ONE Championship Superstars Take Part In The Throwback Trend
The elite martial artists of ONE Championship might look imposing when they step into the Circle, but before the days of chiseled physiques and 4-ounce gloves, they were simply kids like the rest of us.
Check out some of these throwback photos from the promotion’s international superstars to catch a glimpse of what they looked like in their younger days.
Xiong Jing Nan
ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan recreated one of her baby photos and wondered whether or not she had changed. Aside from losing a little bit of puppy fat, it would be hard to tell the difference.
Nieky Holzken
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Dutch kickboxer Nieky “The Natural” Holzken threw it back to 1992 when he was around 9 years old. Holzken’s caption says “the eyes never lie,” and who could avert their gaze from that magnificent mullet?
Yuya Wakamatsu
He is now a world-renowned knockout artist, and it certainly appears that Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu always had the martial arts spirit running through his veins.
Yoon Chang Min
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Yoon Chang Min sported a peace sign and a wry smile in this childhood picture. This could have been the start of his “The Big Heart” nickname.
Kimihiro Eto
Japan’s Kimihiro Eto harked back to his third year of high school when he met American mixed martial arts icon and catch wrestler Josh Barnett.
Ayaka Miura
She goes by “Zombie” now, but Ayaka Miura‘s throwback image is surely the cutest of this bunch.
The young Miura seems to want a hug here, but if the judo black belt comes at you like this in 2020, there is a good chance you’ll end up on your back looking up at the ceiling.
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