ONE Championship

ONE: Century Predictions, Main Card Breakdown, How to Watch

Haris Kruskic

The biggest event in ONE Championship history happens this weekend, with ONE: Century featuring four world championship matches and three world grand prix finals between Saturday and Sunday. It's the first time ONE is hosting two separate cards for a single event.

Notable matches include former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson facing Danny Kingad for the flyweight world grand prix crown, Angela Lee taking on Xiong Jing Nan in a much-anticipated rematch for the former's atomweight championship, and a megafight between heavyweight champion Brandon Vera and light heavyweight/middleweight champion Aung La N Sang. 

Here is everything you need to know about ONE: Century.

     

Where and How to Watch

The event will be held at Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

ONE: Century is split into two cards. The first begins with preliminary matches on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. ET, and the main card immediately follows at 11 p.m. Those in the U.S. can watch the main card on TNT and both the main card and prelims on B/R Live

The second card begins its prelims on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 4 a.m., with the main card immediately following at 6:30 a.m. You can watch on B/R Live.

     

ONE: Century Part I Card: Oct. 12

Main Card: 11 p.m. ET on TNT and B/R Live

Xiong Jing Nan (c) vs. Angela Lee (atomweight world championship)

Demetrious Johnson vs. Danny Kingad (flyweight world grand prix final)

Janet Todd vs. Ekaterina Vandaryeva (muay thai)

Christian Lee vs. Saygid Arslanaliev (lightweight world grand prix final)

Preliminary Card: 8 p.m. ET on B/R Live

Yuya Wakamatsu vs. Dae Hwan Kim

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao vs. Daren Rolland (muay thai)

Yushin Okami vs. Agilan Thani

Itsuki Hirata vs. Rika Ishige

Senzo Ikeda vs. Lito Adiwang 

Phoe Thaw vs. Yoon Chang Min

Sunoto vs. Kwon Won Il

        

ONE: Century Part II Card: Oct. 13

Main Card: 6:30 a.m. ET on B/R Live

Aung La N Sang (c) vs. Brandon Vera (light heavyweight world championship)

Shinya Aoki vs. Honorio Banario 

Bibiano Fernandes (c) vs. Kevin Belingon (bantamweight world championship)

Rodtang Jitmuangnon (c) vs. Walter Goncalves (flyweight muay thai world championship)

Giorgio Petrosyan vs. Samy Sana (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix final, winner earns $1 million)

Mauro Cerilli vs. Arjan Bhullar

Preliminary Card: 4 a.m. ET on B/R Live

Mei Yamaguchi vs. Jenny Huang

Yosuke Saruta vs. Daichi Kitakata

Shoko Sato vs. Rafael Silva

Hernani Perpetuo vs. Hiroyuki Tetsuka

Koshi Matsumoto vs. Takasuke Kume

      

Christian Lee vs. Saygid Arslanaliev: Lightweight World Grand Prix Final

Christian Lee

ONE Championship

Age: 21

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 170 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 12-3

ONE Record: 12-3

Originally meant to be a bout between Saygid "Dagi" Arslanaliev and former UFC titleholder Eddie Alvarez, lightweight world champion Christian Lee stepped in with less than three weeks notice after Alvarez pulled out due to injury.

Although Lee is the division's champ, the lightweight title won't be on the line, as a commemorative world grand prix belt will be given to the winner instead. However, an Arslanaliev victory would guarantee the Turk a lightweight championship match against Lee in the future.

"Warrior" Lee defeated Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in May to earn the lightweight belt for the first time, making him the youngest male champion at a major MMA organization in history. 

Lee is excited to face one of the fastest rising stars at ONE in Arslanaliev, referring to him as a "hungry killer." He knows Dagi wants a marquee win, but Lee says he has even bigger aspirations.

"I don't think he knows how badly I want to cement my legacy."

   

Saygid Arslanaliev

ONE Championship

Age: 24

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 170 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 8-1

ONE Record: 7-1

Eight wins, eight finishes, and seven of those came in the first round. Arslanaliev tends to not waste time against his opponents, as five of his eight victories have come in less than two minutes.

