ONE Championship News | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

ONE FOR HONOR: Kiamrian Abbasov Vs. Yushin Okami Preview And Breakdown

In Jakarta, Indonesia on 3 May, ONE Championship will deliver its latest martial arts showcase. The headline bout will see Sam-A Gaiyanghadao defend his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title against Jonathan Haggerty in the main event. However, before the legendary Sam-A takes the ONE stage, Japanese icon Yushin Okami will make his ONE Championship […]

The post ONE FOR HONOR: Kiamrian Abbasov Vs. Yushin Okami Preview And Breakdown appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

However, before the legendary Sam-A takes the ONE stage, Japanese icon Yushin Okami will make his ONE Championship debut. His first opponent with the promotion will be the tough 25-year-old from Kyrgyzstan, Kiamrian Abbasov in the co-main event.

Let’s take a closer look at this mixed martial arts match.

Abbasov’s Last Bout

Okami hasn’t drawn a soft touch in his first ONE Championship match. Abbasov is coming off of an impressive first-round submission win over the highly-touted Agilan Thani in his last bout back in December 2018. Thani never really got a chance to get started in this one.

Abbasov was all over him from the beginning as he quickly asserted his dominance before securing the choke to force the submission. Abbasov looked to be on his way to a title shot after this win, but a victory over Okami would almost certainly put him in line to challenge for the gold.

Okami’s Last Bout

Things didn’t go as planned for Okami in his last match. He dropped a unanimous decision to Alexey Kunchenko in December 2018, but with a 35-12 professional record, Okami still has a resume that speaks volumes. The 37-year-old would like nothing more than to get back on the winning track against Abbasov.

What Abbasov Does Best

While Abbasov has more wins via KO/TKO than he does submissions in his career, make no mistake about it, he’s at his best when he’s grappling. Some well-rounded strikers and grappling aces like to work for submissions. Abbasov proved in his last match that it’s part of his repertoire too. However, he’s one who likes to gain an advantageous position so that he can punish his opponents with strikes. On a number of occasions, Abbasov has used this approach to secure victories.

What Okami Does Best

Takedowns and wrestling are Okami’s best attributes as a martial artist. Like Abbasov, he’s more comfortable going for a stoppage via strikes from top position. 14 of his wins have come by KO/TKO. That said, it has been three years since he secured a victory via strikes.

We’ll soon find out if that is still part of Okami’s game.

Abbasov’s Biggest Weakness

In the past, Abbasov has gotten caught in his own web on the ground. Three of his four losses are by submission, but each came early in his career. Abbasov hasn’t lost by submission since August 2015, and he’s only dropped one match overall since that setback.

Remember, in 2015, Abbasov was still just 21 years old and not yet the martial artist he has become. It’s quite possible he has cleaned up the previous issues he had in the area of submission defense. Okami is not the kind of opponent you want to face if there is a hole in the ground game.

Okami’s Biggest Weakness

Easily, a lack of head movement and general stiffness in stand-up have been Okami’s biggest flaws. While he’s as tough as they come, he has been stopped five times by strikes in his career. Okami is willing to take shots to put himself in a position to secure the takedown.

Sometimes this approach only leads to him taking more damage and ultimately being stopped. If he is to avoid that fate against Abbasov, he’ll need to get the takedown quickly or make a conscious effort to be more mobile than he usually is in the ring.

What Abbasov Must Do to Win

To win, Abbasov needs to keep the match standing. He should have an edge in striking. If the match does go to the ground, he cannot afford to stay on the bottom for long. Okami has heavy top pressure and he can make life miserable for Abbasov if he’s not careful.

A fast start wouldn’t be a bad idea fro Abbasov. He may be able to overwhelm Okami with early activity, but it is a risk while the powerful 37-year-old is freshest, and when he’s dry and more in a position to go for a submission.

What Okami Must Do to Win

Okami cannot win this bout with stand-up, at least not initially. If he’s able to wear Abbasov down with top pressure, he might be able to drain his gas tank making him vulnerable later in the match.

However, a much more practical approach would be to get the match to the ground, staying heavy, while also punishing Abbasov with elbows, knees, and punches. This is a match that it appears Abbasov has an advantage in, but there is a path to victory for Okami. Which martial artist will be able to dictate the identity of the match?

We’ll find out in Jakarta.

