The final card of MMASucka’s triple-header staff picks weekend features ONE Championship: A New Era taking place Sunday, March 31st from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. To commemorate the best card in promotional history, there will be nine total MMA fights counted towards our 2019 records. This unbelievably stacked offering does not come often. All of the action can be followed for free on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel along with Bleacher Report Live.
FOUR TITLE FIGHTS
In the main event slot, Team Lakay fighter Eduard Folayang will look to extend his title run against Japanese legend Shinya Aoki. The Filipino champion made a name for himself two years ago when he stopped Aoki to start his first of two lightweight title reigns.
The night will feature three other incredible title bouts. ONE champ-champ Aung La N Sang will go to war with Ken Hasegawa once more after a wild FOTY contender last year. Their first meeting ended via emphatic knockout in the fifth and final round in front of N Sang’s Myanmar home crowd. This rematch will take place on Hasegawa’s turf.
Another fighter out of Team Lakay, Kevin Belingon will look to retain the bantamweight title against divisional great Bibiano Fernandes. This will be a trilogy bout, with Fernandes dominating and submitting his foe early in the first outing. In their rematch late last year, it was a raucous back-and-forth affair that saw Belingon get the nod on the judge’s scorecards.
In the fourth title fight, Angela Lee looks to become ONE’s latest champ-champ as she challenges “The Panda” Jingnan Xiong of China. The strawweight champ Lee moves up to flyweight to face the first real puncher of her career in the form of Xiong, who seems set on taking out the hot, undefeated commodity in Lee.
BEST OF THE REST
On the card sees the final ONE Lightweight Grand Prix Quarter Finals match as former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez makes his promotional debut against Timofey Nastyukhin. All four Grand Prix Quarter Finals will also take place in Tokyo. This includes the promotional debuts of Pancrase flyweight champion Senzo Ikeda and all-time great Demetrious Johnson (battling respected opponents Kingad and Wakamatsu). In ONE Super Series action, Andy Souwer and Yodsanklai Iwe meet in a legendary rematch eleven years in the making. The prelims feature former title-challenger Mei Yamaguchi, Muay Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon, BJJ wizard Garry Tonon, and much more. Check out the nine fights counted towards today’s event further below.
STAFF PICKS
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for ONE Championship: A New Era below.
Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 148:
1. Michael DeSantis: 69-23
2. Ed Gallo: 67-25
3. Connor Deitrich: 63-29
4. Brian Gerson: 62-30
5T. Wesley Riddle: 61-31
5T. Ryan Wagner: 61-23
7. Mitch Banuelos: 60-27
8. Mike Skytte: 59-33
9T. Omar Villagrana: 58-34
9T. Matt Bricker: 58-34
11. Jeremy Brand: 55-37
12. Patrick Auger: 52-35
13. Justin Pierrot: 50-32
14. Ash Camyab: 48-28
15. Suraj Sukumar: 34-13
16. Sasha Moksyakov: 31-16
17. Idrees Crawley: 12-4
Anthony Engelen (8-5) vs. Garry Tonon (3-0)
Jeremy Brand: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Tonon via UD
Justin Pierrot: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Ed Gallo: Tonon via Round 2 SUB
Omar Villagrana: Tonon via UD
Brian Gerson: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Matt Bricker: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Connor Deitrich: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Patrick Auger: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Tonon via Round 1 SUB
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Engelen: 0
Staff picking Tonon: 14
Mei Yamaguchi (18-11-1) vs. Kseniya Lachkova (10-2)
Jeremy Brand: Yamaguchi via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Yamaguchi via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Yamaguchi via Round 2 SUB
Justin Pierrot: Yamaguchi via UD
Michael DeSantis: Yamaguchi via UD
Ryan Wagner: Yamaguchi via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Yamaguchi via UD
Ed Gallo: Yamaguchi via UD
Omar Villagrana: Yamaguchi via UD
Brian Gerson: Yamaguchi via UD
Matt Bricker: Lachkova via UD
Connor Deitrich: Yamaguchi via UD
Patrick Auger: Yamaguchi via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Yamaguchi via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Yamaguchi: 13
Staff picking Lachkova: 1
Kairat Akhmetov (25-2) vs. Reece McLaren (12-5)
Jeremy Brand: McLaren via UD
Wesley Riddle: Akhmetov via SD
Mike Skytte: Akhmetov via UD
Justin Pierrot: Akhmetov via UD
Michael DeSantis: Akhmetov via UD
Ryan Wagner: Akhmetov via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Akhmetov via UD
Ed Gallo: Akhmetov via UD
Omar Villagrana: Akhmetov via UD
Brian Gerson: Akhmetov via UD
Matt Bricker: Akhmetov via UD
Connor Deitrich: Akhmetov via UD
Patrick Auger: McLaren via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: McLaren via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Akhmetov: 11
Staff picking McLaren: 3
Danny Kingad (11-1) vs. Senzo Ikeda (12-6-1)
Jeremy Brand: Kingad via UD
Wesley Riddle: Ikeda via UD
Mike Skytte: Ikeda via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Ikeda via UD