Dagi has been nearly flawless during his time at ONE, with his lone loss coming by disqualification due to an illegal strike.

Even considering all of that, the scariest aspect to Arslanaliev might be Eddie Alvarez—fellow ONE lightweight, former UFC champion and one of the toughest fighters in MMA history—saying he was "genuinely afraid" of what the Turk is capable of leading up to the originally planned world grand prix final between both men. That alone tells one how highly thought of Arslanaliev is.

With that being said, can he pick up the biggest win of his career to date against the lightweight champion?

    

Prediction

This match has the potential to steal the show as an opener to Part I of ONE: Century's main card. It's a showcase of two of the brightest young stars at ONE who both have something to prove, as Lee just earned the lightweight belt a few months ago and Arslanaliev bulldozed through the competition up to this point but still needs a marquee win to solidify his resume.

Throughout his career, Lee has struggled against opponents with knockout power like Martin Nguyen, to whom he's lost twice. Arslanaliev is his biggest test since in that regard, and history shows he tends to be overly passive when faced with strikers like him. This won't be the only time we see Lee and Arslanaliev meet.

Arslanaliev def. Lee by third-round TKO

      

Demetrious Johnson vs. Danny Kingad: Flyweight World Grand Prix Final

Demetrious Johnson

ONE Championship

Age: 33

Height: 5'3"

Weight: 135 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 29-3-1

ONE Record: 2-0

For six years, Johnson dominated the UFC flyweight division as its champion. This Saturday, he can become the No. 1 contender for ONE's flyweight title, the first former UFC titleholder to do so at ONE. 

He is a master wrestler, a submission specialist and one of the most creative martial artists in recent memory. Last August, he showcased his grappling ability by defeating a game Tatsumitsu Wada by unanimous decision.

"Mighty Mouse" is the overwhelming favorite in the world grand prix final, but he learned after receiving a powerful shot to the eye from Yuya Wakamatsu in the quarterfinals and a tough grappling exchange against Wada that his opponents are motivated to knock the flyweight king off his throne. 

Johnson has won 15 of his last 16 bouts and could further make his case in the "greatest of all time" conversation with a world grand prix championship and his 30th career victory.

      

Danny Kingad

ONE Championship

Age: 23

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 135 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 13-1

ONE Record: 9-1

Twenty-three-year-old Filipino Kingad is 13-1 and on a six-match win streak. Known for his quick and clever striking, Kingad earned decision victories over Senzo Ikeda and Reece McLaren in previous stages of the world grand prix. His lone loss came against current ONE flyweight champion Adriano Moraes. 

One advantage Kingad may have on Johnson is how consistently he fights on short notice. The nine weeks Johnson had between the Wada match and his upcoming one against Kingad is the shortest amount of time he's been given to prepare for a bout since 2010. Meanwhile, "The King" has competed in four matches since 2015 with less preparation time and is undefeated in said bouts.

Could this be the advantage the young up-and-comer needs against a savvy veteran?

     

Prediction

Johnson struggled at times against both of his previous ONE opponents. Against Wakamatsu, Johnson got clipped in the eye by a wicked strike. Against Wada, Mighty Mouse was often kept in check by the Japanese's wrestling and length.

The issue for Kingad is he possesses neither knockout power nor a strong grappling arsenal—the latter a notorious deficiency at Team Lakay, Kingad's home gym.

Even in the previous round of the world grand prix, Kingad was dominated by McLaren when the match was on the mat. One can only imagine what a world-class wrestler like Johnson can do against him when given the opportunity. This might not take very long.

Johnson def. Kingad by first-round submission

      

Xiong Jing Nan vs. Angela Lee: Atomweight World Championship

Xiong Jing Nan

ONE Championship

Age: 31

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 115 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 14-1

ONE Record: 5-0

Xiong is ONE's first-ever Chinese mixed martial arts champion, and now she must go up against a vengeful Lee in a rematch of their thrilling bout last March. The former will be attempting to add her name to the record book again by becoming the first two-division women's champion in ONE history.

