<ul class="summary-list"><li>Do you like your combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> sprinkled with head-butt knockouts? If so, you might like <keyword id="9313520" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lethwei">Lethwei</keyword>.</li><li>Known as "The Art of 9 Limbs," Lethwei is a strike-based combat sport which allows kicks, knees, elbows, punches, and attacks which use the forehead as a weapon.</li><li>One of Lethwei's biggest fight firms, the <keyword id="9313521" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-lethwei-championship">World Lethwei Championship</keyword>, is looking to expand out of its base in Myanmar and is planning to construct the greatest show in its history when it debuts in the US this year.</li><li>Prominent Lethwei champion <keyword id="9136034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dave-leduc">Dave Leduc</keyword> "will probably be on the card," as will many of its other champions, CEO <keyword id="9313522" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gerald-ng">Gerald Ng</keyword> told Insider.</li></ul>If you like head-butt knockouts then keep reading, as one of the world's most brutal fight firms is bringing its unique brand of violence to the United States.Founded in 2017, the World Lethwei Championship (WLC) has swiftly built a promising stable of fighters who have been showcased in 11 events to date, in various cities in Myanmar.Through CEO Gerald Ng, the WLC has agreed broadcasting deals in multiple territories including one with UFC Fight Pass, which is subscription-based streaming service home to other fight firms like the UK's MMA promotion Cage Warriors, the female-only MMA firm Invicta FC, and Glory Kickboxing.Lethwei is slightly different to other combat firms. Aside from hand-wraps it is bare knuckle. And, as it is known as "The Art of 9 Limbs," you can beat your opponent with either foot, knee, fist, elbow … or your forehead. That isn't normal even in the wild west of fight sports.Ng told <a href="https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/01/world-lethwei-championship-plans-2020-us-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA Junkie</a> earlier in the year that the company wanted to hold its first event in the US in the fourth quarter of 2020.While the coronavirus pandemic has derailed many combat sports events all over the world, it has not affected Ng's plans to bring his World Lethwei Championship to America."It's going to be delayed a couple months, but we're going to get this thing moving," he told Insider recently.<div type="image" title="Lethwei" height="477" width="953" msid="76096290" hostid="261"></div>The WLC team is targeting a date in November, is assessing where the key markets are for strike-based combat, but is prepared to push the event into the early months of 2021 if the coronavirus worsens in the US.It is a decision Ng would not hesitate to take, even if it is at odds with his vision of building brand awareness outside of Myanmar.He was happy to nix the company's first international event because of early fears of COVID-19, he said. "As a company, we are conservative. We were supposed to have our first international show in Cambodia in March."We postponed that even before there was a confirmed corona case in Cambodia or in Myanmar. We just wanted to err on the side of caution. Looking back, it was probably the right position."Since then, Ng has worked on bringing his sport back.He has a behind-closed-doors show in Myanmar, his 12th event, on July 4 and has reorganized the Cambodia event, the company's first international card, for September.From there, he'll launch other international shows in Thailand, Japan, and the US.<h2>The marquee US event will feature Dave Leduc</h2><div type="image" title="Dave Leduc, Lethwei" height="326" width="526" msid="76096295" hostid="261"></div>Bare knuckle fight sports are only legal in a few US states — like Wyoming, Mississippi, and Florida — and so Ng is working to find a suitable venue in a state which allows it.Once he's done that, he said he plans to construct the greatest card in WLC's short-lived history."Dave will probably be on the card," Ng said of his cruiserweight champion.Though Ng said it was too soon to say who could be an opponent for the Canadian, he said that "everybody wants to get their hands on him" because of the profile he has.He then hinted that big-name Lethwei competitors like Too Too and Tun Tun Min could be there, together with other names more familiar to a mainstream fight audience."We would want to showcase all of our champions," Ng said. "It will be the most stacked card we've ever done. But you can also expect to see prominent names in other mixed martial arts organizations who are free agents and interested in trying Lethwei."Ng called Lethwei "a diamond in the rough" when it came to public perception of it as a martial art, but also described it as the "truest" fighting discipline."Purely from a combat sports perspective, it's probably the best way to express yourself because the rules are more liberating thus allowing for various levels of techniques," he said. "You're not limited as much compared to other sports."Ng said he noticed a boon in Lethwei's popularity after the launch of the Netflix documentary "Fight World" in 2018.Since then, he said people have noticed him, messaged him, and want to learn about the culture of the sport and where it came from."That's something that we are really proud of and want to emphasise in our product," Ng said.Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/how-matchroom-and-eddie-hearn-will-restart-boxing-during-coronavirus-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britain's biggest fight promoter is bringing boxing to his 15-acre, multi-million dollar mansion — and Anthony Joshua wants to get involved</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/floyd-mayweather-wants-to-make-1-billion-through-property-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Floyd Mayweather's new goal in life is to make $1 billion through property, doubling the money he made as a boxer, his right-hand man says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/conor-mcgregor-training-video-fight-island-ufc-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor posted his first Instagram training video for weeks, suggesting his desire to compete on 'Fight Island' could be real</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game with tech innovations when his sport returns for good</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/world-lethwei-championship-still-planning-2020-debut-in-the-us-2020-5">Insider</a>

