Why The Stakes Are Sky High For The Heroes Of ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON

ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON is one of the most stacked events ONE Championship has ever promoted – both because of the talent on the card, and what is at stake.

When The Home Of Martial Arts returns home to the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 17 May, careers will be defined as world-class athletes engage in the biggest match-ups of their lives.

Ahead of the return of the Circle to “The Lion City,” take a look at exactly what is on the line for the real-life superheroes who will perform in front of the world.

The ONE Lightweight World Title

The main event in Singapore sees a battle between Evolve teammates as Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki looks to fend off the challenge of Christian “The Warrior” Lee when he puts his newly-reclaimed ONE Lightweight World Championship on the line for the first time.

The bout offers a match-up between youth and experience, as 20-year-old star Lee looks to capture the ONE World Title in just his 15th bout by defeating 35-year-old Aoki, a Japanese mixed martial arts icon who will be competing in his 52nd professional match.

Lee only has 14 bouts under his belt as a professional – the same number of World Championship matches Aoki has been involved in – and he will move up a division to face an icon of the sport.

However, he has no fear about taking on this challenge, and if he wins, he will send shockwaves around the martial arts world and become the premier lightweight athlete on the planet.

When he steps out in front of his supporters in Singapore, there will barely be a single fan who is not on their feet, cheering for him.

The Inaugural ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title

The inaugural ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship is up for grabs in the co-main event as a pair of elite Dutch strikers face off.

Both Nieky “The Natural” Holzken and Regian “The Immortal” Eersel have built their careers by collecting World Title belts, but only one of these compatriots can claim the most prestigious prize in martial arts.

Both men are also noted knockout artists, so it is possible that the defeated warrior will have to suffer the heartache of picking himself up off the canvas to watch his rival wrap gold around their waist.

4 ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Semifinal Slots

The next big tournament in The Home Of Martial Arts is set to kick off, and this could be the best yet.

All eight competitors in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix are World Champions, and they each will line up to compete on 17 May as all four quarterfinals take place at ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON.

At the top of the card, two-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy takes on two-time K-1 World MAX Champion and pound-for-pound kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, while two-time Lion Fight Middleweight World Champion “The Hero” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex will look to progress to the semifinals at the expense of dangerous WBC and A1 Muay Thai World Champion Samy “AK47” Sana.

Fans should definitely not sleep on the other two quarterfinal match-ups, which promise more epic action as two-division Lion Fight World Champion “Smokin’” Jo Nattawut faces two-time K-1 World MAX Champion Andy “Souwer Power” Souwer, while Russia’s two-time TNA Kickboxing World Champion Dzhabar “Genghis Khan” Askerov takes on German striking star and K-1 World Champion Enriko “The Hurricane” Kehl.

The four match-ups look set to deliver spectacular action as the semifinal lineup for the stellar striking tournament will be decided in one night of thrilling action.

Khan’s Second Shot At World Grand Prix Glory

ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON represents a golden second opportunity for Amir Khan, who has received the call on short notice to step straight back into the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix tournament at the semi-final stage.

Khan lost out in a thrilling back-and-forth battle with Ariel Sexton in the quarter-finals that could have gone either way, but with Sexton forced out of the tournament because of a broken arm, the Singaporean has the opportunity to jump back into the fray and go all the way to the final.

It won’t be easy, however, as he faces the dangerous Turkish contender Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev, whose 100-percent finishing rate was bolstered when he breezed through the quarterfinals with a 25-second knockout of Ev “E.T.” Ting in February.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champions’ Comeback Ambitions

ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON will also feature a trio of former ONE Strawweight World Champions, each with designs on another run at the gold.

Thailand’s “Kru Rong” Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke is in excellent form, having claimed eye-catching stoppage victories in each of his last two outings. He’ll look to press his claims for a shot at the belt he once held when he faces off against Chinese striker Miao Li Tao.

And the card will also see a rubber match as three-time ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito and Brazil’s former ONE World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva face off.

Silva defeated Naito by unanimous decision in their first meeting to capture the World Title back at ONE: WARRIORS OF THE WORLD in December 2017, then lost out to “Nobita” via split decision in the rematch at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY five months later.

Now the pair will face off for a third time over the shorter three-round distance as they look to position themselves for a shot at newly-crowned two-time World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio later this year.

Women’s Atomweight World Title Contention

A seasoned contender looking for another shot at glory faces off against a dangerous newcomer with World Title ambitions of her own as Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi and Meng Bo meet in a pivotal bout in the ONE women’s atomweight division.

Yamaguchi has been at the sharp end of the weight class for years, and is in the middle of a surge in form that she hopes will culminate in a third shot at rival and defending ONE Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee.

Meng will not be a mere stepping stone on her rival’s way to the top, however. The two-time Chinese mixed martial arts champion is a dangerous new addition to the roster with eight finishes from 13 victories, and could jump straight into contention for the belt with a win on 17 May.