THE world of mixed martial arts is buzzing for ONE on TNT 1 on April 7 in Singapore. Understandably, fans are hyped for the six-fight card, which will see some of the best fighters in the promotion jump back to action — a fitting introduction to MMA fans in the United States.
But if you’re still not convinced, let us count five ways why you should also be excited for this coming event.1. DJ vs Moraes: The fight for the world’s best
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson has long been considered as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. A man who needs no introduction, the American’s resume speaks for itself. But in ONE Championship, the former UFC Flyweight Champion is no less than a challenger at this point in time, with his triumph in the ONE Championship Flyweight World Grand Prix only earning him a shot at the weight division’s king.
The man holding the throne is Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes, the defending ONE Flyweight World Champion who has been at the pedestal of the weight class for the better part of the last decade. The Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt has certainly stamped his class in the promotion, taking down foes one-by-one to assert his dominance and unquestionably emerge as the gold standard.
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At ONE on TNT 1, the paths of Johnson and Moraes will finally cross as they battle for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.
For Johnson, it’s a chance to prove that he truly is worth his hype, extending his reign in ONE Championship. Meanwhile, Moraes is hell-bent on protecting his realm, showing that he’s truly the most elite flyweight in the world. Safe to say, the victor of this fight has all the right to call himself the best in the world.
2. Welcome back, Eddie!
As big of a deal as Johnson’s arrival in ONE Championship was that of Eddie “The Undergorund King” Alvarez. The former UFC Lightweight Champion came to the promotion in 2018 aiming to show that he’s the bar when it comes to the division. But his first two bouts were a mixed bag, with Alvarez losing to Timofey Nastyukhin in the first round of their ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix at ONE: A New Era in March 2019, before bouncing back with a first round submission win over former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang at ONE: Dawn of Heroes in August that year.
Not helping his case was an injury that forced him to withdraw from the final of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix, where he was supposed to face Saygid Guseyn “Dagi” Arslanaliev at ONE: Century Part 1. Two years later, The Underground King is hungry to finally get his due and it all starts with his lightweight showdown against no. 2-ranked Iuri Lapicus of Moldova in the co-main event.
3. The Home of Martial Arts, indeed
ONE on TNT 1 isn’t only peppered with marquee matches between the traditional protagonists. The Home of Martial Arts lives up to its name with the staging of muay thai and kickboxing bouts in the six-fight card. Reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon accepts the challenge of the United Kingdom’s no. 1 fighter Jacob Smith in a hard-hitting muay thai showdown.
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Jitmuangnon, the world’s top muay thai fighter, is aiming to preserve his clean 9-0 slate inside the ONE Circle and raise his four-fight win streak in the first match of the main card. Meanwhile, Serbia’s Rade Opacic and Switzerland’s Patrick “Big Swiss” Schmid lock horns in a heavyweight kickboxing showdown in the lead card, setting the tone for the hard-knocks night that is about to come.4. Educate yourself!
Unlike other promotions, ONE Championship uses a unique set of rules for competition called the Global Martial Arts Rule.
The usual finishes through knockout, submission, verbal tapout, technical knockout, corner stoppage are still in place for its bouts, which lasts in three rounds of five minutes, or five rounds of five minutes for championship matches.
What sets ONE Championship apart, however, is the judges’ decision which blends a combination of the best practices from Asian and non-Asian rules. That means that unlike others which uses a 10-must system per round, judges’ scorecards will call the match in its entirety, basing the criteria on near knockout or submission, damage (internal, accumulated, superficial), striking combinations and cage generalship (ground control and superior positioning), earned takedowns or takedown defense, and aggression. It guarantees that the winner of the match will definitely be the one who dominated the bout, ensuring action-packed rounds from bell to bell.
5. It’s ONE’s first night on TNT!
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ONE on TNT 1 will be the first event to be broadcasted on American cable TV network TNT. The red carpet will be rolled out for the Home of Mixed Martial Arts as it goes on the US airwaves on primetime on April 7, 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans in Asia will also see the action live as it goes on the air simultaneously on April 8, 8:30 a.m. SGT.
