Fantasy Warfare: ONE Heroes Vs. Mortal Kombat Characters

For more than 25 years, Mortal Kombat has been one of the most popular video game series across the globe, and the franchise has been reinvigorated in 2019.

Last month, the franchise’s latest game, Mortal Kombat 11, dropped in stores, and just a few days ago, plans for a new movie were unveiled. The film, which is scheduled for a theatrical release in 2021, will begin shooting in Australia soon, and Aquaman director James Wan has signed on as one of the movie’s executive producers.

Mortal Kombat has been a favorite within the gaming community for decades because it focuses on epic battles between two martial artists. That sounds a lot like the attraction billions of fans around the world have for the competitions taking place in ONE Championship.

Characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion have become pop culture icons, while real-life superheroes such as Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Joshua “The Passion” Pacio regularly execute stunning moves that look as if they could only happen in a video game.

With that in mind, we would love to see these ONE heroes collide with Mortal Kombat’s most iconic characters in a quintet of fantasy match-ups.

Xiong Jing Nan Vs. Sonya Blade

As one of the original characters from the Mortal Kombat franchise, Sonya Blade has been finishing her rivals since the first edition of the series was released back in 1992.

Blade is a fierce martial artist with a background in special forces training, which means she has a full arsenal of weapons. Her signature moves include a devastating cartwheel kick and a headstand leg throw that can take any opponent off their feet.

That is the exact kind of strategy she would need to use against a power-punching knockout artist like reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan.

Xiong is a ferocious boxer with power in both hands, and she has the kind of output that can dismantle any foe over the course of several rounds. Each one of the Chinese warrior’s shots would systematically deplete a health meter, and that would certainly do damage to Blade’s own high-powered offense.

Considering the kind of striking that Blade unleashes in gameplay and the relentless offense that Xiong showcases in every one of her contests, there would be non-stop action — until only one of them is left standing, that is.

Joshua Pacio Vs. Liu Kang

The original savior of Earth in the Mortal Kombat series, Liu Kang is a true champion with perhaps the most traditional set of skills when it came to his style.

He is a human highlight reel with his legs serving as his deadliest weapons. For instance, he has a bicycle kick that just obliterates an opponent.

Combine that with Kang’s flying kicks, and it sounds awfully familiar when talking about ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.

Throughout his career, Pacio has engaged in must-see contests because he is capable of uncorking a flying knee or a spinning back elbow at any time. The Team Lakay standout is like dynamite in a bottle because he will explode at any given moment.

With Kang constantly searching for those devastating kicks and Pacio’s ability to counter with any number of jaw-dropping strikes, this could be the show stealer out of any potential match-up in the ONE vs. Mortal Kombat series.

Demetrious Johnson Vs. Johnny Cage

No one personifies a video game character come to life more than ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix contender Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

There does not seem to be anything that Johnson cannot do when he performs, as he is arguably one of the most well-rounded mixed martial artists in history.

If there is one other factor that Johnson prides himself on, then it would be his incredible humility. That would certainly be a contrast when compared to action movie star Johnny Cage, who originally gets tricked into competing in Mortal Kombat as a way to raise his profile on the silver screen.

Cage comes from a karate background, which makes him a very dangerous and powerful striker. Johnson is good everywhere with arguably the fastest hands and feet in the entire sport.

Seeing these two mix it up on the feet would be an adrenaline-pumping affair, with Cage’s power going up against Johnson’s world-class skill set.

Christian Lee Vs. Sub-Zero

ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee often talks about his ability to separate business from his personal feelings.

He always leaves his emotions outside the Circle, which is why he can carry an ice-cold demeanor into his match-ups.

That is exactly the kind of attitude he would need against a frigid opponent such as Sub-Zero, who is as cold-hearted as a foe could get.

Sub-Zero is a ninja, which means he is silent but deadly everywhere. However, he has never dueled against a martial arts prodigy quite like Lee. With a powerful ground game and a heavy-handed approach on the feet, “The Warrior” can put anybody’s lights out with one shot.

That said, Sub-Zero could certainly slow him down with one blast of ice, but that requires him to accurately hit Lee, which is something the majority of his past opponents could rarely do.

Petchdam Petchyindee Academy Vs. Scorpion

Sub-Zero’s archenemy, Scorpion, is another beloved Mortal Kombat original. He loves to spear his opponents to pull them close to him, while shouting, “Get over here,” as he unleashes a relentless combination of strikes.

Scorpion is also a ninja with a wide variety of weapons at his disposal including his ‘fire breath,’ where he literally spits flames at his adversaries.

If there is one athlete who has no fear of engaging in a fiery battle, then it’s ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion “The Baby Shark” Petchdam Petchyindee Academy.

The 20-year-old phenom has no problem going to war with his opponents. He is a master of maintaining distance, yet he is also quite comfortable moving into range to display his blistering power in blinding combinations. In fact, his left kick of doom could be the perfect counter to Scorpion’s harpoon-like spear.

Whether the bout lasts for one minute or five rounds, Petchdam and Scorpion would be a thrilling match-up right until the end.