Tag: ONE Championship News

Mikey Musumeci Walks Away from ONE Championship

Mikey Musumeci Leaves ONE ChampionshipSuperstar Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete Mikey Musumeci has walked away from ONE Championship. This comes just weeks after the weight-cut…

Mikey Musumeci Leaves ONE Championship

Superstar Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete Mikey Musumeci has walked away from ONE Championship. This comes just weeks after the weight-cut controversy in his most recent scheduled match that led him to be stripped of his title.

Mikey Musumeci Leaves ONE Championship

“Darth Rigatoni” Mikey Musumeci is an American-Italian standout grappler in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who has collected impressive titles in IBJJF world championships. He recently reported on Instagram that he stepping away from ONE Championship leaving the organization behind. He wrote:

“END OF A CHAPTER OF MY LIFE – today I would like to announce I will no longer be living in Asia or competing under One Championship … These past three years I have had some of the best memories and lessons of my life! I met so many incredible people in Singapore and in Thailand … I was the first submission grappling world champion the organization ever had, and I had the platform and opportunity to help grow our sport of jiu jitsu to so many more people.

Some people speculate that the submission grappler is not happy with how he was treated in his last match. Musumeci was originally scheduled to face Kade Ruotolo at 170 lbs. However, Ruotolo withdrew due to injury. ONE Championship then asked Musumeci to defend his flyweight (135 lb) title against a replacement opponent, Bebeto Oliveira, on short notice. This required Musumeci to attempt to cut approximately 35 lbs in just 72 hours, which many considered an unreasonable and dangerous request.

Musumeci failed to make weight, coming in at 136 lbs, and also failed hydration tests. As a result, ONE Championship stripped Musumeci of his flyweight submission grappling title. The grappling community largely rallied behind Musumeci, criticizing ONE Championship for putting him in this difficult position. The incident led to significant backlash against ONE Championship’s weight-cutting and hydration policies.

Just weeks after this controversy, Mikey Musumeci announced he was leaving ONE Championship. The chief executive officer of ONE Chatri Sityodtong and ONE Championship has not made any official announcement regarding this news.

Mikey Musumeci

He made history in 2019 by securing the fastest submission ever in an IBJJF World Championship final, tapping out his opponent with an ankle lock in just 12 seconds. Since joining ONE, Musumeci has remained undefeated with a 7-0 record, including 5 submission victories. He has successfully defended his world title multiple times against high-level opponents.

Joe Rogan and Israel Adesanya Implore UFC to create a Kickboxing League, Leave Slap Fighting Behind

Joe Rogan Israel Adesanya UFC kickboxing muay thaiOn a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan sat down with Israel Adesanya and discussed the…

Joe Rogan Israel Adesanya UFC kickboxing muay thai

On a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan sat down with Israel Adesanya and discussed the innovation of fight leagues like ONE FC, which offers more than strictly mixed martial arts fights.

In fact, ONE thought outside the box in 2018 and started showcasing disciplines like Kickboxing and Muay Thai, breaking the standard mold for what a fight promotion can do.

Rogan and Adesanya are both fans of this move and certainly approve of it more than anything outrageous, like if some moron decided to open up a slap-fighting league. That would be crazy, and surely nobody would do that. Right?

Joe Rogan and Israel Adesanya Wish that the UFC would innovate like ONE FC

“I like how ONE has everything. They have grappling matches, they have kickboxing matches, they have Muay Thai matches, and they have MMA matches. I think that is the way to go,” Joe Rogan said (H/T BJPenn.com)

Israel Adesanya is also a big fan of what ONE is doing, and speaks with the experience of a legendary kickboxer. “They (ONE) just did one in Denver,” Adesanya began, speaking about an event he watched. “The fights were crazy, a lot of knockdowns and a lot of action-packed stuff. If it were marketed the right way, with the UFC’s marketing machine, easily, it would be one of the biggest things.”

Joe Rogan agreed with Adesanya’s sentiment and added, “Everybody loves KOs; everybody loves stand-up fights. You’re going to get real KOs because no one can grapple. Then you will attract the greatest strikers in the world like what ONE is doing.”

With ONE proving that traditional striking martial arts can sell, the UFC should consider making some headway into this market. Not only that but kickboxing and muay thai also allow each fighter to defend themselves, unlike the brutal rules of Dana White’s Power Slap league, which dictates that fighters must stand there and take a full power blow to the head.

If the UFC made a foray into the kickboxing and muay Thai world, would you give it a watch?

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round – ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round - ONE Friday Fights 81 HighlightsONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon returned to the art of eight limbs for a Muay Thai clash…

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round - ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon returned to the art of eight limbs for a Muay Thai clash with ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut.

Emanating from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, the kickboxing star strapped on the four-ounce gloves for just the second time in his ONE Championship career against Nattawut in the ONE Friday Fights 81 headliner on Friday.

Superbon

Things got off to a hot start between the two Thai warriors with each of them landing a variety of leg kicks. As Nattawut attempted to get his hands going, Superbon landed a nasty inside elbow that instantly busted Nattawut open.

Undeterred, Nattawut kept moving forward but ended up eating another elbow strike before getting dumped to the canvas. Initially, the referee called for Nattawut to get up, but after realizing that he was compromised from the elbow, a 10-count was initiated.

Nattawut fought his way back up but was clearly compromised. Unable to even raise his hands when instructed, the referee waved off the fight.

Superbon

Official Result: Superbon def. Jo Nattawut via KO (elbow) at 1:43 of Round 1.

Check out Highlights From Superbon vs. Jo Nattawut at ONE Friday Fights 81:

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round – ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round - ONE Friday Fights 81 HighlightsONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon returned to the art of eight limbs for a Muay Thai clash…

Superbon KOs Jo Nattawut with Vicious Elbow Attack in Opening Round - ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon returned to the art of eight limbs for a Muay Thai clash with ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut.

