crowd, indicating that he had said something more than what the translator revealed.

Fans tuning in and sharing their thoughts on social media were seemingly clued into what Aoki was saying.

One wrote, “I love how much the translator was stuttering trying to figure out what to say,” while another added, “I realized the awkward silence of the crowd for a sec.”

Chatri Sityodtong Has a History of Disrespecting Japanese Fighters Despite Desperately Trying to Break into the Market

It’s unclear what the issue, if any, is between Aoki and Sityodtong, but could it have something to do with the CEO’s continued disrespect towards Japanese fighters as a whole.

“The biggest challenge for Japan is… If you look at the last several years, it doesn’t matter which discipline, Japanese fighters come into ONE and they get crushed,” Sityodtong said in a post-fight press conference. In order for ONE Championship to blow up in Japan, we need the best of the best in Japan — K-1, Rise, RIZIN — they’re the best in Japan, but when they come to ONE Championship, they lose. If you look at the Japanese record, there’s a lot of losses in ONE.”

Sityodtong also kickstarted a war of words with K-1 producer Carlos Kikuta after the ONE CEO shot down the possibility of co-promoting an event with K-1, saying, “It’s a tiny organization and the level is very low.”

Superlek defeats K-1 legend Takeru in five-round war, retains flyweight kickboxing title – ONE 165 Highlights

Superlek vs. TakeruONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 returned to the ring on Sunday for a showdown with former three-division…

Superlek vs. Takeru

ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 returned to the ring on Sunday for a showdown with former three-division K-1 titleholder Takeru Segawa. Emanating from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, Takeru made his long-awaited ONE Championship debut in the ONE 165 main event against one of the promotion’s most dangerous strikers.

Superlek controlled much of the opening round, mixing up his kicking attacks by brutalizing Takeru’s legs while occasionally attacking the body. Takeru struggled to get his offense going as ‘The Kicking Machine’ continued to bring the heat in the closing seconds of the first.

The trend continued into the second round as the Thai tenderized the lead leg of Takeru. However, things began to take a turn in the third round as Takeru was able to close the distance and unleashed a flurry of body blows, forcing Superlek to cover up and weather the storm. He did exactly that, making it out of the third round, but likely giving it up on the scorecards.

‘The Kicking Machine’ once again picked up the pace and the pressure in the fourth round, but Takeru simply refused to go away leading to a fifth and final round where it was anyone’s fight to win. The former K-1 king was desperately seeking a highlight-reel-worthy finish as the seconds ticked down, but Superlek was able to keep Takeru at bay with teep kicks until the final bell sounded.

Official Result: Superlek def. Takeru via unanimous decision to retain the ONE flyweight kickboxing world championship.

Check Out Highlights From Superlek vs. Takeru at ONE 165:

Jonathan Haggerty’s brother, Freddie Haggerty, scores brutal 2nd round KO in ONE Championship debut – ONE Friday Fights 49 Highlights

Jonathan Haggerty and Freddie HaggertyFreddie Haggerty made a big first impression in his ONE Championship debut. Haggerty, who is the younger brother of…

Jonathan Haggerty and Freddie Haggerty

Freddie Haggerty made a big first impression in his ONE Championship debut.

Haggerty, who is the younger brother of reigning two-sport ONE world champion Jonathan Haggerty, made his promotional debut as part of the ONE Friday Fights 49 card inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. Squaring off with 50-win Muay Khao veteran Dankalong Sor Dechapan, Haggerty appeared to struggle with the range, eating a series of stiff jabs in the early going. But it didn’t take long for the 19-year-old to close the distance and light up his opponent with some vicious inside elbows.

Near the end of the opening round, Haggerty landed a right elbow against the ropes followed by a flurry of strikes that sent Dankalong crashing to the canvas. The Thai answered the count and got back to his feet just as the bell sounded, signifying the end of the first.

Haggerty picked up right where he left off in the second, quickly catching a kick from Dankalong and countering with a right followed by a left that landed flush. With his opponent staggered, Haggerty unleashed another right-left combo that put Dankalong down for the count.

Official Result: Freddie Haggerty def. Dankalong Sor Dechapan via KO (strikes) at 0:14 of Round 2.

Haggerty earned a ?350,000 bonus ($10,000) from ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong for his impressive promotional debut. He moved to 20-4-1 overall with the victory.