Xiong is a feared striker, first being introduced to the sport through boxing. An intriguing contrast in styles against submission specialist Lee was on full display in their previous meeting when Lee nearly forced Xiong to tap to an armbar. However, Xiong spoiled the hype around the rising 23-year-old, who at the time was undefeated, by landing a wicked body shot in the fifth round and eventually forcing the referee to stop the match.

Having retained her strawweight title that night, Xiong now has her eyes set on Lee's atomweight championship.

   

Angela Lee

ONE Championship

Age: 23

Height: 5'4"

Weight: 115 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 9-2

ONE Record: 9-2

Lee is at a crossroads in her career. After picking up a heap of momentum with a 9-0 start, she's now lost back-to-back matches for the first time. 

Her unsuccessful attempt to claim the strawweight title last March opened the door for Xiong to jump down to atomweight and do what Lee couldn't: become the first two-division women's champion in ONE history.

A third straight loss for Lee and no belt around her waist would likely put the Waipahu, Hawaii, resident out of the main event picture for the foreseeable future. 

Lee desperately needs a win in the atomweight division she's sat on the throne of for over three years. Her brother, Christian Lee, believes this is the most determined Angela has ever been as she attempts to steer her career back on the right track.

"She has to defend her belt and she's taking it very personally," Christian told Bleacher Report. "There will be fireworks. It's more than the belt on the line for her. It's her legacy."

    

Prediction

As shown by the five-round thriller they had earlier in the year where Lee nearly defeated Xiong by submission before the Chinese rallied to earn a finish, this match could genuinely go either way. 

It feels as though it'll be decided by one singular moment. If that's the case, someone with the knockout power of Xiong should have more opportunities to make an impact. Her strikes add up late in the championship rounds, as shown by Lee's fatigue last March, and that should be a cause for concern against a cardio machine like Xiong.

Xiong def. Lee by fourth-round TKO

   

Giorgio Petrosyan vs. Samy Sana: Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Final

Giorgio Petrosyan

ONE Championship

Age: 33

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 155 pounds

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 102-2-2

ONE Record: 4-0

$1 million. That is what's at stake for two of the best kickboxers in the world as they go head-to-head for the featherweight world grand prix crown.

Giorgio Petrosyan, who hasn't lost in six years, came into the tournament a heavy favorite. The two-time K-1 World Championship winner defeated Petchmorakot Academy by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals before knocking out Jo Nattawut in the next round.

"The Doctor" has absolutely lived up to his nickname with world-class precision striking, but can he continue his dominance against one of ONE's most brash competitors?

   

Samy Sana

ONE Championship

Age: 30

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 155 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 135-11-2

ONE Record: 3-2

In just over a year, Samy Sana has found unique ways to stand out at ONE, both inside and outside the cage. Whether it's his sporting of various NBA gear during his walkout or talking trash to his opponents, the Frenchman is not short on flair. 

"AK47" earned the biggest upset of the world grand prix after defeating Yodsanklai Fairtex in the quarterfinals to hand the Thai legend his first loss since 2011. He followed the victory up with a win against Dzhabar Askerov in the semifinals to book his spot in the final against another legend in Petrosyan. 

What makes Sana so difficult to engage with is his length. There are few featherweights in the world who are 6'3", and allowing him to stand and strike is asking for trouble.

Sana is literally the biggest opponent Petrosyan has gone up against to this point, so utilizing his stature and making the Italian uncomfortable is his best bet of pulling off another shocking upset.

      

Prediction

Sana had an inspiring run to the world grand prix final after losing two of his previous three bouts before the tournament began, but Petrosyan is one of the best defensive kickboxers to ever do it. He should be able to tack on points throughout the bout all while Sana struggles to get into a consistent groove.

Petrosyan def. Sana by unanimous decision

   

Bibiano Fernandes vs. Kevin Belingon: Bantamweight World Championship

Bibiano Fernandes

ONE Championship

Age: 39

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 145 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 22-4

ONE Record: 10-1

The fourth match of the greatest rivalry in ONE history takes place on Sunday. Bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes looks to defend the title for a record ninth time, adding to what is already a ONE record for defenses. 

After losing the belt last November to Kevin Belingon and thus ending his five-year reign as champion, Fernandes rematched the Filipino in March.

