It’s safe to say that the biggest names in Philippine mixed martial arts will be tuning in when ONE Championship returns to American soil next month.
The world’s largest martial arts organization is set to stage its second event in the United States with ONE 168: Denver on September 7 (Philippine time), emanating live from the 21,000-capacity Ball Arena.
For reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio, this occasion is a testament to the promotion’s ever-expanding global reach.
“I’m glad ONE is back in the U.S.; we can see that they are doing really great as a company. I was there during the first one as part of the crowd, and it was a huge success,” he stated.
“I’m looking forward to seeing more events in the U.S.”
Meanwhile, former lightweight MMA titleholder Eduard “Landslide” Folayang believes that ONE continues to set itself apart with its diverse offerings, leaving an impression on the hard-to-please American market.
“The upside is that the West can now watch amazing and unique matches, especially in Muay Thai and kickboxing, and even in submission grappling. With that, ONE is gaining a larger and more aggressive following in martial arts,” said the man regarded by many as “The Face of Philippine MMA.”
ONE 168: Denver boasts a stacked card from top to bottom, featuring a series of high-stakes matchups.
The headliner sees two-sport king Jonathan “The General” Haggerty squaring off against flyweight kickboxing star “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.
Adding to the excitement, Liam “The Hitman” Harrison squares off with Seksan “The Man Who Yields To No One” Or Kwanmuang in a 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai contest.
Meanwhile, former two-division ONE World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang makes his comeback against Shamil Erdogan, with a possible ONE Middleweight MMA World Championship shot hanging in the balance.
Several other notable names are also slated to compete, including John “Hands of Stone” Lineker, Adrian Lee, Johan “Jojo” Ghazali, and Filipino-American sensation Sean Climaco.
Inspired by the caliber of talent that ONE is bringing to the “Mile High City,” Filipino dynamo Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw has expressed his aspirations to one day perform stateside.
“I am overjoyed that ONE is returning to the United States after a year, and I hope to be able to compete there as well,” Pacatiw mentioned.
“ONE is becoming more well-known in America, and I really wish they can sustain that in the future.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Lions Nation MMA teammate and former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon.
“As an athlete, this is a great opportunity, especially for us here in Asia who dream of fighting in the U.S.,” Belingon added.
This upcoming extravaganza is just the beginning as ONE aims to establish a foothold in America.
It has already been announced that the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia plays host to ONE 169 on November 9 (Philippine time).
There, Pinoy fan-favorite Danny “The King” Kingad runs it back with Brazilian rival Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes in a potential Flyweight MMA World Title eliminator.
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