Tag: ONE Championship News

Dmitry Menshikov Breaks Silence: Legal Action and Frustration Fuel ONE Championship Exit

Dmitry Menshikov Breaks Silence Legal Action and Frustration Fuel ONE Championship ExitRussian Muay Thai fighter Dmitry Menshikov has publicly voiced his frustrations with ONE Championship, culminating in legal action and…

Dmitry Menshikov Breaks Silence Legal Action and Frustration Fuel ONE Championship Exit

Russian Muay Thai fighter Dmitry Menshikov has publicly voiced his frustrations with ONE Championship, culminating in legal action and his decision to leave the organization. The 27-year-old lightweight contender, who holds a 4-1 record in ONE with all victories by knockout, has served a legal notice to the promotion citing an alleged breach of contract. Following his most recent win, Menshikov explains his side.

Dmitry Menshikov Leaving ONE Championship

Dmitry Menshikov’s discontent stems from a lack of fight opportunities in 2024, during which he claims ONE only offered him a single bout despite promises of a more active schedule. This inactivity led to financial strain and prompted his legal team to conclude that ONE had failed to fulfill its contractual obligations.

On February 16, 2025, Menshikov competed in what is likely his final bout with ONE Championship at ONE Friday Fights 97. He secured a first-round knockout victory over Thai fighter Tengnueng. However, the aftermath of the fight has only intensified tensions between Menshikov and the organization.

In a statement following the bout, Dmitry Menshikov expressed his disappointment:

“I won by KO again but they didn’t give me a post-fight interview, so I’ll share my thoughts here. Recently I had some negative things to say about ONE and announced I will be departing the organization. Some people may say this is why I didn’t get a bonus this time. 

“Maybe that’s true, but you’d hope bonuses would be awarded purely for performance reasons and not be infected by such sentiments. When you see that they also deleted my highlights and denied me a post-fight interview, clearly there are some hard feelings at play. I’ve had five fights with ONE, winning four by knockout, but never received a bonus — including this time.

“It’s weird because they’ve given bonuses to other Russians, so clearly it’s not a political thing. Anyway, this confirms that ONE isn’t the right organization for me, and I stand by my decision to leave. And I expect to see many more fighters make the decision to leave ONE this year as well.“

Dmitry Menshikov further alleged that ONE denied him a post-fight interview and removed his fight highlights from social media after fans showed support for him in the comments section. His manager, Andrey Busygin, emphasized that signing an athlete to an exclusive contract implies regular competition, which was not provided in this case. Menshikov’s departure from ONE Championship marks the latest in a series of fighter exits and public complaints, raising questions about the organization’s relationship with its athletes.

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor’s Stoppage TKO – ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor's Stoppage TKO - ONE Fight Night 28 HighlightsPrajanchai delivered another lights-out performance en route to retaining his ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE Fight…

Prajanchai Busts Open Ellis Badr Barboza En Route to Doctor's Stoppage TKO - ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Prajanchai delivered another lights-out performance en route to retaining his ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE Fight Night 28 in Bangkok.

After a fairly conservative opening round that saw both fighters sizing up one another, things really began to pop off in the second with the Thai titleholder opening up his striking and busting open his opponent, British slugger Ellis Badr Barboza, with a slick inside elbow.

Prajanchai PK.Saenchai Kompetch Sitsarawatsuer ONE Friday Fights 1 1920X1280 23

By the time we reached the third, Prajanchai was in clear control of the contest and even began to do a little trash-talking, much to the delight of the hometown crown.

Near the two-minute mark of the penultimate round, the Thai caught Barboza with another inside elbow to the same eye he’d busted open early. This caused the cut to open up even further, leaving the Brit with a completely split eyelid. Seeing the damage, referee Olivier Coste paused the contest to have ringside doctors take a look at the injury. Moments later Coste waived off the bout, awarding the contest to Prajanchai via a technical knockout in the fourth round.

Prajanchai PK Saenchai Sam A Gaiyanghadao ONE Friday Fights 22 36 1200x800 1

Official Result: Prajanchai def. Ellis Badr Barboza via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 1:55 of Round 4 to retain the ONE strawweight Muay Thai world championship

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Check out highlights from Prajanchai vs. Ellis Badr Barboza at ONE Fight Night 28:

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama – ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama - ONE Fight Night 28 HighlightsThai prospect Kongthoranee Sor Sommai spoiled Nong-O Hama’s flyweight debut, scoring a closely contested split decision over the eight-time…

Kongthoranee Scores Stunning Upset Over Thai Legend Nong-O Hama - ONE Fight Night 28 Highlights

Thai prospect Kongthoranee Sor Sommai spoiled Nong-O Hama’s flyweight debut, scoring a closely contested split decision over the eight-time ONE world champion at ONE Fight Night 28 on Prime Video.

