ONE Championship Shanghai debut set for Sept 2
Print Edition
The ONE Championship will hold its inaugural Shanghai event on September 2, organizers announced yesterday.
In the main event, welterweight world champion Ben Askren of the United States will defend his title against Swedish challenger Zebaztian Kadestam at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Pudong New Area.
ONE, one of Asia’s best-known MMA (mixed martial arts) series, was to debut in Shanghai two years ago, but eventually the stop was canceled due to a clash with a local event. But it has been a long-time wish of organizers to bring their elite fighters to Shanghai audiences.
“We are ready to showcase the world’s most authentic display of martial arts,” said Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.
“China is one of our biggest markets, a country with a rich cultural history of martial arts. In the main event in Shanghai, the interesting clash of styles should provide fans a solid matchup.”
The sport of MMA allows fighters to use a variety of martial arts styles, including judo, kung fu, silat, jiu-jitsu or kali, wrestling or aikido. In a rock concert-like arena, audience watch one-on-one contests with fighters competing in unarmed combat in a caged ring.
“Funky” Askren is a collegiate wrestler who represented the US at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. His opponent “The Bandit” Kadestam boasts a 9-3 professional record, and is known for his wide array of striking and grappling techniques.
Other fighters announced for the Shanghai event include 41-year-old veteran Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia and Japan’s promising young fighter Tetsuya Yamada. Chinese bantamweight contender Miao Litao is set to make his ONE Championship debut against compatriot and 23-year-old Inner Mongolia native Liu Deli.
Also making her debut is Beijing-based former professional boxer Xu Chunyan, who will take on 19-year-old Cambodian Eh Ya Nut, a Khun Khmer specialist.
Shanghai’s 30-year-old flyweight competitor Miao Jie will showcase her skills against Mona Samir of Egypt.
There will also be a three-round battle between two Shanghai-based competitors — Zhang Zehao, a sanda and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, and Li Chengchao, who has a boxing background.
Ticket information is available at the website www.onefc.com.
Meanwhile, rival UFC announced that its highly anticipated inaugural live event on the mainland will be headlined by one of the greatest MMA athletes of all time.
Brazil’s Anderson “The Spider” Silva will face middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum in what will be one of the most thrilling battles the Octagon has seen in Asia. UFC Fight Night Shanghai: Silva vs Gastelum takes place at Pudong’s Mercedes-Benz Arena on November 25.
The longest reigning champion in UFC history, Silva (38-4-0) is a superior breed of athlete, which makes his debut in China all the more special.
Known for making the impossible possible, Silva brings his 11 years of experience in the Octagon to Shanghai where he will face No. 8-ranked middleweight Gastelum (14-3-0) of the United States.
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