Meeting for the fourth time, former two-time ONE lightweight champ Shinya Aoki (48-11, 1NC) of Japan will take on the Philippines’ Eduard Folayang (23-13), himself a former two-time champ in the division.

Promotion officials announced the booking during the ONE Fight Night 27 broadcast on Friday, alongside a press release announcing the bout. ONE 172 takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on March 23, 2025.

Now 41 years young, Japan’s Aoki is ahead in the pair’s career series, having won their last two meetings via submission. Folayang, also 41, claimed victory in their first meeting in 2016, earning a TKO victory to claim lightweight gold. He would later lose the title to Martin Nguyen, win it back, then lose it back to Aoki, ending Folayang’s second title reign in the process.

The lightweight pair remain two of ONE Championship’s most successful athletes. Both men are coming off wins: Shinya Aoki in an openweight bout against John Lineker, and Eduard Folayang opposite Amir Khan.

ONE 172 also features a flyweight kickboxing super-fight between Thailand’s Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Japanese superstar Takeru Segawa. On the MMA side, Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu collide with flyweight gold on the line.

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The event was scheduled to take place Saturday, March 26 (technically kicking off late Friday in the west), with three distinct parts — the third and final of which would air exclusively on PPV.

Atop the mammoth event, women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee returned, looking to defend her title against grand prix champ Stamp Fairtex. After taking time away from the sport to start a family, Lee was looking at a Fairtex who had upset decorated Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat to capture the atomweight grand prix title — earning her shot at the belt in the process.

Also on the ONE X card, Muay Thai star Rodtang was booked into a special rules bout with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, with four three minute rounds alternating between Muay Thai, MMA, Muay Thai, and finally MMA again.

The full bout would utilize four ounce MMA gloves.

Part I and Part II of ONE X can be viewed live below, while the third and final segment, the ONE X “Grand Finale,” is available via watch.onefc.com. The action kicks off at 10PM PT/1AM ET on Friday/Saturday, depending on your location. Full results are available below.

ONE X: Lee vs. Stamp Results

Grand Finale

Angela Lee (c) def. Stamp Fairtex by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:50 – ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship
Demetrious Johnson def. Rodtang by technical submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:13 – Special Rules Super-Fight
Adriano Moraes (c) def. Yuya Wakamatsu by submission (guillotine choke), Round 3, 3:58 – ONE Flyweight World Championship
Yoshihiro Akiyama def. Shinya Aoki by TKO, Round 2, 1:50
Eduard Folayang def. John Wayne Parr by unanimous decision – Muay Thai
Superbon Singha Mawynn (c) def. Marat Grigorian by unanimous decision – ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship

Part II

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao def. Felipe Lobo by knockout, Round 3, 2:15 – ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship
Hiroki Akimoto def. Capitan Petchyindee (c) by unanimous decision – ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship
Ham Seo Hee def. Denice Zamboanga by unanimous decision
Jihin Radzuan def. Itsuki Hirata by split decision
Tang Kai def. Kim Jae Woong by knockout, Round 1, 2:07

Part I

Chingiz Allazov def. Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong by unanimous decision – ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Championship Final
Reinier de Ridder vs. Andre Galvao- ends in a unanimous draw – submission grappling
Sinsamut Klinmee def. Nieky Holzken by knockout, Round 2, 1:39 – Muay Thai
Jeremy Miado def. Lito Adiwang by TKO, Round 2, 2:56
Stephen Loman def. Shoko Sato by unanimous decision
Amir Khan def. Ryogo Takahashi by split decision
Kang Ji Won def. Paul Elliott by knockout, Round 1, 0:58
Mei Yamaguchi vs. Danielle Kelly ends in  unanimous draw – submission grappling
Senzo Ikeda def. Ryuto Sawada by TKO, Round 2, 3:09

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The card was topped by Folayang and former UFC/TUF veteran Zhang Lipeng, making his debut for the promotion. Folayang, a former lightweight champion, was badly in need of a win to start the night, having amassed a record of 1-5 across his last six fights leading into Battleground II.

It didn’t get any better for the Filipino fighter in his latest outing. Instead, newcomer Lipeng went the distance with the ex-champ, earning the unanimous decision in the three-round main event.

Battleground II’s co-main event went the distance as well, with Alex “Little Rock” Silva earning a unanimous decision win over Miao Li Tao in the strawweight scrap.

Full results from ONE Championship: Battleground II plus a gallery of highlights can be found below. The promotion’s next card, Battleground III, takes place on August 27.