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Kongthoranee was in control for a majority of the opening round, keeping Nong-O at bay with a variety of front kicks and the threat of landing an elbow in close. Things started to pick up in the final minute with Nong-O looking very relaxed in the new weight class, but it was Kongthoranee who appeared to have a higher output throughout the first three minutes.

After a fairly easy-going opening round, Nong-O came out aggressive in the second and started to pour it on Kongthoranee with a relentless barrage of body kicks.

Kongthoranee Sor Sommai

With the fight potentially tied up at 1-1, both fighters came out looking to put on a fast and furious pace. Kongthoranee landed a nice straight left early as Nong-O continued to punish his opponent’s body and left forearm with a non-stop string of kicks. With 10 seconds left to go in the fight, Nong-O attempted to rush Kongthoranee, but both fighters got caught up in the ropes, preventing them from slugging it out for the last few ticks on the clock.

Official Result: Kongthoranee def. Nong-O Hama via split decision

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Check out highlights from Nong-O Hama vs. Kongthoranee at ONE Fight Night 28:

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract Breach

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract BreachDmitry Menshikov, a lightweight contender and teammate of Artem Vakhitov, has initiated legal action against ONE Championship, alleging the…

Dmitry Menshikov Serves Legal Notice to ONE Championship Over Alleged Contract Breach

Dmitry Menshikov, a lightweight contender and teammate of Artem Vakhitov, has initiated legal action against ONE Championship, alleging the organization failed to meet its contractual obligations.

Legal papers served on ONE Championship by Dmitry Menshikov

Through his legal team and manager, Dmitry Menshikov informed ONE that he plans to enter free agency after his February 14 bout in Bangkok. This decision follows a year of inactivity in 2024, during which ONE only offered him a single fight despite earlier promises of more opportunities. Dmitry Menshikov, who boasts an impressive 3-1 record in ONE with all victories via KO or TKO, expressed frustration over the lack of bookings despite his consistent performances.

Menshikov’s legal representatives highlighted that the fighter repeatedly notified ONE of his availability throughout 2024 but received no response. When a promised December fight failed to materialize, his legal team concluded that ONE had breached its contractual duties and formally notified the promotion.

Reflecting on his experience, Dmitry Menshikov stated: “A single fight per year is unsustainable for a competitive athlete and violates our agreement. After February 14, I will enter free agency.” He also criticized ONE for rebooking fighters he had defeated rather than himself and noted the difficulty in communicating with the promotion’s matchmakers.

Menshikov’s manager, Andrey Busygin, emphasized that signing an athlete to an exclusive contract implies regular competition, which was not provided in this case. He confirmed that Menshikov will pursue free agency after the February bout to resume a full competitive schedule. Menshikov plans to explore opportunities with other promotions starting March 2025. In a statement, he said:

“I had some great fights with ONE, but a single bout per year is not a sustainable calendar for a competitive athlete and is a clear breach of the understanding between the fighter and the organization when we entered into a promotional contract. For this reason, I will be entering free agency after the upcoming February 14th bout.

“I find it strange that all my wins are by KO or TKO, yet ONE chose to rebook the fighters I KO’d rather than myself. Maybe they were cheaper, I don’t know. It’s hard to know anything that’s going on at ONE – our attempts throughout 2024 to reach the matchmakers were met by deafening silence.

“Several fighters have left recently because of being frustrated like Sage Northcutt and Reinier de Ridder and I think that’s the best solution for me as well. My contract only has a few months left on it anyway. At this point it’s probably easier for us all to go our separate ways.”

Video: Fans Stunned as Masaaki Noiri Shatters Opponent’s Leg with Brutal Leg Kicks

Video: Fans Stunned as Masaaki Noiri Shatters Opponent’s Leg with Brutal Leg KicksJapanese kickboxing star Masaaki Noiri delivered one of the most shocking performances of his career at ONE Championship, earning…

Video: Fans Stunned as Masaaki Noiri Shatters Opponent’s Leg with Brutal Leg Kicks

Japanese kickboxing star Masaaki Noiri delivered one of the most shocking performances of his career at ONE Championship, earning a second-round knockout victory over Shakir Al-Tekreeti in devastating fashion. Breaking his shin with low kicks leading to a knockout win.

