Casting ONE Championship Superstars As 'Avengers: Endgame' Superheroes
The elite athletes of ONE Championship are real-life superheroes.
World Champions and challengers on The Home Of Martial Arts’ roster are global role models who possess incredible physical gifts and inspire the world with their excellence and humanity.
It is easy to see the comparisons between many of these competitors to the iconic characters in this year’s biggest blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame.
Ahead off that movie’s release this week, take a look at how some of the biggest names on the global stage for martial arts compare to that group of heroes who will attempt to save the world on the big screen.
Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson – Ant-Man
Small in stature but big in delivery, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson always packs a powerful punch.
In his ONE Championship debut, Johnson showcased speed, strength, and pure athleticism as he dazzled the audience in Japan while punching his ticket to the next round of the ongoing ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix.
Johnson is not the biggest athlete on the ONE Championship roster but as arguably the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, he always makes a huge impression whenever he competes.
Avengers member Scott Lang can shrink down to microscopic levels as Ant-Man, but he can also transform into the gargantuan Giant Man, who can easily squash a car with a single step.
Much like Ant-Man, Johnson can surprise people with his stunning knockout power, and he combines that with his world-class grappling skills to crush his opponents with submissions like he was twice his actual size.
Giorgio Petrosyan – Hawkeye
ONE Super Series star Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan earned his nickname thanks to the surgical precision he uses to dismantle his opponents.
The Italian does not throw anything without purpose as he looks to break down his opponents from head to toe.
In many ways, Petrosyan’s best attributes mirror that of Clint Barton – aka Hawkeye – who is best known for his ability to hit any target with deadly accuracy. The sharp-shooting Avenger is quick on the trigger and never hesitates to jump into the fray, even if he gives up size or power to his opposition.
The same can be said for Petrosyan, who seems to be able to break down any athlete better than almost anybody in the world. And much like Hawkeye, Petrosyan does not have to say much before he strikes – he just unleashes his arsenal until he puts a stop to the contest.
Aung La N Sang – Thor
It would be easy to compare ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang to Thor based on his knockout power.
His punches and kicks surely feel like hammer blows that have brought finishes in each of his last four World Title matches.
But this comparison goes deeper. “The God of Thunder’s” devotion to his people in Asgard is just like the way Aung La N Sang has put the country of Myanmar on his back as its foremost cultural icon.
As the person tasked with protecting his world, Thor does everything in his power to live up his people’s expectations by putting his safety on the line to represent them on the battlefield.
Aung La N Sang has done much the same for his native Myanmar, and he has been honored for his efforts with a statue in his image.
He is a national hero, an inspiration to the next generation of his compatriots, and he lifts Myanmar up every time he steps in the Circle – and through his humanitarian work when he is not competing. Much like Thor, there is nothing “The Burmese Python” would not do for his people.
Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex – Iron Man
With nearly 300 bouts on his resume, “The Hero” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex has faced the best of the best in kickboxing and Muay Thai for the past 17 years and he is still going strong as he prepares to enter the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix.
Yodsanklai is considered to be one of the pioneers of his homeland’s national sport by helping to increase its popularity around the world, which makes his career something like Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.
Stark was one of the people responsible for founding the Avengers when he realized he was not the only superhero out there with incredible abilities. He has served as its leader, but more than anything, he has shown fearlessness in the face of insurmountable odds.
Yodsanklai has done the same with his willingness to face all challengers, moving up and down in weight to prove he is the best Muay Thai athlete on the planet.
For more than a decade, “The Hero” has been an example of the very best that martial arts has to offer, and now he is an inspiration to the next generation of athletes who want to follow in his footsteps.
Xiong Jing Nan – Black Widow
As the reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion, “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan has proven that she is one of the most skilled martial artists in the world.
She has also faced adversity throughout her life and career, just like Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow.
In the Avengers, Black Widow is a valuable member of the team, but unlike Captain America with his super serum or Iron Man with his armor, she has to get by on her natural skills and abilities. Black Widow prevails in battle thanks to her dynamic martial arts skills and sharp mind.
Xiong is very much the same because she does not walk into her bouts with a lot of flash and flare, but she has the skill set to take apart her opponents from bell to bell.
Even when the odds are against her – like when she was trapped in an armbar against “Unstoppable” Angela Lee” – “The Panda” gets the job done with grit and determination.
Sage Northcutt – Captain America
It does not take much to see the correlation between “Super” Sage Northcutt and the ultimate American hero, Captain America. However, the comparison goes beyond their good looks and chiseled physiques.
When Steve Rogers was just a scrawny kid, all he wanted to do was serve his country to battle for truth, justice, and the American way. No one was going to stop him, and he would do anything to play his part in the cause.
Throughout his career, Northcutt has also been a shining example of what hard work and dedication can achieve. He has practiced martial arts since he was old enough to walk, and gone on to achieve great things.
Northcutt’s work ethic is second to none, and much like Captain America, any time he has run into an obstacle, he tries twice as hard the next time to find a way over, around or through it.
You will never hear any bad language or negativity slip past Northcutt’s lips because just like Captain America, he always wants to set the best example as a role model for young people.
