ONE Championship is set for its U.S. debut on May 5 in Broomfield, Colorado. The 1stBank Center will play host to the promotion for its first-ever U.S. live event, ONE on Prime Video 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III. And there is little doubt that ONE will load the card with exciting talent to wow the audience.
A flyweight trilogy bout between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes has already been announced as the main event. But that begs the question: who else should join the card for this historic event? With kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, and submission grappling, there is a lot to choose from. Without further ado, here are three matches that should help bolster the action on May 5.
ONE Strawweight World Championship: Jarred Brooks vs. Jeremy Miado
Newly minted ONE Strawweight World Champion Jarred Brooks should be featured on the first U.S. live event. It is a status he has earned after how he arrived in ONE like a tornado and took the strawweight division by storm. Two options for his first title defense come to mind: Gustavo Balart and Jeremy Miado.
Balart is a talented Cuban wrestler with heavy hands, but Miado’s last performance against Danial Williams showed why he might be deserving of the title shot first. Miado outstruck Williams and earned a jaw-dropping finish. The stylistic matchup is more action-packed and almost guarantees excitement against Brooks.
The strawweight division has been on fire since Brooks joined the promotion, and he can keep that going by building it in the U.S. with “The Jaguar” taking the opposite side of the Circle against him. The five-round war that would ensue would be electric for the live audience and generate buzz throughout the martial arts community. Balart is a great option to have as a backup, but Miado would light the fuse necessary for an incredible title tilt in Colorado.
ONE Lightweight World Championship: Christian Lee vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev
Christian Lee had an amazing 2022. “The Warrior” recaptured his ONE Lightweight World Championship and then outgunned Kiamrian Abbasov for the ONE Welterweight World Title. After the grueling win, Lee now has to survey his options in both divisions. In a strange twist of fate, an unfortunate result has helped clear up any confusion as to what should be next.
Roberto Soldic and Murad Ramazanov battled to a no contest after an errant strike landed low on the Croatian. Thus, there is no clear top contender for the ONE Welterweight World Championship. That leaves Lee to defend the lightweight gold. Although the division is stacked with talent, Saygid Izagakhmaev set himself apart from the field with a dominant first-round win over Shinya Aoki.
And it is a match that Lee is already eyeing, per a recent interview with ONE. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege has earned his stripes and the shot at the belt, and Lee is happy to grant him the opportunity. It would be a huge fight for the U.S. fans to see this one go down live. The schedule has worked out well for Lee. Now it’s time to defend the gold against one of the most promising contenders in the game today.
ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship: Tawanchai vs. Superbon
Muay Thai in four-ounce gloves has to be showcased when ONE debuts in Colorado. The sport is too exciting not to be placed on the card. While stars like Rodtang Jitmuangnon have got the ball rolling for U.S. fans thus far, more top-tier athletes should get the shine of Prime Video.
The long-awaited matchup between Tawanchai PK.Saenchai and Superbon Singha Mawynn should be near the top of the card. Perhaps it should be given the status as the co-main event. The featherweight striking divisions are absolutely stacked with pound-for-pound greats, and this matchup could be the best of them all.
Currently, Superbon holds the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title, but many believe he is even better in the realm of Muay Thai. If Superbon successfully defends the gold against Chingiz Allazov at ONE on Prime Video 6, this could be a champion vs. champion matchup. If not, it’s still the two best Muay Thai strikers going toe-to-toe for the biggest prize in the game.
Of all of the potential matchups that could be added to this event, Tawanchai vs. Superbon is the one that should draw the most interest. It would give U.S. fans a front-row view of two of the best pound-for-pound strikers slinging leather at one another in the most exciting striking sport on the planet. When ONE arrives in the U.S., fans should be hoping for a Muay Thai spectacle such as this.
Stay tuned for more updates on ONE on Prime Video 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III right here at MMASucka.com. Fans can sign-up for priority access to tickets right here.