The post ONE FOR HONOR: Kiamrian Abbasov Vs. Yushin Okami Preview And Breakdown appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE: For Honor Preview, Breakdown, Start Time & Analysis

ONE: For Honor will take place on Friday, May 3, 2019, with a 14-bout card from the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the main-event, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao will face-off against England’s Jonathan Haggerty. It is a bout that the Thai will be favored to win, but fans will still […]

The post ONE: For Honor Preview, Breakdown, Start Time & Analysis appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE: For Honor will take place on Friday, May 3, 2019, with a 14-bout card from the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In the main-event, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao will face-off against England’s Jonathan Haggerty. It is a bout that the Thai will be favored to win, but fans will still be in for an exciting clash.

The co-main event features the ONE debut of Japanese veteran Yushin Okami. The former UFC middleweight title challenger will compete in a welterweight bout with Kyrgyzstan’s Kiamrian Abbasov.

ONE: For Honor is the first of three consecutive cards for the Singapore-based promotion. Bangkok and Singapore will hold the next two events, respectively.

A Thai Legend Mounts His First Title Defence

There is little in the sport of Muay Thai that Sam-A Gaiyanghadao has not already achieved. The 35-year-old is a multiple Lumpinee Stadium champion and has collected numerous domestic titles throughout his 25 years in the sport.

A veteran fighter with over 400 professional Muay Thai fights under his belt, Sam-A captured the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship last May at ONE: Unstoppable Dreams.

It is hard picturing him dropping the belt to Jonathan Haggerty. The 22-year old is 13 years younger than Sam-A, who is about as experienced a fighter as you can get at this level.

However, Haggerty will be no pushover. He earned his title shot with an impressive unanimous decision victory over Italy’s Joseph Lasiri. The Englishman will have a considerable height advantage over Sam-A and can end the Thai’s night if he can get his dangerous hands and elbows going.

The London native has only lost once as a professional and has calmed multiple national and international championships but Friday’s bout is undoubtedly the biggest fight of his career. To defeat a legend like Sam-A, the challenger will need to produce something special.

The Arrival Of Yushin Okami

It would be fair to say that Yushin Okami is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. The question is, does the 37-year-old still have enough in the tank for a title run in ONE’s welterweight division?

Okami was last seen in action in December at UFC Fight Night: Dos Santos vs. Tuivasa where he lost via unanimous decision to Russia’s Alexey Kunchenko.

The Japanese fighter will be facing a tricky opponent in Kyrgyzstan’s Kiamrian Abbasov. The 25-year-old’s last outing saw him pull off a first-round submission win over the highly-rated Malaysian Agilan Thani.

There will be a lot of interest in how Okami fares this week when he competes for the first time under the ONE banner. If he can still perform at the highest level, he will be a valuable addition to ONE’s welterweight division. He could also provide a huge boost for ONE in terms of pulling in fans from the Japanese market.

Striking Sensation Thanh Le Makes His ONE Debut

Thanh Le made himself known to MMA fans around the world with his appearances on season 22 of TUF and the first season of DWTNCS.

The 33-year-old former LFA Interim Featherweight Champion has an eye-catching style thanks to his taekwondo background.

Le has yet to hear the final bell as a professional. All seven of his wins and both his losses have come inside the distance. The Kentucky native has been paired with Russian grappler Yusup Saadulaev, and there is no question that Saadulaev will be looking to take the fight to the ground as soon as he possibly can

Saadulaev comes into this match-up riding a five-fight winning streak. It looks like the ONE matchmakers have purposefully given Le a tough first outing so they can see exactly where he stands in the ONE featherweight division.

In the build-up to this fight, Le has been spending time working on his grappling with Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and UFC fighter Ryan Hall.

If Le can get the job done against Saadulaev, he may quickly find himself being positioned for a title shot similar to ONE welterweight James Nakashima, also a former LFA fighter.

Former featherweight champion Marat Gafurov will also be competing on the night as well the talented Keanu Subba. After Martin Nguyen’s recent defense of his featherweight title, he has no clear-cut challenger for his crown. Expect one to emerge Friday.

