ONE Championship’s Warrior Kingdom Card in Bangkok takes shape

One Championship 14:14 16/02/2017
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Headlined by Asian MMA star Angela “Unstoppable” Lee, who makes the first defence of her Atomweight World Championship title against Chinese Taipei’s Jenny Huang, One: Warrior Kingdom will feature a slew of local and international MMA stars.

    The 20-year-old Lee (6-0) is undefeated, and fresh off capturing the inaugural women’s title in May of last year with a hard-earned victory over Japanese MMA veteran Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi in Singapore.  Her opponent, Huang (5-0), also boasts an unblemished record, including a Submission of the Year 2016 victory in her last bout, a rare gogoplata finish of Filipino fighter April Osenio.

    What is perhaps the next-most exciting bout on the card sees the return of three-time Lumpinee stadium champion and former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong “Kru Rong” Sor Amnuaysirichoke (6-1), who is set to take on 21-year-old Joshua Pacio (8-1) of the Philippines.

    Dejdamrong will make his first appearance inside the ONE Championship cage since losing his title to now-reigning champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan. Pacio, on the other hand is fresh off challenging Naito for the same title, falling short of victory after succumbing to the Japanese fighter by submission.

    It’s a tremendous matchup between Muay Thai and wushu that should test both fighters to their limits, with the winner expected to earn a rematch against the champion.

    Plus, ONE Championship standout and local hero Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai (6-1, 1NC) will take the stage in Bangkok once again, this time opposite debuting fighter Richard “Lion Heart” Corminal (4-1) of the Philippines.

    Wiratchai is riding a four-fight win streak, impressively stopping some big names in the promotion including Mitch Chilson, Amir Khan, and Peter Davis. Corminal, on the other hand, makes his first appearance inside the ONE Championship cage after winning his last bout with another promotion.

    Interestingly, Wiratchai’s real-life love interest, 27-year-old Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige, makes her ONE Championship debut on the same card against Malaysian doctor AudreyLaura “Ice Comet” Boniface, who is also debuting for the promotion.

    Ishige, who is of mixed Thai and Japanese heritage, is Thailand’s first female professional mixed martial artist, and has trained in aikido and taekwondo since she was 9 years old. Ishige’s opponent Boniface is a full-time practicing doctor in Sabah, Malaysia, where she trains at Borneo Tribal Squad alongside Malaysian MMA star Ann “Athena” Osman.

    Also to see action inside the ONE Championship cage are Thai prospects Kritsada “Dream Man” Kongsrichai and Pongsiri “Punhod” Mitsatit. Kongsrichai will take on Adrian Matheis of Jakarta, Indonesia, while Mitsatit does battle with Rabin Catalan of Iloilo City, Philippines.

    On the undercard, 20-year-old Chinese MMA prospect Ma Jia Wen faces off against Indonesian veteran Yohan Mulia Legowo, while multiple-time Muay Thai champion and legend Sagetdao Petpayathai makes his professional MMA debut against Malaysia’s Kelvin Ong.

    To cap it all off, two of Thailand’s biggest bands, Thaitanium and Slot Machine, will be performing at the event as well.

    Recommended