5 Of The Most Exciting American Fighters In ONE Championship
American martial artists have been involved in some of ONE Championship’s most memorable moments.
And following Wednesday’s announcement of a massive Prime Video broadcast deal, fans in the region will have more chances than ever to see their compatriots compete on the global stage.
The deal includes 12 live events per year in United States prime time, offering a regular platform for ONE’s American stars to shine in front of a home audience.
While we wait for the first date in the new partnership to be announced, let’s look at five of the most exciting American fighters who are guaranteed to bring the action on Prime Video.
Thanh Le
Reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le combines martial arts mastery with ruthless knockout power.
The New Orleans native has posted a flawless 5-0 MMA record since he joined ONE Championship in 2019, with all of those wins coming via KO or TKO.
In his first World Title defense at ONE: LIGHTS OUT in March, Le knocked out BJJ superstar Garry Tonon after just 56 seconds of their highly anticipated all-American battle, showing excellent submission defense alongside his clinical finishing ability.
The 50/50 and Mid City MMA representative is a threat in every second of every match, and that’s what makes him such a riveting athlete to watch once he steps into the Circle.
Angela Lee
Despite a lengthy layoff surrounding the birth of her first daughter, Angela Lee looked as strong as ever when she returned last month and finished Stamp Fairtex to retain the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title at ONE X.
The Hawaii-based superstar has completely dominated the atomweight MMA division, winning the inaugural crown back in 2016 and successfully defending it five times since then.
That success comes from a high-octane style that combines pressure in every range, though “Unstoppable” is most known for her submission acumen.
She’s submitted eight opponents in 11 ONE Championship victories, including wins via rear-naked choke, anaconda choke, neck crank, armbar, and even a rarely seen twister.
Not only that, the longtime atomweight queen possesses an unbreakable spirit and the ability to bounce back from adversity – attributes that provide drama and excitement in equal measure whenever she’s in action.
Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson earned his “greatest of all time” moniker while competing in North America, and he fulfilled a career ambition by moving east to continue his competitive days in Asia.
“Mighty Mouse” then rampaged through the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix in 2019 – winning the tournament’s silver belt – and while he came up short against flyweight king Adriano Moraes, he’s still a force to be reckoned with.
The division’s current #1 contender is among the most well-rounded mixed martial artists in history, with striking, wrestling, and submission skills that can hold their own against anybody.
The 12-time Flyweight World Champion is also unafraid to try something new, as he showed with his victory over ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in their special rules super-fight at ONE X.
Janet Todd
There are few performers who can match the consistency of California-based striker Janet Todd.
The reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion challenged for Muay Thai gold in her ONE debut back in 2019 – narrowly falling to Stamp Fairtex – but she’s posted six straight victories since then.
Those wins include Todd’s World Title redemption against Stamp for the kickboxing belt and three scintillating finishes over top competition.
“JT” is precise in breaking down her opponents under both Muay Thai and kickboxing rules, while her fight IQ is unrivaled.
And if she gets the chance, the veteran superstar will unleash heavy punches and kicks that force her opponents to crumble.
Jarred Brooks
The new kid on the block is Jarred Brooks, who’s earned himself a ONE Strawweight World Title shot against Joshua Pacio with three dominant wins inside of six months.
“The Monkey God” from Indiana was already an experienced campaigner before he joined ONE Championship, but he’s risen to new levels in The Home of Martial Arts.
A strong wrestler with damaging ground-and-pound and ruthless submissions, Brooks never lets up on his rivals and constantly tries to maul them until he gets what he wants.
Along with being a whirlwind inside the Circle, he’s also a great value outside of it – unafraid to speak his mind and even willing to put his words down in rap form to call out opponents.