Main Card (B/R Live & ONE App @ 9:30 a.m. EST):

Yushin Okami Vs. Kiamrian Abbasov (mixed martial arts — welterweight)

Tetsuya Yamada Vs. Marat Gafurov (mixed martial arts — featherweight)

Yodpanomrung Jitmuangnon Vs. Tyler Hardcastle (ONE Super Series Muay Thai — bantamweight)

Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol Vs. Nou Srey Pov (mixed martial arts — women’s atomweight)

Thanh Le Vs. Yusup Saadulaev (mixed martial arts — featherweight)

Dae Hwan Kim Vs. Ayideng Jumayi (mixed martial arts — bantamweight)

Preliminary Card ( B/R Live & ONE App @ 7:00 a.m. EST):

Ryogo Takahashi Vs. Keanu Subba (mixed martial arts — featherweight)

Paul Lumihi Vs. Sunoto (mixed martial arts — bantamweight)

Kenta Yamada Vs. Deividas Danyla (ONE Super Series Muay Thai — bantamweight)

Rudy Agustian Vs. Chan Rothana (mixed martial arts — flyweight)

Andrew Miller Vs. Mohammed Bin Mahmoud (ONE Super Series Muay Thai — bantamweight)

Adrian Mattheis Vs. Himanshu Kaushik (mixed martial arts — strawweight)

Guntur Vs. Angelo Bimoadji (mixed martial arts — strawweight)

The post ONE: For Honor Preview, Breakdown, Start Time & Analysis appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE Announcer: UFC ‘Not How True Martial Artists Act’

ONE announcer Michael Schiavello is not a fan of how a lot of fighters in the UFC conduct themselves. Some of the bigger names to have come out of the promotion, such as Conor McGregor and Chael Sonnen, made a name for themselves off of their witty antics and brash comments. According to Schiavello, who […]

The post ONE Announcer: UFC ‘Not How True Martial Artists Act’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE announcer Michael Schiavello is not a fan of how a lot of fighters in the UFC conduct themselves.

Some of the bigger names to have come out of the promotion, such as Conor McGregor and Chael Sonnen, made a name for themselves off of their witty antics and brash comments. According to Schiavello, who recently spoke to Sherdog, this is not how “true martial artists” act:

“The name calling, the crazy stunts, throwing things through windows [and] at each other, threatening each other on Twitter,” Schiavello said. “That’s how you sell PPVs to a largely western audience, which is sad.

“Are a lot of the UFC guys fighters or martial artists? There’s a difference between the two. That’s not how true martial artists act. That’s how fighters act.”

Oftentimes, trash talk can go too far, resulting in some truly dire consequences. Immediately the issues between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor come to mind. McGregor spent weeks talking smack about the UFC lightweight champion’s country, family, and religion.

After Khabib choked the Irishman out at UFC 229, the action didn’t stop there. “The Eagle” hopped the Octagon and attacked McGregor cornerman Dillon Danis. This sparked a huge team vs. team brawl inside and outside of the Octagon. The incident was certainly not a good look on the UFC, or the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) overall.

The post ONE Announcer: UFC ‘Not How True Martial Artists Act’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE Championship Announces Mandatory Agent Certification Program

Earlier today, Asian-based MMA promotion ONE Championship announced that it “has increased requirements and standards for the ONE Agent Certification program.” The announcement features several requirements, including a one-year minimum Asian living clause. ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong discussed their new plan, noting that agent fraud had been a problem in Asia: “At ONE Championship, we […]

The post ONE Championship Announces Mandatory Agent Certification Program appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Earlier today, Asian-based MMA promotion ONE Championship announced that it “has increased requirements and standards for the ONE Agent Certification program.”

The announcement features several requirements, including a one-year minimum Asian living clause. ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong discussed their new plan, noting that agent fraud had been a problem in Asia:

“At ONE Championship, we are always upgrading and improving all of our systems and processes across the company to ensure a healthy ecosystem for all parties,” ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said (h/t MMAJunkie).

“For as many decades as I can remember, agent and manager fraud has always been a big problem in Asia. ONE Championship aims to create a healthier, happier, and safer environment for our athletes both in and out of the arena.”

According to the announcement, “all Agents representing any ONE Championship athlete must be accredited with the ONE Agent Certification. ONE Championship reserves the right to revoke or deny the accreditation of any agent at its sole discretion.”

The new protocol seems to be coming from an altruistic ideology such as “no history or current ongoing matters of legal or lawsuit activity with any athlete.” The residency requirement stands out as a potential issue for U.S.-based athletes and management groups.

Sityodtong addressed some of these concerns on Facebook saying “exceptions to the criteria will be made on a case-by-case basis.”

He then went on to promote the ONE Elite Agency, a firm headed by ONE Championship owner and CEO Victor Cui that is designed as “an exclusive, invitation-only sports agency reserved for the top 10 percent of athletes in ONE Championship who show the biggest global hero promise in and out of the circle of competition.”