Check Out Highlights From Freddie Haggerty’s ONE Championship Debut:

ONE Championship targeting mixed-rules clash between Demetrious Johnson and BBJ star Mikey Musumeci

ONE Championship Demetrious Johnson vs. Mikey MusumeciDemetrious Johnson has been out of action ever since he scored a second-straight victory over former flyweight titleholder Adriano…

ONE Championship Demetrious Johnson vs. Mikey Musumeci

Demetrious Johnson has been out of action ever since he scored a second-straight victory over former flyweight titleholder Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10 in May.

‘Mighty Mouse’ earned a decisive unanimous decision over Moraes, closing out their iconic trilogy with the ONE flyweight world championship firmly wrapped around his waist. Since then, fight fans have been chomping at the bit to find out what would be next for the pound-for-pound great.

During a recent interview with BJPenn.com, ONE CEO and founder Chatri Sityodtong revealed that the promotion has been in talks with Johnson, hoping to coax him back inside the Circle for a mixed-rules bout with reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling titleholder Mikey Musumeci.

“We have been trying to get DJ a mixed-rules fight between DJ and Mikey Musumeci the flyweight grappling world champion,” Sityodtong revealed. “I think that would be a spectacular fight, as well.”

“I think DJ is kind of more in cruise control after having won his last title fight and when he is ready he will let us know when he wants to fight. He says he doesn’t have the burning desire, but he hasn’t retired yet, so I think DJ has a few more fights left in him to further cement his legendary GOAT status” (h/t BJJ DOC).

Musumeci is a five-time IBJJF world champion and currently holds an undefeated record under the ONE banner with wins over reigning ONE strawweight champ Jarred Brooks and Japanese grappling legends Masakazu Imanari and Shinya Aoki.

Over the last year, ‘Darth Rigatoni’ has lobbied for a submission grappling showcase with Demetrious Johnson inside the Circle. He has also begun preparing for a move into MMA.

Sityodtong Hopes a ‘Crazy Mixed-Rules Fight’ will bring Demetrious Johnson back to ONE

Demetrious Johnson is considered to be one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of the sport. Winning the UFC’s inaugural flyweight title in 2012, ‘Mighty Mouse’ defended the title an incredible 11 times, besting some of the division’s biggest names, including John Dodson, Kyoji Horiguchi, Joseph Benavidez, and Henry Cejudo.

In 2018, he moved to ONE Championship as part of a historic trade between the two organizations. Johnson immediately made his mark, winning the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Tournament before moving on to his title trilogy with Adriano Moraes.

Of course, you can’t mention DJ’s ONE career without bringing up his historic mixed-rules clash with Muay Thai sensation Rodtang Jitmuangnon. Stepping inside the Circle at the promotion’s 10th-anniversary showcase ONE X in March 2022, Johnson earned a second-round rear-naked choke submission against ‘The Iron Man’ after surviving a barrage of strikes in the opening round.

“He needs some big challenges, maybe some crazy mixed-rules fight,” Sityodtong continued. “He’s the only person in the history of martial arts to win belts in the two biggest and most prestigious organizations, UFC and ONE, and do so in such a legendary way.”

“If you look at his skillset, forget about titles, if you just look at his skillset, he has by far the most complete skillset of any martial artist in the history of mankind, you look at his striking, clinch gane, his wrestling, his transitions, his submission grappling game, he is completely well-rounded without any holds, and then you add in his cardio, for me, he’s the GOAT.”

Mikey Musumeci calls out Sneako for a fight after the Controversial influencer says BJJ ‘Is for autistic people’

Mikey Musumeci and SneakoReigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci is known for being one of the nicest individuals you’ll…

Mikey Musumeci and Sneako

Reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci is known for being one of the nicest individuals you’ll ever meet in the world of combat sports. But his switch will flip real quick when it comes to dealing with bullies.

Recently, the five-time IBJJF champion delivered a scathing response to Sneako, a popular yet controversial Rumble streamer who made some disparaging remarks about jiu-jitsu and Musumeci himself.

“So today I’m going to talk about bullies,” Musumeci said in a video posted to Instagram. “Bullies are weak people that make fun of others around them to give themselves relevance and make themselves feel good. They pick on the differences of humans, which is the most beautiful part of humans, their uniqueness. I really don’t like bullies, guys.

“There’s this guy named Sneako, making fun of me, making fun of my friend, making fun of jiu-jitsu. He calls himself a boxer, I’m a jiu-jitsu guy. Let’s have an MMA fight. I challenge Sneako to an MMA fight. I’m going to shut his mouth and take the bully’s lunch money.”

What Did Sneako Say To Anger Mikey Musumeci?

So what exactly did the influencer say that drew the ire of perhaps the best BJJ practitioner in the world today? Reacting to a clip of Musumeci’s win over Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki, Sneako crassly commented that “jiu-jitsu is for autistic people.” He added that Musumeci “looks like Mark Zuckerberg” and that “he shouldn’t be winning.”