ONE Championship: Battleground II Results

Zhang Lipeng def. Eduard Folayang by unanimous decision
Alex Silva def. Miao Li Tao by unanimous decision
Thomas Narmo vs. Alain Ngalani ends in a no contest
Eko Roni Saputra def. Liu Peng Shuai by knockout, Round 1, 0:10
Rahul Raju def. Otgonbaatar Nergui by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:54

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Topping the event, former lightweight champion Eduard Folayang was looking to get back in the win column and snap a three-fight skid. In his last outing, Folayang had fallen to fellow former champ and top contender Shinya Aoki. Prior to that loss, the Filipino fighter had lost bouts to Antonio Caruso and Peter Buist.

Overall, in his last six bouts, Folayang was 1-5 and badly in need of a win. Opposite the ex-champ on Friday was former UFC fighter Zhang Lipeng, who was looking to make a big statement in his promotional debut.

Friday’s all-MMA card featured five fights in total, with familiar names including Alex Silva and Alain Ngalani in action in addition to the main event.

A live stream of ONE Championship: Battleground II can be viewed in the embed above, where available. Full results from the event can be found below. The broadcast gets underway at 8:30AM ET.

ONE Championship: Battleground II Results

Zhang Lipeng def. Eduard Folayang by unanimous decision
Alex Silva def. Miao Li Tao by unanimous decision
Thomas Narmo vs. Alain Ngalani ends in a no contest
Eko Roni Saputra def. Liu Peng Shuai by knockout, Round 1, 0:10
Rahul Raju def. Otgonbaatar Nergui by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:54

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In the main event, former UFC fighter Zhang Lipeng of China was set to face ex-welterweight champion Eduard Folayang. Also on the card were a number of names familiar to ONE fans, including Alex Silva, featured in the evening’s co-main event, and heavyweight Alain Ngalani.

Silva was set to battle Miao Li Tao in the evening’s co-feature, at strawweight, while Ngalani was up against promotional newcomer Thomas Narmo, a Norwegian fighter known as “The Last Viking.”

Full weigh-in results for Battleground II can be found below.

ONE: BATTLEGROUND II Final Weight and Hydration Results

Mixed Martial Arts – Lightweight (70.4 KG–77.1 KG)
Zhang Lipeng (76.90 KG, 1.0248) vs. Eduard Folayang (76.70 KG, 1.0044)

Mixed Martial Arts – Strawweight (52.3 KG–56.7 KG)
Alex Silva (56.60 KG, 1.0191) vs. Miao Li Tao (56.70 KG, 1.0226)

Mixed Martial Arts – Heavyweight (102.2 KG–120.2 KG)
Thomas Narmo (112.75 KG, 1.0176) vs. Alain Ngalani (103.35 KG, 1.0027)

Mixed Martial Arts – Flyweight (56.8 KG–61.2 KG)
Eko Roni Saputra (61.10 KG, 1.0191) vs. Liu Peng Shuai (60.75 KG, 1.0074)

Mixed Martial Arts – Lightweight (70.4 KG–77.1 KG)
Otgonbaatar Nergui (77.00 KG, 1.0107) vs. Rahul Raju (77.10 KG, 1.0229)

ONE Championship: Battleground II airs on Friday, August 13 kicking off at 8:30AM ET. A live stream of the event, where permitted, will be available right here on Cageside Press.

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In a press release announcing the full Battleground card, promotion officials also revealed the main and co-main events for the follow-up cards.

ONE Championship: Battleground II will feature former lightweight champion Eduard Folayang, going up against China’s Zhang Lipeng. For Folayang (22-11), the main event scrap has him in must-win territory. The Filipino fighter has lost three straight, and is 1-5 since losing his title to Shinya Aoki in 2019.

Lipeng (30-11-2), posted a 2-2 record inside the octagon during a UFC stint from 2014 to 2015. He’s 2-0-1 in his last three.

Battleground II, which airs on August 13, features Alex Silva vs. Miao Li Tao as it’s co-main event.

Battleground III, meanwhile, sees Muay Thai action top the card. #1-ranked bantamweight contender Saemapetch Fairtex takes on Tawanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym in that card’s main event. Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke faces China’s Banma Duoji in the co-main event of the evening.

ONE Championship: Battleground III airs via tape delay on August 27.

Most recently, ONE aired it’s Full Blast II card on June 11.

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Folayang (22-10) himself had a different opponent originally, as he was linked to a bout with former UFC star Yoshihiro Akiyama. But with Akiyama withdrawing, the stars have aligned for a rubber match with Aoki.

Aoki is on a solid run, potentially circling a title fight. That’s not the case for former two-time ONE lightweight champ Folayang, who has lost four of his last five, dating back to the night Aoki defeated him for the title.

“Of course I didn’t expect that we’d be facing each other again in this time, because I’d been on a losing streak, and he’d been winning all his fights,” Folayang admitted during the ONE on TNT IV media day this week. “So when his opponent was injured, it was a divine appointment for us to meet each other.”

Folayang is a ONE Championship original, making his participation in the ONE on TNT series all the more impressive. Ten years later, the Filipino fighter remains a big part of the promotion.

