ONE Championship‘s U.S. primetime debut is here. ONE on TNT I will air live on Wednesday, April 7, with a card full of exciting matchups.
Headlining the bill is a flyweight title tilt between ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. But there are other questions that will be answered along the way.
3 Questions for ONE on TNT I
What are they? Well, that’s what we are here to answer.
Here are three questions ahead of ONE’s stacked card on TNT.
Can Moraes Cement Himself As A Global Star at ONE on TNT I?
Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes may be the ONE Flyweight World Champion, but many are putting the emphasis on his opponent, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. And for a good reason. Johnson is, arguably, the greatest to ever compete in mixed martial arts.
However, Moraes is the king of the division. The disrespect of overlooking his talent should give him a chip on his shoulder and plenty to compete for at ONE on TNT I.
A victory for the Brazilian is not just about defending the gold again. For Moraes, more is on the line. A win over Johnson, in primetime in the United States, elevates his platform to a whole new level. Moraes will get that respect, but also a legion of new fans.
While “Mighty Mouse” is looking for another World Title to add to an already legendary career, Moraes has more to gain. If he can topple the American, Moraes stands to be a new global superstar.
Will There Be A Changing Of The Guard At Lightweight?
Lightweight contenders Eddie Alvarez and Iuri Lapicus are set for a possible title eliminator at the event, but digging deeper shows that this could be a lightweight tilt that truly ushers in a new era.
Christian Lee took the ONE Lightweight World Title from veteran Shinya Aoki and has defended it. Lapicus can now take out another legend and show that the twentysomethings are the leaders of the division moving forward.
The stylistic matchup also plays into the narrative. The cagey veteran with all of the tools and experience to be patient before unleashing a full-scale arsenal against an aggressive and hungry youngster who has promised a dominant win.
The stakes are high, and the matchup is terrific, but this is a three-round bout all about the lightweight division’s future and who controls it.
Will Oumar Kane Continue Africa’s Run Of Success?
Africa’s string of success in mixed martial arts has been one of the most outstanding stories over the past two years. Now, heavyweight Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane has a chance to keep it rolling against Patrick Schmid.
“Reug Reug” went viral with his Senegalese wrestling clips when he made the transition into mixed martial arts, and he has used his grappling and raw power to have a perfect start to his career.
Kane is coming off a TKO win in his ONE debut against Alain Ngalani and can build upon that success on this massive card.
If he can keep it going, Kane can be the latest African star to take the sport by storm and make a play for being a contender in a growing heavyweight division.
ONE on TNT I begins on the B/R Live app, Bleacher Report YouTube and B/R MMA Twitter at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.
The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. Those on the west coast can watch ONE on TNT I live on Bleacher Report or the TNT app. The event will also air on a delay on the west coast on TNT at 10 p.m. PT.
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