The world's most brutal fight firm is bringing its unique brand of violence to the US, and it involves head-butt knockouts

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Continued outbreaks of the coronavirus has halted Chatri Sityodtong's ability to restart <keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> events.</li><li>The fight promoter, arguably the most powerful figure in Asian combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword>, last held a show in late February and this week had to cancel a planned show for May 29 in Manila.</li><li>Sityodtong told Insider he is not giving up, is "scrambling behind the scenes," and is determined to put on fights as soon as possible in as safe a manner as possible.</li><li>Sityodtong is also adding the brutal Burmese martial art Lethwei to his events and even said he would love to recruit the most famous Lethwei practitioner <keyword id="9136034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dave-leduc">Dave Leduc</keyword>, an expert head-butter.</li><li>"I love Dave Leduc," Sityodtong said. "The guy is a monster."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Asia's biggest <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> firm would love to recruit Lethwei "monster" Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic has waned worldwide, One Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong told Insider.As a self-confessed fan of all martial arts, Sityodtong told us he not only wants to incorporate Lethwei bouts into his future combat sport festivals, he would happily bring in Leduc, probably the most famous Lethwei practitioner, to show off what the fighting discipline is all about."One Championship is a celebration of all martial arts, not just mixed martial arts," Sityodtong told Insider in an interview in early April."We've done submission grappling, we've done boxing, we've done mixed martial arts, muay thai, kickboxing … we've actually done Lethwei before on an undercard."But One Championship is a celebration of Asia's greatest treasure — martial arts — and I want to showcase all the martial arts."It's not just about MMA," Sityodtong said. "I happen to love MMA. I'm a practitioner every day of Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu jitsu. So I fully appreciate all the arts and want One Championship to showcase all the martial arts."On Leduc, specifically, Sityodtong said: "I love Dave Leduc. The guy is a monster! I would love to have him in One Championship."<a href="https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/8/1/20750483/lethwei-champion-dave-leduc-interview-seth-baczynski-ufc-fight-pass-myanmar-kickboxing-muay-thai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloody Elbow</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/3kgyen/lethwei-brutal-sport-burmese-kickboxing-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vice</a> describe Lethwei as one of the most brutal striking styles in the world as it is a bareknuckle sport in which one cannot traditionally win without knocking out the opponent. Without a knockout, a bout tends to be declared a draw.If you want an example for how tough the sport is, it is completely legal to use "gowl tite" — headbutts. Knocked out competitors are even allowed a time-out in which they can be revived by their corner. This is not normal even in other martial arts.Lethwei's most famous practitioner right now is Leduc, who is the first non-Burmese athlete to win the coveted Lethwei golden belt and a pretty good headbutter in his own right.<h2>Lethwei is a 'genuine art'</h2><div type="image" title="FILE - In this July 30, 2019, file photo, One Championship founder Chatri Sityodtong, center, gestures as Reece McLaren, right, of Australia and Danny Kingad, of the Philippines face off during the media presentation for this ONE Championship mixed martial arts fight dubbed: Dawn of Heroes, in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. As his mixed martial arts promotions go behind closed doors and audience free, Sityodtong says he's finding ways to thrive during the coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down sports around the globe. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)" height="1433" width="1911" msid="75432367" hostid="261"></div>Also known as Burmese boxing, the art-form of Lethwei could be confused if it is regarded as a bareknuckle version of MMA similar to what bareknuckle boxing is to the sport of boxing.That's according to Sityodtong.He said: "For me, bareknuckle boxing … there's very little technique involved and it's almost like a street fight between two untrained combatants."Whereas Lethwei is a genuine art. There's mastery involved. It takes a decade of training every day to get to the top."There's a real mastery, a real martial art. Whereas, bareknuckle boxing, I've seen someone who has zero technique, zero anything, just in a brawl."I don't appreciate that — it's not an art. Art is what we see in One Championship," Sityodtong said.The global outbreak of the coronavirus, together with a resurgence of COVID-19 in localized cities and countries in Asia, has restrained Sityodtong from being able to operate despite a desire to host events in times of crises.When Insider spoke to Sityodtong he told us that there had been a new surge of coronavirus cases in Singapore because of importation, and this led