All Main Card Fights For ‘ONE On TNT’ Event Series Confirmed
ONE Championship is gearing up for its big showcase on United States prime-time television, and the promotion is packing all four events with a ton of star power.
After weeks of anticipation, the world’s largest martial arts organization unveiled the main cards for every installment of the “ONE on TNT” event series, which will air every Wednesday night from 7 April through 28 April.
The series will premiere on 7 April with ONE on TNT I.
As previously announced, the opening show will be headlined by the biggest flyweight mixed martial arts contest in history, as ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes defends his crown against ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
In the co-main event, American legend Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez will face #2-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus, who recently promised to end the mixed martial arts icon’s career.
Kicking off the main card is a non-World Title matchup between ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon and British hard-hitter Jacob Smith. As always in ONE Super Series Muay Thai fights, the Thai megastar and his opponent will wear 4-ounce mixed martial arts gloves.
In the headlining bout of ONE on TNT II, which is scheduled for 14 April, ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee will defend his crown against #3-ranked contender Timofey Nastyukhin.
The co-main event features the return of ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, who will compete for the first time since losing his long-held belt to Thanh Le in October.
Nguyen, now the #1-ranked featherweight contender, will begin his road to redemption against #5-ranked contender “The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong.
Rounding out the main card is a ONE Super Series Muay Thai strawweight encounter between second-generation martial artists Wondergirl Fairtex and Amber “AK 47” Kitchen.
On 21 April, fans will be treated to a monstrous heavyweight showdown and a slew of dangerous legends on ONE on TNT III.
In the main event, Iranian behemoth Amir Aliakbari will collide with unbeaten Russian juggernaut Anatoly “Spartak” Malykhin. Though a crack at Brandon “The Truth” Vera’s ONE Heavyweight World Championship is not guaranteed, the winner would be well-positioned to challenge the Filipino-American at some point.
A dream match between a pair of striking icons will serve as the co-main event, as Nieky “The Natural” Holzken will meet John Wayne “The Gunslinger” Parr in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest.
Finally, Japanese-Korean martial arts legend Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama will open the show against Lebanese hero Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki, who trains at the highly revered American Top Team. The curtain-raiser will be contested in the welterweight division.
A week later on 28 April, the promotion will cap off the blockbuster event series with ONE on TNT IV.
In the headline attraction, ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang will defend his crown against old foe Vitaly Bigdash. This fight will mark the conclusion of their famed trilogy.
The matchup was originally scheduled for a three-round middleweight affair, but now, with each man holding a win in their head-to-head series, they will go five rounds for the light heavyweight belt – and that may be needed, as their previous two contests went the distance.
In the co-main event, highly regarded promotional newcomer Stephen “The Sniper” Loman will try to gain some redemption for Team Lakay stablemate Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon when he faces the Filipino squad’s newest rival, #1-ranked bantamweight contender John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
Finally, American star “Super” Sage Northcutt will return to action against a grappling legend in former four-time ONE Lightweight World Champion and current #4-ranked lightweight contender Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki.
Stay tuned to ONEFC.com for more updates on the “ONE on TNT” event series.
Read more: Full Results For ONE: FISTS OF FURY – Ennahachi Vs. Superlek
