ONE Championship Archives - Cageside Press

ONE Championship Shutters Women’s Strawweight, Releases Champ Xiong Jing Nan

Jay Anderson — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:48:01 +0000

China’s “The Panda” will no longer fight for ONE Championship, and her entire division has been shut down.

ONE Championship has done away with its women’s strawweight division and released longtime champ Xiong Jing Nan, Cageside Press confirmed on Thursday. The development was first reported by Nick Atkin of the Bangkok Post.

The change only impacts the promotion’s women’s strawweight division in MMA, while the men’s side remains intact, a source familiar with the change informed Cageside Press.

Xiong Jing Nan (19-2), 38, posted an 11-1 record under the ONE Championship banner, including a custom rules bout against Nat Jaroonsak in 2023. She made her debut for the promotion in 2017, and claimed gold the following January. Seven title defenses followed, with her lone loss in the company coming against the since-retired atomweight champ Angela Lee in 2019 (Xiong had defeated Lee when she moved up to strawweight earlier that year).

Xiong last competed against Meng Bo in March 2025, winning a unanimous decision in an attempt to move back to atomweight. She missed weight for the bout, potentially signaling the end of her run with the company, which seems set to focus on atomweight moving forward.

The Chinese star was once one of the most recognizable names on the ONE Championship roster, and boasts 11 wins by KO/TKO among her 19 career victories.

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Joshua Perreira vs. Gilbert Nakatani Set For ONE Fight Night 42

Eddie Law — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:56:29 +0000

A compelling flyweight clash is set to unfold this spring as Joshua Perreira and Gilbert Nakatani prepare to meet at ONE Fight Night 41. Sources confirmed to Cageside Press that the bout has been added to the April 10 card, bringing together two fighters eager to gain momentum inside ONE Championship’s fast-moving flyweight division.

Perreira (5-0) is coming off a no-contest against Banma Duoji. Duoji initially won the bout on the night, but the result was later overturned after a failed drug test. Perreira now brings his undefeated record into ONE Fight Night 41 looking to continue his rise in the division.

Nakatani (9-3) enters the bout coming off a TKO victory over Eko Roni Saputra at ONE Fight Night 37, a performance that snapped a two-fight losing streak. He was originally scheduled to face Banma Duoji in February, but the matchup was ultimately scrapped before it could take place. With the win behind him, Nakatani now looks to build momentum and continue climbing the flyweight ranks.

ONE Fight Night 42 takes place at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on April 10. The event will once again bring ONE Championship’s global roster to one of the sport’s most historic venues for a night of high-level martial arts action. As of now, the card is shaping up as follows:

Kai Tang vs. Shamil Gasaniov – ONE Lightweight MMA Championship
Dante Leon vs. Kenta Iwamoto – ONE Submission Grappling Match

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ONE Championship Continues Japanese Expansion, ONE Samurai Announced

Jay Anderson — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:14:34 +0000

ONE Championship has looked to make inroads into Japan over the last several years, and has now announced the launch of a new series of events in the country: ONE Samurai.

In a press release distributed on Wednesday, ONE officials revealed that the inaugural event in the series will take place on April 29, 2026 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

ONE Samurai events will take place monthly, airing on streaming service U-NEXT in Japan, with international broadcast details to be announced shortly. The promotion will host 60 events over a five year span, per Wednesday’s announcement.

As with all other ONE Championship cards, fans can expect to see action in multiple disciplines including MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling. Each event is expected to “showcase multiple World Title fights with a strong focus on Japanese talent,” the promotion stated.

A press conference held in conjunction with the ONE Samurai announcement also introduced Shuntaro Tanaka as ONE Championship’s CEO, Japan & Group Chief Commercial Officer.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, many of ONE Championship’s flagships events were held in Singapore. In more recent years, Thailand has become the company’s main territory, with their ONE Friday Fights series held exclusively at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

The company last visited Japan in November, with ONE 173 held at the Ariake Arena. March 2025 also saw a super-fight between Rodtang and Takeru held at the Saitama Super Arena.

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Selina Flores vs. Johanna Persson Added To ONE Fight Night 41 Card On March 13

Eddie Law — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:39 +0000

An atomweight Muay Thai showdown has been added to ONE Championship’s March schedule, as Johanna Persson is set to face Selina Flores on March 13 at ONE Fight Night 41 sources tell Cageside Press.

Persson (0–1 in ONE) made her promotional debut last July, suffering a knockout loss to Allycia Hellen Rodrigues. Now, the Swedish striker looks to rebound and secure her first victory under the ONE banner when she faces Flores in Bangkok, Thailand. A win would not only get Persson back on track, but also establish momentum in ONE’s competitive atomweight Muay Thai division.