to travel restrictions and a governmental shutdown.His planned events in that country for April were therefore canceled. "It has become increasingly harder" for live event companies like Sityodtong's to work, he said, and even though One Championship this week had to cancel a May 29 show in Manila because of the pandemic, he refuses to give up.While it is unclear when high-level mixed martial arts will be able to safely restart in key Asian territories, Sityodtong said he will be "scrambling behind the scenes" to find solutions.Additionally, there may well be conversations with Leduc, who <a href="https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/8/1/20750483/lethwei-champion-dave-leduc-interview-seth-baczynski-ufc-fight-pass-myanmar-kickboxing-muay-thai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Bloody Elbow last year</a>: "Maybe someday I'll compete in One."Sityodtong said: "I love [Leduc's] fighting style, I love his aggression, and I love his finishing ability. He's a real stud."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/ufc-has-inhuman-attitude-patricio-freire-says-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and 'die,' a Bellator MMA athlete says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/mike-tyson-punched-garbage-man-for-throwing-away-his-pigeon-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Tyson said he once knocked out a garbage man for throwing away one of his pet pigeons that had died</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/francis-ngannou-so-strong-he-lifted-shaquille-oneal-with-ease-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The hardest-hitting heavyweight in UFC history is so strong he lifted Shaquille O'Neal with ease</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-slapping-champ-dumpling-slap-mma-opponent-in-prison-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 300-pound internet star took part in a 'prison block' slapping match against a 6-foot-7 cage-fighter</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4">Insider</a>

Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Asian fight firms <keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> and <keyword id="9313521" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-lethwei-championship">World Lethwei Championship</keyword> (WLC) have talked about sending athletes to fight in each other's organization, Insider understands.</li><li>One Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong told Insider he would only co-promote with the UFC in a champion vs. champion format.</li><li>But he added that Dave Leduc, who has an exclusive agreement to fight for the WLC, is a "stud" who he'd love to have at One.</li><li>WLC CEO Gerald Ng told Insider that can happen and he'd be happy to send other Lethwei fighters into One, so long as One's <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> fighters come to WLC, too.</li><li>The WLC intends to bring its unique brand of violence to the United States, could debut in 2020, and would not rule out working with bloody fight firms like the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.</li></ul>MMA firm One Championship and World Lethwei Championship (WLC) are in talks to cross-pollinate each other's promotion.After speaking to One founder Chatri Sityodtong and WLC CEO Gerald Ng, Insider understands that the combat executives have been discussing ways they can elevate their brands by working together.Sityodtong, who is based in Singapore, and Ng, who resides in Myanmar, know each other well as Sityodtong employed Ng in his media department between 2013 and 2015.Ng went on to work for broadcast networks before joining the WLC in 2016 and becoming its full-time CEO in 2017.The two businessmen have retained a close relationship and Ng told Insider in May that Sityodtong consulted him when One promoted events in Myanmar, some of which included Lethwei fights."We've got a long-standing relationship with One Championship, and when they first started doing [shows] in Myanmar, they leaned on our expertise on Lethwei if and when they incorporate it into their promotion," Ng told Insider.<h2>Sityodtong told us WLC champion Dave Leduc is 'a real stud'</h2><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sityodtong told Insider earlier in the year</a> that he is excited to incorporate more Lethwei fights under his One Championship banner.He told us in April that he wants to "showcase all the martial arts" at One Championship because, he said, fighting is a "celebration of Asia's greatest cultural treasure."<div type="image" title="Chatri Sityodtong" height="500" width="1000" msid="76197081" hostid="261"></div>Sityodtong called Lethwei "a genuine art," adding: "There's mastery involved. It takes a decade of training every day to get to the top."He singled out World Lethwei Championship's cruiserweight champion Dave Leduc for praise, saying the unbeaten Canadian is "a monster."Sityodtong said: "I love [Leduc's] fighting style, I love his aggression, and I love his finishing ability. He's a real stud.""I love Dave Leduc … I would love to have him in One Championship."Leduc has <a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoken warmly of One</a> before, Ng is happy to make it happen for a stand-alone event, and would consider supplying more World Lethwei Championship athletes to One."We've known about that [Sityodtong wanting Leduc in One], and have been helping them plan it," Ng told us.In exchange, One's MMA competitors could compete in the WLC ring, fighting using Lethwei rules.A co-promotion would be unlikely as Sityodtong told Insider he would only consider such a deal with the Las Vegas fight firm the UFC.He even said he'd be <a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confident his 21-year-old champion Christian Lee would top UFC's lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov</a> in a hypothetical champion vs. champion event.One and the WLC could work together with a more simple lease agreement on certain athletes.Ng explained: "We're talking to them … to allow some of our athletes compete for them, and we might see athletes from One compete for World Lethwei Championship as well," Ng said.