Masaaki Noiri Breaks Opponents’ Leg With Kicks

The bout, held in Bangkok, Thailand, showcased Masaaki Noiri’s signature striking skills that have earned him titles in K-1 Kickboxing. After a competitive first round, Noiri began to target Al-Tekreeti’s legs with relentless precision. Midway through the second round, Noiri landed a thunderous kick to Al-Tekreeti’s shin, sending the Iraqi fighter stumbling for a standing ten count.

Masaaki Noiri

Moments later, another perfectly placed kick connected with the same spot, breaking Al-Tekreeti’s shin and forcing him to collapse in agony. The referee immediately waved off the fight as Al-Tekreeti signaled he could not continue.

Fans reacted to this brutal leg break KO:

“Technique, precision, power, Noiri cuts the bones. What a fight.”

“Looks like it definitely broke! Wow shin of steal.”

“Bro’s left leg was already brutalized but then his right leg fully broke. Brutal sport man hopefully he can walk again soon.”

“The way he told his corner, I knew it was broken , brutal kicks.”

“Shin conditioning and bones density is real.

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The win marked a triumphant moment for Masaaki Noiri, who has faced challenges transitioning to the global stage despite his illustrious career in Japan. A two-division K-1 champion and WBC Muay Thai titleholder, Noiri is renowned for his striking and finishing ability. His latest performance demonstrated why he is considered one of the most technical and dangerous fighters in the featherweight division.

Al-Tekreeti is a promising kickboxer from Baghdad, Iraq, who trains out of Pattaya, Thailand. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where it was confirmed he suffered a broken leg. Despite the setback, Al-Tekreeti has shown resilience throughout his career and is expected to work toward a comeback after recovery.

Masaaki Noiri 4

For Noiri, this victory represents a turning point in his ONE Championship journey, signaling his readiness to compete at the highest level against the world’s elite. Fans remain stunned by the brutality of the finish, with some calling it one of the most dramatic knockouts in recent memory.

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MMA Star Stamp Fairtex Graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree and Gold Medal Distinction

MMA Star Stamp Fairtex Graduates with a Bachelor's Degree with Gold Medal DistinctionThe Thai MMA star Stamp Fairtex has added another accolade to her illustrious career, earning a bachelor’s degree in…

MMA Star Stamp Fairtex Graduates with a Bachelor's Degree with Gold Medal Distinction

The Thai MMA star Stamp Fairtex has added another accolade to her illustrious career, earning a bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing. Graduating from the Faculty of Management and Accounting with distinction earlier today, Stamp was awarded a gold medal for academic excellence.

Stamp Fairtex Graduates with Bachelor’s Degree

Stamp Fairtex is the first-ever three-sport world champion in ONE Championship, she has already secured her place in combat sports history earning world titles in Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and MMA. Her career began in Muay Thai at just five years old, when she initially took up the sport to defend herself from bullies. By age six, she had already achieved her first victory via knockout. After a brief hiatus from the sport due to limited opportunities for women, Stamp returned at 18, joining the prestigious Fairtex Gym in Pattaya.

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Her rise in combat sports includes capturing the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Titles in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before transitioning to MMA. In 2023, she made history again by claiming the ONE Atomweight MMA World Title, becoming a three-sport world champion.

Stamp Fairtex Graduated Bachelors Degree 2

Stamp’s journey hasn’t been without setbacks. In May 2024, she suffered a torn meniscus during training, which forced her to withdraw from two major title bouts and required surgery and months of rehabilitation. Despite the challenges, Stamp has remained resilient, focusing on recovery.

Stamp Fairtex Graduated Bachelors Degree

On Instagram, Stamp Fairtex announced she had earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Science and Accountancy, majoring in Digital Marketing, and received a Gold Medal for Academic Excellence.

As she prepares for her return to competition in mid-2025, Stamp Fairtex stands as a role model for balancing professional and personal success. Congratulations to Stamp Fairtex on her well-deserved academic achievement and her ongoing legacy as a trailblazer in combat sports.