“It’s been fun to be in ONE Championship ever since its inauguration. I didn’t expect that it would grow this big,” Folayang admitted this week. “For now it’s already growing into the west, and a lot of my countrymen there are very happy to watch us live. I think I’ve also grown as an athlete here, as a martial artist I’ve learned a lot of lessons. I’ve had a lot of wins and losses, but the most important thing is that I was able to secure the belt two times, and of course I’m aiming for the third time again. It’s a pretty tough journey, but it’s worth it.”

As for how he’ll adjust, from Akiyama to Aoki, “Shinya is known for his aggressiveness on the ground, and finishing a lot of his opponents. I had to really shift my focus, and the way I will handle his style.” But, noted Folayang, while he wants the fight on the feet, his strong suit, “everything happens, it’s mixed martial arts, I need to be prepared in all the areas in the sport.”

Watch the full ONE on TNT IV media day interview with Eduard Folayang above. The event takes place Wednesday, April 28, with the main card airing live on TNT starting at 10PM ET.

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ONE Championship officials have confirmed to Cageside Press that Northcutt is out of his ONE on TNT IV fight on April 28. Instead, former lightweight champion Eduard Folayang will step in against Shinya Aoki.

MMA Fighting was first to report the news.

Northcutt (11-3) has not competed since a brutal loss to Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019, his debut with the promotion following his exit from the UFC. The knockout saw him suffer multiple facial fractures, requiring extensive surgery.

Per a statement from the promotion, Northcutt could not be cleared to compete after contracting COVID-19 several months ago.

“Due to lingering COVID-19 issues, Sage Northcutt is not cleared by his doctors to compete on April 28 [at] ONE on TNT IV,” the promotion wrote. “This is disappointing for ONE, Turner, but most importantly Sage and his family as they were looking forward to this and spent months preparing. Sage had COVID a few months ago and was doing his best to get himself in a good place but late last week the doctor, during his final checks, could not clear him.”

Folayang (22-10) last competed in October 2020, losing a unanimous decision to Antonio Caruso. Aoki (46-9, 1NC), one of the most storied Japanese mixed martial artists, is currently on a three-fight win streak, with two submission finishes in that span.

ONE on TNT IV is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Aung La N Sang and Vitaly Bigdash. The two are tied in their career series with one win apiece.

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Folayang (22-10) has shared the cage with some impressive names of late, including Shinya Aoki and Eddie Alvarez. The Filipino fighter has not, however, been finding the results he clearly wants. His only win in his past five fights came a year ago, a technical decision victory against Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu in a fight stopped early due to an accidental headbutt.

On Friday against Antonio Caruso, who was making just his second appearance under the ONE Championship banner, Folayang was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision.

“I really need to assess my performance, because my mind is very clear on this fight,” said Folayang following the bout. “But I think my conditioning didn’t do well. So I really need to check some small details that I’ve made mistakes [in], that I need to fix again.”

The former champion also gave credit to opponent Caruso. “I think I did well, in all the rounds, but you know, it’s my opponent’s night.”

Folayang will soon turn 36. Not a death knell, but perhaps the beginning of the end in the lighter weight classes. He’ll be existing his prime, but despite his recent struggles, Folayang said following Inside the Matrix that “I’m not contemplating retirement yet. I think it’s just some mistakes that we will go through again, I think this is one of those seasons we’re in. It’s wintertime for me, but I need to reassess myself and I’ll be back in the [winner’s] circle again.”

Watch the full ONE Championship: Inside the Matrix post-fight media session with Eduard Folayang above.

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Another local fan favorite didn’t fare quite as well on Friday. Eduard Folayang, the promotion’s former lightweight champion, also went the distance. However he wound up falling short against Dutch fighter Pieter Buist. Buist had stepped into the fight on short notice — but he also held a notable height advantage against Folayang, who struggled to make his way inside.

Video highlights of the event can be found above; full results are listed below.

ONE Championship: Fire & Fury Results:

Main Card

Joshua Pacio (c) def. Alex Silva by split decision – For the ONE Strawweight Championship
Pieter Buist def. Eduard Folayang by split decision
Danny Kingad def. Xie Wei by unanimous decision
Petchdam Petchyindee Academy def. Kohei Kodera by majority decision – ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Shoko Sato def. Kwon Won Il by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:05

Preliminary Card

Tatsumitsu Wada def. Ivanildo Delfino by unanimous decision
Anne Line Hogstad def. Alma Juniku by majority decision – ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Lito Adiwang def. Pongsiri Mitsatit by submission (kimura), Round 1, 3:02
Gina Iniong def. Asha Roka by unanimous decision
Rodlek Jaotalaytong def. Chris Shaw by unanimous decision – ONE Super Series Muay Thai
Jomary Torres vs. Jenny Huang ends in a No Contest

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