MMA News: ONE Championship Announces Three Big Fights For Long-Awaited 'ONE X' Event

Singapore-based ONE Championship has officially announced the date for its 10th anniversary event, ONE X.

Appearing on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, company head honcho Chatri Sityodtong revealed that ONE X will be held on March 26 with a full stadium attendance for the first time since the global pandemic started.

Headlining the card is the ONE women’s atomweight title clash between defending champion Angela Lee and World Grand Prix winner Stamp Fairtex.

Lee had been missing from ONE Championship action since 2020 as she was on maternity leave, which gave the promotion time to crown a No. 1 contender via the Women's World Grand Prix that Stamp won courtesy of a surprising armbar finish of renowned Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat.

In the co-main event, Adriano Moraes will be putting his flyweight title on the line against Japanese knockout artist Yuya Wakamatsu.

Moraes last fought against Demetrious Johnson, who will also be on the ONE: X card, in April 2021 when he pulled off the improbable upset by knocking out the former UFC flyweight titleholder in the second round.

Meanwhile, Wakamatsu is a dangerous opponent in his own right thanks to his renowned punching power and grappling ingenuity which he used in tandem to secure a five-fight winning streak and earn the right to challenge for the belt.

On the other hand, the much-awaited special hybrid MMA-Muay Thai joust between Johnson and Rodtang Jitmuangnon will also take place at the aforementioned extravaganza, serving as a precursor to the world title fights.

On the original ONE X card lineup released last year, Rodtang-Johnson was supposed to be the headliner as it would be the first time a special rules bout between MMA and Muay Thai would have happened, but it has since been understandably moved down to give way to Lee vs. Stamp and Moraes vs. Wakamatsu.

However, there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the fight will prove to be an entertaining bout as it looks to open other promotions to the idea of doing a hybrid rules bout in the future.

ONE X was supposed to happen on December 5, but the promotion made a call to reschedule the event as Singapore’s COVID-19 cases spiked in late October.

Another announcement that the ONE Championship chairman and CEO made on Helwani's show was that the bantamweight title showdown between division kingpin Bibiano Fernandes and arch-nemesis John Lineker will be the marquee match-up of ONE: Bad Blood on February 11.

Additional fights for both events are expected to be revealed soon.