Michael DeSantis: Kingad via UD
Ryan Wagner: Kingad via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Kingad via UD
Ed Gallo: Kingad via UD
Omar Villagrana: Kingad via UD
Brian Gerson: Kingad via UD
Matt Bricker: Kingad via UD
Connor Deitrich: Kingad via UD
Patrick Auger: Kingad via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Kingad via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Kingad: 11
Staff picking Ikeda: 3
Eddie Alvarez (29-6) vs. Timofey Nastyukhin (12-4)
Jeremy Brand: Alvarez via UD
Wesley Riddle: Alvarez via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Alvarez via UD
Justin Pierrot: Alvarez via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Alvarez via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Alvarez via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Alvarez via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Alvarez via Round 3 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Alvarez via UD
Brian Gerson: Alvarez via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Alvarez via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Alvarez via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Alvarez via Round 2 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Alvarez via Round 2 TKO
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Alvarez: 14
Staff picking Nastyukhin: 0
Demetrious Johnson (27-3-1) vs. Yuya Wakamatsu (10-3)
Jeremy Brand: Johnson via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Johnson via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Johnson via UD
Justin Pierrot: Johnson via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Johnson via Round 1 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Johnson via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Johnson via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Johnson via UD
Omar Villagrana: Johnson via UD
Brian Gerson: Johnson via UD
Matt Bricker: Johnson via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Johnson via Round 1 SUB
Patrick Auger: Johnson via Round 2 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Johnson via Round 2 SUB
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Johnson: 14
Staff picking Wakamatsu: 0
Kevin Belingon (20-5) vs. Bibiano Fernandes (22-4)
Jeremy Brand: Fernandes via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Fernandes via SD
Mike Skytte: Fernandes via Round 2 SUB
Justin Pierrot: Belingon via SD
Michael DeSantis: Belingon via SD
Ryan Wagner: Belingon via SD
Mitchell Banuelos: Fernandes via UD
Ed Gallo: Fernandes via UD
Omar Villagrana: Belingon via UD
Brian Gerson: Belingon via UD
Matt Bricker: Belingon via UD
Connor Deitrich: Belingon via UD
Patrick Auger: Fernandes via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Fernandes via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Belingon: 7
Staff picking Fernandes: 7
Aung La N Sang (24-10) vs. Ken Hasegawa (16-3-1)
Jeremy Brand: N Sang via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: N Sang via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: N Sang via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: N Sang via UD
Michael DeSantis: N Sang via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: N Sang via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: N Sang via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: N Sang via Round 1 TKO
Omar Villagrana: N Sang via UD
Brian Gerson: N Sang via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: N Sang via UD
Connor Deitrich: N Sang via UD
Patrick Auger: N Sang via Round 2 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: N Sang via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking La N Sang: 14
Staff picking Hasegawa: 0
Jingnan Xiong (13-1) vs. Angela Lee (9-0)
Jeremy Brand: Lee via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Lee via UD
Mike Skytte: Xiong via SD
Justin Pierrot: Lee via UD
Michael DeSantis: Lee via UD
Ryan Wagner: Lee via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Lee via UD
Ed Gallo: Xiong via UD
Omar Villagrana: Lee via UD
Brian Gerson: Lee via UD
Matt Bricker: Lee via UD
Connor Deitrich: Lee via UD
Patrick Auger: Xiong via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Lee via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Xiong: 3
Staff picking Lee: 11
Eduard Folayang (21-6) vs. Shinya Aoki (42-8)
Jeremy Brand: Folayang via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Folayang via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Folayang via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Aoki via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Folayang via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Folayang via Round 3 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Folayang via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Folayang via Round 2 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Folayang via UD
Brian Gerson: Folayang via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Folayang via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Folayang via UD
Patrick Auger: Folayang via Round 2 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Ash Camyab: Aoki via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Staff picking Folayang: 12
Staff picking Aoki: 2
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