Flores (1–0 in ONE) made a successful promotional debut last October, earning a decision victory over Marie McManamon. The Lion Fight and Glory veteran now looks to build early momentum in her ONE Championship run by putting on a statement performance against the game and durable Persson.

ONE Fight Night 41 takes place on March 13 from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. The card, as of now, looks as follows:

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues (C) vs. Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom – Atomweight Muay Thai Championship
Tye Ruotolo (C) vs. Pawel Jaworski – Welterweight Submission Grappling World Championship
Sinsamut Klinmee vs. George Jarvis – Lightweight Muay Thai
Hyu vs. Suablack Tor Pran49 – Flyweight Kickboxing
Anna Jaroonsak vs. Yu Yau Pui – Atomweight Muay Thai
Jeremy Miado vs. Willie Yan Rooyen – Flyweight MMA

ONE Fight Night 41 will broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.

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Chase Mann Embraces Tough Debut Matchup With Isi Fitikefu At ONE Fight Night 39

Eddie Law — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:06:55 +0000

Chase Mann is set to make his ONE Championship debut on Jan. 23, drawing a tough opening assignment against Isi Fitikefu at ONE Fight Night 39 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

Mann’s (6-0) path to the global stage was shaped by a difficult and often unstable childhood in Arkansas, where he grew up as the middle child of three siblings. Raised in small towns such as Paragould and Lake City, Mann has spoken about an upbringing marked by chaos, with both parents dealing with drug addiction.

As a result, Mann and his siblings frequently bounced between living with their parents and grandparents, navigating an environment that lacked consistency. Mann was getting into trouble as a kid before eventually finding stability and direction through combat sports, a turning point that helped him turn his life around and pursue a career in fighting.

“Everything happened for a reason. I like to think there’s a purpose for everything. Ideally I would have rather had a normal childhood, of course, I would have rather things gone differently,” Mann told Cageside Press.

“It’s made me into the man I am today, and I truly believe it’s a part of my testimony. I went through everything for a reason. It was the cards I was dealt, and I’m happy with life. I feel like I’m right where I belong.”

Despite those circumstances, Mann still dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. He passed on pursuing football in college and instead shifted to bodybuilding before eventually finding his way to martial arts. MMA is where he ultimately found a home.

“I was always drawn to it and felt like, man, I feel like I should be in there. I want to do that so bad. I thought it was cool growing up, and then once I started seeing the fighters and hearing their stories, I felt like I could relate,” he said.

“I knew from day one. I went and did a class, and came home, and told my family like, ‘hey I’m going to do this.’ I’m gonna try and make a career out of this and they were all supportive.”

Mann has built a career through MMA, and now he steps onto the global stage with ONE Championship in a difficult debut against Fitikefu. With more professional bouts and multiple appearances in ONE already, Fitikefu presents a stiff test right out of the gate.

“My first thoughts were, ‘oh crap. Yeah we got a fight on our hands boys.’ Like this is it. I’ve been waiting for this moment. I knew it would come sooner or later,” he said.

“It just so happened to be a short-notice. Really it didn’t matter who the opponent was. I am getting thrown to the wolves, this is tough fight for sure, but it wouldn’t have mattered who it was. This is going to be part of my story and I’m so excited.”

ONE Fight Night 39 goes down on January 23 from Lumpinee Stadium.

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Teshya Noelani Alo Set for High-Profile ONE Debut Against Top-Ranked Grappler Helena Crevar

Eddie Law — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:30:20 +0000

Teshya Noelani Alo will make her long-awaited arrival in ONE Championship next month, drawing a high-profile assignment in her promotional debut against rising star Helena Crevar at ONE Fight Night 39 on Jan. 23 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

Alo is an accomplished grappler with a highly decorated background in jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling. But it’s her work outside of combat sports that makes her even more unique, in addition to competing, she’s also worked as a stunt double on projects such as Chief of War.

“It really is my ADHD brain wanting to do a bunch of different things,” Alo told Cageside Press.

“I just finished winning the blue belt world championships at IBJJF, and then I get a call for Chief of War, Jason Momoa’s new TV series, saying they need more women who can do flips and stuff.”

The opportunity to work on the show doing “flips and stuff” was a perfect fit for Alo, who admitted she could hardly believe she was getting paid to do it.

“I was like, ‘flips?! And I get paid for this? What?!’ it was like a dream come true. So I went to the audition, it was like judo warm up class. I was like this is the alphabet. This is like eating cake for me,” she said.

“They loved it. I got the job and I’ve been working on shows ever since. Lilo and Stitch, the new Moana live-action, Hawaii Rescue Now, NCIS. Just a bunch of different shows. I’ve been so blessed.”

