4 Reasons Why ONE: A NEW ERA Will Be ONE’s Biggest Event Yet
2018 has been a record-breaking year for ONE Championship and in 2019, martial arts fans around the globe will witness the promotion enter “The Land Of The Rising Sun.”
On Sunday, 31 March, the world’s largest martial arts organization will hold its historic first Japan event, ONE: A NEW ERA, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
With six colossal matches already announced for the show, here are four reasons why ONE: A NEW ERA will live up to its namesake.
#1 Three World Titles Will Be On The Line
There is no better way for a promotion to make its debut than with three World Title bouts.
In the main event, newly-crowned ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will defend his belt against hometown hero Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki. This will serve as the rematch to their initial encounter in November 2016, which the Filipino won via third-round TKO.
In addition to that, there will be a pair of co-main events.
ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan will defend her belt against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, who has an opportunity to become the first two-division women’s ONE World Champion.
Also, two-division ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang will put his middleweight title on the line against local favorite Ken Hasegawa in a rematch from their June encounter, which “The Burmese Python” won.
#2 The ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Gets Underway
The greatest flyweight athlete in the history of the sport, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, will make his promotional debut at ONE: A NEW ERA.
Johnson, who joined ONE Championship in October, will take on Japan’s Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu in what should be a cagey affair.
The American’s duel against Wakamatsu is set for the quarterfinals of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, and on paper, it is a classic battle between a knockout specialist and a grappling expert.
#3 “The Underground King” Returns To Japan
Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez could not have pictured a better way of securing his 30th career victory than competing in a country where martial arts is embedded into daily life.
The former UFC and Bellator Lightweight Champion will take on Russian knockout artist Timofey Nastyukhin in the quarterfinals of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix.
The Philadelphia-based hero made a name for himself in Japan during the earlier part of his 15-year martial arts career, and he will return for the first time since 2009.
#4 Another Mouth-Watering ONE Super Series Bout
Entertainment is guaranteed in this ONE Super Series kickboxing clash as Muay Thai icon Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex takes on Dutch World Champion kickboxer Andy Souwer.
The Thai dazzled martial arts fans with a stunning knockout at ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, stopping Australia’s Luis Regis in the first round with a trio of rapid-fire uppercuts.
“Souwer Power,“ a two-time K-1 World MAX Champion and It’s Showtime 70MAX World Champion, will fancy his chances, too, against the legend.
