ONE Championship To Hold Hybrid MMA-Muay Thai Bout In Return To Thailand

In 2023, the country known as "The Land of Smiles" will once again host a live event of ONE Championship.

The promotion's much-awaited return to Thailand on January 14 (January 13 in the United States) has been confirmed during a press conference last Monday, September 12, coinciding with the official announcement of the partnership between ONE Championship and the Royal Thai Army to hold 52 weekly cards at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

ONE Championship first held a show on Thai soil in March 2017, with Angela Lee successfully defending her women's atomweight championship against Jenny Huang in the main event.

Since its maiden offering, the organization staged 17 more fight cards in Thailand.

Moreover, Thailand served as a safe haven for the Singapore-based combat sports outfit during the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, hosting a three-part "ONE: No Surrender" event series in June 2020 and then three installments of ONE: New Breed a month later.

After more than two years, ONE Championship will make its trip back to Thailand—a nation with a well-entrenched martial arts history through its world-renowned striking discipline of Muay Thai.

In addition, North American fans will get the chance to witness it through Amazon Prime Video.

Officially numbered as "ONE on Prime Video 6," the event will feature a hybrid mixed martial arts (MMA)-Muay Thai clash as one of its marquee attractions as Stamp Fairtex is set to take on top-ranked women's kickboxer Anissa Meksen.

Both women will square off in a three-round atomweight bout with each round having three minutes.

The first and third stanzas will be fought under Muay Thai rules, while the second and fourth periods will take place under the promotion's "global ruleset" for MMA.

Under Muay Thai rules, a competitor can win by knockout or via stoppage if they score three knockdowns in a single round.

On the other hand, an athlete can win by knockout or submission during rounds where MMA rules are observed.

If the fight goes the distance, the result will automatically be declared a draw.

The exhibition's unique concept has piqued the interest of fans and pundits alike as this type of crossover matchup is extremely rare and has only happened a number of times in history.

ONE Championship first pushed the envelope this past March when Demetrious Johnson battled Rodtang Jitmuangnon under a hybrid MMA-Muay Thai ruleset.

Johnson prevailed over Rodtang via second-round submission as the American mixed martial artist sent the Thai striker to sleep with a wrenching rear-naked choke.

Before facing each other at ONE on Prime Video 6, both Stamp and Meksen will figure in separate bouts on the morning of October 1st (September 30 in the United States).

Stamp Fairtex is slated to battle Malaysian standout Jihin Radzuan in a three-round women's atomweight MMA tussle at ONE on Prime Video 2, while Meksen is booked to collide with Daokongfah Banchamek in a kickboxing duel on the preliminary card.

Aside from Stamp and Meksen, Muay Thai world champions Nong-O Gaiyanghadao and Rodtang Jitmuangnon are also expected to be in action at ONE on Prime Video 6.

ONE on Prime Video 6 is set to take place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Tickets are now on sale via Thai Ticket Major.