Now, Alo brings her grappling skill set and athleticism to the ONE Championship stage at ONE Fight Night 39, an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“The opportunity got placed to me on my lap by my coach. He’s very eager to showcase my skills. He wants the whole world to know how hard I train, and I’m so grateful for that,” she said.

“I get to fight the #1 girl in the world, go to another country I’ve never been before, I get paid to do it. I said yes right away! I was like, where do I sign?”

Alo will face the world’s top-ranked female grappler, Helena Crevar, at ONE Fight Night 39, a rematch years in the making.

When Alo was told who her opponent would be, she couldn’t contain her excitement.

“I was like, “are you insane?!” I said tell me you’re not joking right now, swear to me right now you’re not joking! I always wanted the hardest person on the mat. I’ve always wanted the biggest challenge,” she said.

“I’m very competitive and I think that’s where it comes from. Growing up with a lot of siblings, I have that competitiveness about me.”

Alo’s enthusiasm for the matchup makes it clear she isn’t just excited about joining ONE, she’s eager for the chance to test herself on the biggest stage against the best in the world.

“This is the best thing for me. She’s the #1 girl in the world, and I love challenges. It’s going to be a big challenge and I’m up for it,” said Alo.

“I’m so excited!”

ONE Fight Night 39 takes place on January 23 from Lumpinee Stadium.

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Helena Crevar Steps Onto the Global Stage for ONE Fight Night 39 Clash

Eddie Law — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:53:29 +0000

Helena Crevar will take her next step onto the global stage this Friday, as the highly touted grappling prospect is set to make her ONE Championship debut against Teshya Noelani Alo at ONE Fight Night 39 on Jan. 23 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

Crevar has quickly made waves in the grappling world with a style entirely her own, from her walkout to her performance on the mat. Now, she’ll put it all on display at ONE Fight Night 39.

“For me it just came naturally. When I started doing super fights age 14, 15, and it just came naturally to me to just walk confidently into the cage or the mat or wherever I’m fighting,” Crevar told Cageside Press about her mat entrance.

“Kind of just part of myself I guess.”

Her full presentation has resonated across the jiu-jitsu scene, especially with young girls who train. Walk into almost any local BJJ academy and you’ll likely see someone in the kids’ class rocking pigtails and her signature style of rash guards.

“It’s amazing to see so many little girls and women just like using my hairstyle or buying my outfits and things like that. It’s really amazing to be such an early stage in my career and already inspiring so many people,” she said.

Crevar has tested herself in many of the sport’s biggest tournaments, from IBJJF to ADCC, and now she’ll bring that experience to the ONE Championship stage for her debut. The move to one of the world’s largest promotions marks a major step in her continued growth.

“I’ve been watching ONE since a few years back, and I really liked watching the different sports. Super professional, it’s really huge in Asia and all over the world, so I’ve been wanting to compete there for a long time now,” she said.

“When I got the opportunity I was like right away super excited to take it.”

At ONE Fight Night 39, Crevar will meet Alo, an opponent she’s faced before, but this time in a professional setting, under the bright lights of the sport’s biggest stage.

“Super excited about it! Me and Teshya fought a couple years back. It was a pretty close match, but I’m sure we’ve both evolved a lot in these last couple years. I’m really excited to see how it’s going to play out in this 10-minute submission-only ruleset under ONE Championship,” she said.

With the BJJ world watching closely, Crevar says fans won’t want to miss her ONE debut against Alo.

“Me attacking the whole time, and then looking to get the win,” she said.

ONE Fight Night 39 goes down Friday, January 23, from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Ben Tynan Returns to Face Ryugo Takeuchi at ONE Fight Night 40

Eddie Law — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:04:49 +0000

Canadian powerhouse Ben Tynan will put his momentum to the test against dangerous Japanese veteran Ryugo Takeuchi when the two collide at ONE Fight Night 40 on February 13, adding another high-stakes bout to ONE Championship’s expanding heavyweight picture, sources tell Cageside Press.

Tynan (5–1, 1 NC) has gone 1–1 with one no contest since making his ONE Championship debut in 2023. He made an immediate impression, scoring a third-round submission victory over Ji Won Kang at ONE Fight Night 16. A subsequent win over Duke Didier was later overturned following a positive drug test, resulting in a 12-month suspension.

With that suspension now expired, Tynan is set to return to action looking to rebuild his momentum and reestablish himself in the heavyweight division.

Takeuchi (5–2) was active in 2025, competing three times and posting a 1–2 record. He suffered a TKO loss in his ONE Championship debut against Paul Elliot before rebounding with a victory over Ji Won Kang last August. Most recently, he came up short against Shamil Erdogan, leaving him in search of another bounce-back performance.