Sneako has since responded to Musumeci’s call out, conceding that he would lose whether they competed in BJJ or mixed martial arts.

“You would make me tap in Brazilian jiu-jitsu,” the streamer said in a video response. “You would win. In MMA, even with striking, you would go, this is what you would do, grab my heel and do the same sh*t you did to master. You would win. You’re a world champion, I train boxing sometimes.“

He also denied the narrative that he’s a bully, claiming that making jokes is just what he does and that it’s not meant to be malicious.

“I make jokes,” he added. “I’m a streamer. I joke about everybody. Me, chat, everything, all day, every day.“

Bibiano Fernandes Splits with ONE Championship, encourages Fighters to ‘Think twice’ Before going there

Bibiano FernandesBibiano Fernandes has parted ways with ONE Championship. After more than a decade with the Singapore-based promotion, ‘The Flash’…

Bibiano Fernandes

Bibiano Fernandes has parted ways with ONE Championship.

After more than a decade with the Singapore-based promotion, ‘The Flash’ is moving on, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest bantamweights in ONE history. Listed as an 11-time ONE world champion, Fernandes shared the Circle with some of the biggest names in the division, including Kevin Belingon, Reece McLaren, and Martin Nguyen.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Fernandes revealed that his contract with ONE was set to expire in December 2023 and he was notified that the promotion would not offer him a new deal.

“I wasn’t mad at them,” Fernandes said. “Do I think they could have offered me more fights? One-hundred percent. I was out for three years basically and they could have offered me more fights. Was I a bit upset? I was, but that’s life. Many people in the world work hard, give their lives for the company they work for, and in the end [the company] owners say ‘Thank you for your work,’ and that’s it. I was sad, but what can I do? Life goes on.”

After making a name for himself under the DREAM banner, Fernandes signed with ONE Championship in 2012. A year later, he claimed the promotion’s bantamweight world championship and successfully defended it eight times throughout two separate reigns.

He surrendered the strap for the second and final time to John Lineker in March 2022. He lost a second straight bout against Stephen Loman at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November that same year.

Bibiano Fernandes was offered a fight at ONE 165 in January

Fernandes said he was offered a fight with Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki at the promotion’s event in Japan next year, but the organization recently announced that Aoki would be taking on ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt instead.

“Only I know what I went through,” Fernandes said. “My run at ONE, I think no one will replicate what I’ve done there. No one will defend the title as many times. I’ve worked for them for 11 years. So many difficulties there, but there’s a point in life I was like, ‘No, wait a minute.’ There are many things I don’t agree with, but still had to go through. I’m a mixed martial arts fighter but they’re doing business. They only think about business, you know? What can I do?”

Unfortunately, Fernandes was unable to go into details regarding ONE Championship’s business practices and negotiation tactics because “there are clauses in my contract saying I can’t speak or they can come after me.” However, he did offer some advice to fighters, saying:

“Many athletes go through difficulties. If you’re a fighter and you’re thinking about fighting for ONE Championship, brother, think twice before you decide to go there. You have to be very careful. Athletes have to think before — you want to fight there? Go, brother, but there’s a moment in life where you have to make decisions about whether or not this is what you really want.”

ONE Championship walks back a desk job offer made in 2017

Bibiano Fernandes inked a new deal with ONE Championship in February 2017, a few months removed from a split decision victory over Reece McLaren to defend his bantamweight title. According to the Brazilian, the contract included a job for him to work behind the scenes once he hung up his four-ounce gloves for good. According to Fernandes, the promotion rescinded that offer.

“There are things I wanted [to say] but I can’t say much because they might come at me,” Fernandes said. “I was supposed to be an ambassador for the promotion, but that didn’t happen. And thinking about it now, it’s for the best. I believe a lot in energy. If the energy isn’t there, I don’t need to force anything. If they don’t see what I’ve done for the organization, there’s nothing I can do.”

“When I received the letter, I wasn’t mad,” he added. “I felt free, you know? I felt like part of my soul came back to me. … I can’t be with a person, I can’t be in a place where they don’t see things the way I see it. You have your peak in the sport, and they’re smart during that peak. They held me back a lot. I could be fighting. There are things you have to be chill and just accept, let my history speak for me.”

Fernandes, 43, is 24-6 in his mixed martial arts career. He had won 10 straight fights inside the Circle before a split decision loss to Kevin Belingon at ONE: Heart of the Lion in 2018. He regained the title four months later in a rematch.