Emanating from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, the kickboxing star strapped on the four-ounce gloves for just the second time in his ONE Championship career against Nattawut in the ONE Friday Fights 81 headliner on Friday.

Superbon

Things got off to a hot start between the two Thai warriors with each of them landing a variety of leg kicks. As Nattawut attempted to get his hands going, Superbon landed a nasty inside elbow that instantly busted Nattawut open.

Undeterred, Nattawut kept moving forward but ended up eating another elbow strike before getting dumped to the canvas. Initially, the referee called for Nattawut to get up, but after realizing that he was compromised from the elbow, a 10-count was initiated.

Nattawut fought his way back up but was clearly compromised. Unable to even raise his hands when instructed, the referee waved off the fight.

Superbon

Official Result: Superbon def. Jo Nattawut via KO (elbow) at 1:43 of Round 1.

Check out Highlights From Superbon vs. Jo Nattawut at ONE Friday Fights 81:

K-1 Legend Takeru Faces Off with Rodtang Following Incredible Comeback KO – ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

K-1 Legend Takeru Faces Off with Rodtang Following 2nd Round Comeback KO - ONE Friday Fights 81 HighlightsK-1 legend Takeru Segawa scored his first win under the ONE Championship banner in spectacular fashion on Friday. After…

K-1 Legend Takeru Faces Off with Rodtang Following 2nd Round Comeback KO - ONE Friday Fights 81 Highlights

K-1 legend Takeru Segawa scored his first win under the ONE Championship banner in spectacular fashion on Friday.

After coming up short in a five-round war against two-division ONE world champion Superlek in January, ‘The Natural Born Crusher’ stepped into the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand for a clash with Burmese knockout artist Thant Zin at ONE Friday Fights 81.

In the opening round, Thant appeared to be in complete control, catching Takeru early with his patented right hand and even sitting down the former three-division K-1 king in the closing seconds of the first round.

Takeru

However, things took a turn 60 seconds into the second stanza when Takeru started to let his hands go and light up the 19-year-old prospect out of Myanmar. Up against the ropes, the Japanese star landed a nasty front kick to the body that folded Thant and put him on the canvas. Thant answered the referee’s count, but a follow-up right-left combination from Takeru put him down for the count moments later.

Takeru

Official Result: Takeru Segawa def. Thant Zin via KO (strikes) at 2:47 of Round 2.

Takeru

Immediately following the fight, ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitumuangnon stepped inside the ring for a heated face-off with Takeru, teasing a long-awaited clash between the two combat sports icons.

Takeru

Check Out Highlights from Takeru Segawa vs. thant zin at ONE Friday Fights 81:

New UFC Signee Reinier De Ridder Reveals Truth Behind His ONE Championship Departure

New UFC Signee Reinier De Ridder Reveals Truth Behind His ONE Championship DepartureEarlier this year, Reinier de Ridder parted ways with ONE Championship. Now, the former two-division ONE world champion is…

New UFC Signee Reinier De Ridder Reveals Truth Behind His ONE Championship Departure

Earlier this year, Reinier de Ridder parted ways with ONE Championship. Now, the former two-division ONE world champion is shedding some light on his departure and subsequent signing with the UFC.

‘The Dutch Knight’ dominated ONE’s middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, earning wins over Aung La N Sang, Kiamrian Abbasov, and Vitaly Bigdash. Along the way, he captured the top prize in both divisions and held them simultaneously until suffering back-to-back losses against Russian juggernaut Anatoly Malykhin.

Reinier de Ridder

Shortly after his second career loss, de Ridder departed ONE and took a fight under the UAE Warriors banner in July which he won via a first-round KO. Since then, he has signed with the UFC, becoming one of the promotion’s more prominent free-agent signings in recent years.

Not long after the news broke of his imminent debut inside the Octagon, de Ridder offered a few details on why he walked away from ONE and what he hopes to accomplish on MMA’s biggest stage.

Reinier de Ridder

“Yeah, I don’t think I can tell you guys everything right now.” Reiner de Ridder told MMA Junkie when asked about his UFC signing. “A lot of stuff happened and thankfully everything fell into place. We had a plan, and it worked out, basically. I’ve had a lot of good things happen to me since I joined with ONE, a lot of good opportunities, it was very good for a long time. It hasn’t been so good for a little while as well. Maybe one day, I’ll talk a little bit more about it.”

“For now, I’ll keep my cards a little close to my chest… I always take everything one step at a time, but the UFC has always been in the back of my mind. Yeah, I’m like every fighter, I’m not that special in that regard. They can offer you twice the money somewhere else, but everybody wants to go to the UFC. We’re all just dummies to be honest! The plan was to get a fight there at UAE, get it done quick, and get the ball rolling to sign with the UFC” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Reinier de Ridder eyes matchups with the middleweight division’s best

Reinier de Ridder will make his promotional debut on November 9 at UFC Vegas 100. On that night, he will square off with Gerald Meerschaert in a middleweight matchup that already has fans salivating.

Should he bag a big win against ‘GM3’ inside The APEX, ‘The Dutch Knight’ already has a list of names he’d love to test himself against, including three current or former world champions.

“Right now. Let’s go,” De Ridder said. “I’m ready. That’s what I’m here for. It would be so cool to finally get a shot at those guys. They’ve been around for so long. I’ve been around for a little while now, as well, so it would be very cool to finally get a chance to fight those guys… Adesanya, Dricus, Strickland, all of them. Why not?”

De Ridder went 7-2 in ONE Championship with a 71% finish rate. He secured four wins by way of submission with another two via KO. Overall, the BJJ black belt is 16-2 in his mixed martial arts career.

Reinier de Ridder