What followed was a disappointing result for fans, as Belingon was disqualified for an illegal elbow to Fernandes' head in the third round. The Brazilian subsequently regained his title and now must keep it from going back into Belingon's hands at ONE: Century. 

Although initially hesitant to go at it for a fourth time against the same opponent, something that has never been done at ONE before, Fernandes said it had to be done.

"A lot of people want to see this fight," Fernandes told JM Siasat of GMA News. "That's the reason it's happening. The fight is not for me, it's for the fans. I give this fight to the fans—it's for you guys.

"If the third fight didn't end in that way, I would not care about Kevin anymore, but I believe a lot of Filipinos are not happy. A lot of people want to see the fight."

   

Kevin Belingon

ONE Championship

Age: 31

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 145 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 20-6

ONE Record: 12-5

Kevin Belingon shocked the world last November, handing Bibiano Fernandes his first loss in almost eight years in a title unification bout to become the undisputed bantamweight champion.

With his win, Belingon ended the longest championship reign in ONE history. The Filipino is one of the most exciting athletes on the roster, utilizing a devastating spinning back kick as a key aspect to his overall game.

Where Belingon has improved greatly over the past year is his overall defending. This was on full display against Fernandes when he broke out of the Brazilian's armbar on two separate occasions during his title-winning match. 

Disappointed after his disqualification loss last March, Belingon is eager to leave no doubt about who the best ONE bantamweight is.

"It is hard to tell how it will end, but I'm looking for a knockout so that all talks will be settled," Belingon told ESPN. "It's hard to leave this to the judges because there would be doubts there. I have to get that knockout win."

    

Prediction

On paper, this should be one of the closest matches of the night. Both athletes seem to feed off of each other in poetic fashion, and the almost certain conclusion to this rivalry between arguably the two best bantamweights in ONE history should be nothing short of magic.

With that said, it's hard to imagine Fernandes losing to Belingon again. Even in defeat, Fernandes had multiple chances to finish Belingon. Expect a more composed, cerebral showing from the 39-year-old this time around.

Soak in what is probably the final match of this rivalry while you can, folks.

Fernandes def. Belingon by majority decision

   

Aung La N Sang vs. Brandon Vera: Light Heavyweight World Championship

Aung La N Sang

ONE Championship

Age: 34

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 225 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 24-10

ONE Record: 10-1

For the first time in ONE history, the heavyweight champion is dropping down a weight class to take on the light heavyweight champion. Sang's belt and six-match win streak are on the line.

The first simultaneous two-division champion in ONE history, the light heavyweight/middleweight titleholder Sang is a straightforward brawler. He loves throwing punches and sometimes takes as many as he gives out.

Sometimes, though, Sang appears so infatuated with putting on a good performance that he keeps his foot on the gas for the duration of the bout and looks for the finish at all times. The issue here? His defensive guard lacks and opponents also get their fair share of punches in.

This is a terrifying proposition against a man like Vera.

   

Brandon Vera

ONE Championship

Age: 42

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 225 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 16-7

ONE Record: 4-0

Vera fought some of the biggest names in UFC history during his time with the company from 2005 to 2013, including Frank Mir, Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, Randy Couture and Jon Jones.

Since joining ONE in 2014, Vera has run rampant through their heavyweight division by earning first-round finishes in all four matches. Having wiped the division clean of all worthy challengers, Vera dropped down to light heavyweight and challenged Sang in an attempt to become just the third ONE athlete to hold two titles at once.

Perhaps Vera's biggest issue is his relative inactivity over the years, having only competed four times in five years since joining ONE. The 42-year-old will be fighting for the first time since November of last year when he takes on Sang this Sunday.

       

Prediction

This is the toughest and most notable matchup that either of these competitors have faced during their time at ONE. Although Vera's inactivity is cause for concern, Sang's fighting style and knack for neglecting any defense suits the UFC veteran's savvy and brute strength.

Vera already caught Mauro Cerilli reaching far too often during his last match and made him pay the ultimate price with a first-round knockout. Expect similar in this bout.

Vera def. Sang by second-round TKO

   

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