ONE: CENTURY Is Stacked With 28 World Champions
It is only fitting that the biggest martial arts events in history comes stacked with an incredible number of World Champions on the bill.
They extend beyond the four World Title contests, and three World Grand Prix Championship Finals at ONE: CENTURY to make up an incredible 28 of the 44 competitors on the bill.
Check out the full rundown of each one that is set to compete at the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan this weekend.
The Cream Of The Crop
Naturally, each of the match-ups with gold on the line contains a World Champion in at least one corner.
Topping ONE: CENTURY PART II is the colossal contest between two-division ONE World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang and ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera.
The Myanmar superstar’s light heavyweight crown is on the line against his Filipino-American rival, and it should be explosive as both athletes enter with four consecutive knockout victories.
The main event of ONE: CENTURY PART I is the eagerly-anticipated rematch between “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, who will put her ONE Atomweight World Title on the line, and ONE Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan.
Lee failed in her bid to become a two-division queen when she was stopped by Xiong at ONE: A NEW ERA, but now it is “The Panda’s” turn to try to make history as she drops down a division in search of a second belt.
Reigning and former ONE Bantamweight World Champions Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon will square off for the fourth time in Tokyo, after their last contest in the Japanese capital ended in disappointing fashion.
Fernandes won back the belt from the man from Team Lakay who had taken it last November, and the “The Silencer” will now attempt to return the favor.
Finally, in a bout that many striking aficionados are tipping to be one of 13 October’s finest, Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon will defend his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title for the first time against Walter Goncalves.
The challenger is a three-time Muay Thai World Champion, but he will aim to claim the sport’s biggest prize in his debut on the global stage.
Read more: Aung La N Sang Vs. Brandon Vera – Everything You Need To Know
World Grands Prix Contenders
ONE’s first World Grand Prix tournaments kicked off earlier in 2019, and they will all come to a head at ONE: CENTURY with the involvement of some elite talent including four existing World Champions, as well as two rising stars who are shooting for their first taste of silverware at the highest level.
The ONE Featherweight World Grand Prix Championship Final could hardly contain two more elite competitors, as five-time kickboxing World Champion Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan takes on three-time Muay Thai and kickboxing World Champion Samy “AK47” Sana
In the climax of the flyweight tournament, the most dominant mixed martial arts World Champion in history, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will aim to win his 13th World Title bout – and first in ONE – against surging Filipino Danny “The King” Kingad.
The lightweight bracket will now conclude with ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee in the final, and he will face Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev.
Read more: ONE Athletes Preview Giorgio Petrosyan Vs. Samy Sana
Shooto Vs. Pancrase
In a special showcase of Japanese mixed martial arts, the leading lights from two of the nation’s most prestigious organizations will square off in a quartet of Shooto World Champion vs. Pancrase World Champion contests.
Shooto Flyweight World Champion and former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta will face off against Pancrase Strawweight World Champion Daichi Kitakata.
Shooto Bantamweight World Champion Shoko Sato meets Pancrase Bantamweight World Champion Rafael “Morcego” Silva.
Shooto Welterweight World Champion Hernani Perpetuo takes on Pancrase Welterweight World Champion Hiroyuki “Last Samurai” Tetsuka.
Finally, Shooto Lightweight World Champion Koshi “Luxor” Matsumoto will do battle against Pancrase Lightweight World Champion Takasuke “The Hawk” Kume.
Read more: How To Watch ONE: CENTURY PART I And PART II
More Superstars From Around The Globe
You can tell how special this event is with a look at the outstanding résumés of the undercard athletes.
Former ONE World Champions Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki and Honorio “The Rock” Banario meet in a lightweight grappler versus striker battle in front of the Japanese athlete’s home crowd.
Cage Warriors Heavyweight World Champion Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli will welcome Indian wrestling sensation Arjan “Singh” Bhullar to the world’s largest martial arts organization after their bout was delayed from August.
Deep Jewels Featherweight World Champion Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi rematches Jenny “Lady GoGo” Huang in a contest that could help to determine the next challenger for the women’s atomweight belt.
In Muay Thai action, three-time Muay Thai World Champion Ekaterina “Barbie” Vandaryeva gets a tough test in her ONE Super Series debut against Janet “JT” Todd, while former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao meets WBC Muay Thai World Champion Daren Rolland.
Finally, Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda is the first to take on Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang since the Filipino graduated from Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series.
Read more: 3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: CENTURY PART II
- Watch PART I in USA on 12 October at 8pm EST and PART II on 13 October at 4am EST
- Watch PART I in India on 13 October at 5:30am IST and PART II at 1:30pm IST
- Watch PART I in Indonesia on 13 October at 7am WIB and PART II at 3pm WIB
- Watch PART I in Singapore on 13 October at 8am SGT and PART II at 4pm SGT
- Watch PART I in the Philippines on 13 October at 8am PHT and PART II at 4pm PHT
- Watch PART I in Japan on 13 October at 9am JST and PART II at 5pm JST
ONE: CENTURY is the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history with 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts. No organization has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events on the same day.
The Home Of Martial Arts will break new ground as it brings multiple World Title bouts, a trio of World Grand Prix Championship Finals, and several World Champion versus World Champion matches to the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on 13 October.