Sityodtong said all the changes are done with the fighters’ best interest strictly in mind:

“ONE Championship’s goal is to allow each athlete the opportunity to select a certified ONE Agent who has agreed to abide by specific rules and regulations in representing or advising athletes honestly, competently, loyally, and zealously.”

“The ONE Agent Certification strives to allow each athlete the opportunity to make better-informed decisions about their careers, empowering each athlete by making available a comprehensive disclosure of facts relevant to the ability of a professional to serve as a fiduciary representative or advisor, and by regulating the conduct of each individual engaged in the functions of an agent or advisor or in recruiting and providing services for athletes.”

Effective immediately, ONE Championship has strengthened its Agent Certification to global standards similar to those of the top global sports media properties in the world such as NFL and MLB.

— Chatri Sityodtong (@yodchatri) April 29, 2019

The ONE Agent Certification was originally created to establish uniform standards of eligibility and conduct for all Agents, Managers, and/or Advisors seeking to work with ONE athletes.

— Chatri Sityodtong (@yodchatri) April 29, 2019

The post ONE Championship Announces Mandatory Agent Certification Program appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Joe Rogan Offers High Praise To ONE Over Weight Cutting Policy

Joe Rogan offers some high praise to ONE Championship over their policy with weight cutting. This comes after Rogan praised them for the honor aspect of the sport and the presentation of their product. Rogan spoke with UFC star Khalil Rountree during a recent episode of his MMA podcast. According to the longtime UFC commentator, […]

The post Joe Rogan Offers High Praise To ONE Over Weight Cutting Policy appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Rogan spoke with UFC star Khalil Rountree during a recent episode of his MMA podcast. According to the longtime UFC commentator, he thinks this policy is something that the UFC should’ve done a long time ago.

The way that this policy works is that fighters get tested for their weight and hydration throughout the fight week. Before fight night, if they don’t pass all of their hydrations tests then they don’t fight.

“It’s the right way to do it. We should have done it a long time ago in the UFC. I really think that,” said Rogan (H/T to APMMA.Net).

“(Failed weight cuts have been) ruining cards, and even more importantly, I think causing fighters to fight at less than their full potential. How many fighters got hit when they shouldn’t have gotten hit? Because, if they were recovered completely, if they didn’t have to recover from a weight cut, who knows? Maybe there are shots you ate that you wouldn’t have eaten. Especially for some guys cut a brutal amount of weight. It’s entirely possible that you could get hit with something you wouldn’t if you didn’t have to cut weight.”

Rountree added his take by noting that he thinks by doing this then they could fight more often and train smarter. It all goes back to cutting weight to make their fights.

“We could fight more often. And the training would be a lot better too because a lot of fighters spend the last three, four weeks of their fight camp trying to loss weight.”

The post Joe Rogan Offers High Praise To ONE Over Weight Cutting Policy appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

ONE CEO Responds To Joe Rogan’s Recent Comments

Joe Rogan has been commentating for the UFC for over 20 years. However, one of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community’s most beloved personalities isn’t afraid to speak about other promotions in the sports as well. For example, Rogan recently praised ONE Championship and their recent acquisitions of the likes of Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, […]

The post ONE CEO Responds To Joe Rogan’s Recent Comments appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

For example, Rogan recently praised ONE Championship and their recent acquisitions of the likes of Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Sage Northcutt, Eddie Alvarez, and more. Rogan had this to say on a recent episode of his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience” (via MMA News):

“I appreciate the way ONE FC handles things. They just concentrate on fighters being honorable and fighting their best, and fighting the best fighters they can fight. They don’t emphasize that s**t talking at all, they emphasize the martial arts aspects of it.”

Speaking to BJPenn.com recently, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong responded to Rogan’s kind comments:

“I’m a huge Joe Rogan fan. Obviously, he’s a lifelong martial artist too, a taekwondo blackbelt, a BJJ blackbelt. I have the utmost respect for him.

“I think because he’s a lifelong martial artist, he understands the deep authenticity of martial arts and he totally understands what we’re trying to do at ONE Championship, and what we’ve already achieved at ONE Championship in terms of mixed martial arts.

“It’s the sport of mixed martial arts done the right way, in terms of martial arts values. Honor, respect and humility, none of the trash talking or violence or anger.”

The post ONE CEO Responds To Joe Rogan’s Recent Comments appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.