ONE Championship finished out a big month on Wednesday with ONE on TNT IV.
The Asian MMA powerhouse’s introduction to U.S. prime time has not been without its stumbles. Eddie Alvarez wound up DQ’d at ONE on TNT I, although that was recently overturned to a No Contest. Demetrious Johnson, one of the greatest fighters of all time, was knocked out in his attempt to claim a second major title to add to his pile of UFC belts.
But there were highlights as well. Albeit the show aired via tape delay, Christian Lee’s lightweight title defense against Timofey Nastyukhin was superb. Rodtang Jitmuangnon put on a striking spectacle atop ONE on TNT I. And Oumar Kane, better known perhaps as “Reug Reug,” is a star in the making.
Two of those names returned Wednesday, both on ONE on TNT IV’s main card. “Reug Reug” opened the show, taking on another undefeated heavyweight prospect in Kirill Grishenko. And Alvarez returned as well, to face South Korea’s Ok Rae Yoon, with a potential title shot hanging in the balance.
Of course, then there was the main event. With Vitaly Bigdash off the card, Reinier de Ridder stepped up the challenge Aung La N Sang for light heavyweight gold. The plot twist: de Ridder was the man who, last year, defeated N Sang for the middleweight title. Could he take two belts from the same man?
On the preliminary card, meanwhile, Colbey Northcutt returned, as did Shinya Aoki, like Alvarez another top lightweight contender. He was matched up with fellow former champ Eduard Folayang, in the rubber match to their trilogy.
ONE on TNT IV airs live on TNT, with the main card kicking off at 10PM following online prelims. Full results are below. Where available, a live stream of the action can be viewed above.
ONE on TNT IV: N Sang vs. de Ridder Results:
Main Card
Reinier de Ridder def. Aung La N Sang (c) by unanimous decision – for the ONE light heavyweight world championship
Ok Rae Yoon def. Eddie Alvarez by unanimous decision
Kirill Grishenko def. Oumar Kane by TKO, Round 2, 5:00
Preliminary Card
Shinya Aoki def. Eduard Folayang by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 4:20
Jackie Buntan def. Ekaterina Vandaryeva by majority decision
Colbey Northcutt def. Courtney Martin by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 2:28