A high-profile matchup against Tynan could provide the spark Takeuchi needs to regain momentum and reinsert himself into ONE Championship’s heavyweight title picture.

ONE Fight Night 40 takes place Feb. 13 in Bangkok, Thailand at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The card, as of now, is as follows:

Jackie Buntan vs. Stella Hemetsberger – ONE Flyweight Title
Adrian Lee vs. Shozo Isojima
Fabricio Andrey vs. Joao Mendes
Danny Kingad vs. Yong Hu

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Natalie Salcedo vs. Chihiro Sawada Set For ONE Fight Night 39 On Jan 23

Eddie Law — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:00:38 +0000

Natalie Salcedo and Chihiro Sawada are set to meet under the bright lights of Lumpinee Stadium on January 23, as the two atomweights clash at ONE Fight Night 39 in Bangkok, sources tell Cageside Press.

Salcedo (4-0) made her ONE Championship debut in September at ONE Fight Night 35, securing an impressive triangle–Americana submission over Macarena Aragon. The Colorado native has also competed for Invicta FC and Peak Fighting, where she held the promotion’s strawweight title.

Sawada (10-1-1) has competed in ONE Championship since 2023, compiling a 5-1 record with victories over Sanaz Fayazmanesh, Jihin Radzuan, Noelle Grandjean, Macarena Aragon, and most recently Itsuki Hirata. The Japanese strawweight is a former Shooto champion.

ONE Fight Night 39 is set for January 23 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will once again showcase ONE Championship’s global roster across multiple disciplines on one of the sport’s most iconic stages. As of now, the card is as follows:

Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon vs. Abdulla Dayakaev – Bantamweight Muay Thai
Kongthoranee Sor Sommai vs. Asadula Imangazaliev – Flyweight Muay Thai
Bokang Masunyane vs. Ryohei Kurosawa – Strawweight MMA
Helena Crevar vs. Teshya Noelani Alo – Bantamweight Submission Grappling
Natalie Salcedo vs. Chihiro Sawada – Atomweight MMA

ONE Fight Night 39 will be the promotions third card of 2026, but the first fight night of the new year.

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ONE Championship Announces Full Prime Video 2026 Schedule, Additional Events

Staff — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:14:51 +0000

ONE Championship will continue to air its Fight Night events on Amazon’s Prime Video platform in 2026.

On Wednesday, promotion officials announced the full slate of 2026 Prime Video events, which are now known as ONE Fight Nights (or alternately, ONE on Prime Video). A full dozen events will be live on the streaming platform next year; notably all but one of them will take place inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.

The lone exception is a June 26 return to the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

In addition, ONE Championship announced two numbered events on Wednesday: ONE 174 will take place on April 3, 2026, at a location and venue yet to be announced. ONE 175 meanwhile will take place on April 29 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Additionally, the promotion will hold eleven ONE Friday Fights events in the first quarter of 2026, with the entirety of them also coming at the Lumpinee Stadium.

No fights were revealed in conjunction with Wednesday’s press release announcing the cards. The schedule for ONE Championship in 2026 so far looks as follows:

ONE Championship Numbered Events 2026 Schedule (partial)

Apr 3 – ONE 174
Apr 29 – ONE 175 in Tokyo, Japan (Ariake Arena)

ONE Fight Night on Prime Video 2026 Schedule

Jan 23 at 9 p.m. ET (Jan 24 at 9 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 39 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Feb 13 at 9 p.m. ET (Feb 14 at 9 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 40 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Mar 13 at 9 p.m. ET (Mar 14 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 41 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Apr 10 at 9 p.m. ET (Apr 11 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 42 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
May 15 at 9 p.m. ET (May 16 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 43 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Jun 26 – ONE: Denver in Colorado, USA (Ball Arena) – Start Time TBD
Jul 10 at 9 p.m. ET (Jul 11 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 44 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Aug 7 at 9 p.m. ET (Aug 8 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 45 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Sep 4 at 9 p.m. ET (Sep 5 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 46 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Oct 2 at 9 p.m. ET (Oct 3 at 8 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 47 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Nov 6 at 9 p.m. ET (Nov 7 at 9 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 48 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Dec 11 at 9 p.m. ET (Dec 12 at 9 a.m. ICT) – ONE Fight Night 49 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)

ONE Friday Fights Q1 2026 Schedule

Jan 16 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 138 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Jan 23 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 139 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Jan 30 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 140 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Feb 6 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 141 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Feb 13 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 142 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Feb 20 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 143 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Feb 27 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 144 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Mar 6 at 7:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 145 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Mar 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 146 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Mar 20 at 8:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 147 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)
Mar 27 at 8:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. ICT) – ONE Friday Fights 148 in Bangkok (Lumpinee Stadium)

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