<h2>Ng would co-promote with other organizations, though</h2>While a co-promotion with One may be ruled out, the World Lethwei Championship would consider co-promoting with other firms.Ng had previously told Insider that, after a coronavirus-enforced hiatus, <a href="https://www.insider.com/world-lethwei-championship-still-planning-2020-debut-in-the-us-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the WLC is restarting operations with a Myanmar show on July 4</a>, before holding its debut international show in Cambodia in September.The WLC is planning other international events in Japan, Thailand, and wants to debut in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2020, too.<div type="image" title="Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship" height="509" width="900" msid="76197086" hostid="261"></div>There had been industry rumor that the WLC could co-promote with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), which is run by the American fight sport entrepreneur David Feldman.BKFC was only founded in 2018 but has power-punched its way into the combat landscape because of a violent brawl between Jason Knight and Artem Lobov which was so bloody and so feral that highlight clips were enthusiastically shared through social media channels.It promoted Insider to dub BKFC <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paulie-malignaggi-artem-lobov-bareknuckle-fc-safety-2019-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"the bloodiest show in town"</a> in 2019, ahead of the former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi's bare knuckle debut, further elevating the sport.According to reports, Feldman is even attempting to entice Mike Tyson into his bare knuckle ring with <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/mike-tyson-offered-20-million-to-fight-in-bare-knuckle-boxing-promotion-report-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a $20 million offer</a> to potentially fight his recently-signed veteran heavyweight boxer, Shannon Briggs.Considering the momentum the BKFC has enjoyed so far, rumors of WLC attaching itself to BKFC for an American event may not have been unfounded.Clarifying the speculation, Ng told Insider that there has not yet been any discussions, but he does not rule out co-promotion with Feldman."We've never personally talked," Ng said. "But a couple people I know work for him and a couple people he knows work for us as well."I'm glad his promotion is doing well," he said."We're not opposed to co-promotion but has to depend on what the goals of the co-promotion are."Lethwei and MMA, together with Lethwei and dutch kickboxing, can work just as well as Lethwei and bare knuckle boxing."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/world-lethwei-championship-still-planning-2020-debut-in-the-us-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The world's most brutal fight firm is bringing its unique brand of violence to the US, and it involves head-butt knockouts</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, One promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-matchroom-and-eddie-hearn-will-restart-boxing-during-coronavirus-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britain's biggest fight promoter has launched an ambitious plan to bring elite boxing to his huge, multi-million dollar mansion — and Anthony Joshua wants to get involved</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game forever when his sport returns for good</a>

MMA firm One Championship and the World Lethwei Championship are in talks to cross-pollinate each other's organizations

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Star-in-the-making <keyword id="9359006" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sean-omalley">Sean O'Malley</keyword> needed less than two minutes to finish his <keyword id="9341735" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc-250">UFC 250</keyword> opponent on Saturday.</li><li>O'Malley took hardly any damage in the fight, absorbing only four shots.</li><li>The 25-year-old ended <keyword id="9359007" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eddie-wineland">Eddie Wineland</keyword>'s evening with a one-two combo frequently seen in the sweet science of boxing.</li><li>With his rainbow hair, face tattoo, and professorial punching, O'Malley is proving to be the mad scientist of MMA.</li></ul>An unbeaten American with rainbow hair and a face tattoo obliterated his UFC opponent with a textbook, high-powered one-two KO on Saturday.It all went down at UFC 250, a pay-per-view show broadcast from a UFC-owned facility called Apex in Las Vegas, as the world's premier mixed martial arts organization continues operations one month into its comeback from a coronavirus-enforced hiatus.It took Sean O'Malley, 25, less than two minutes to end Eddie Wineland's evening, finishing his man with a pawing jab which he never meant to land — it was more of a simple, distance-measuring tool designed so the follow-up shot, a straight right hand, would power through Wineland's face … and he landed that bomb with aplomb.This was the sweet science of boxing in action, exhibited to near-perfection by a fast-rising, mad scientist in MMA.The youngster, who extended his undefeated run to 12 wins (8 by KO, 1 by submission, and 3 decisions), barely celebrated, choosing instead to calmly walk around the Octagon, and bow.Watch the knockout here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269455372466733056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>And the walk-off celebration here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269456775507521537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>O'Malley barely took any damage in the fight. He was hit with only four of Wineland's seven strikes, landing 13 of 20 of his own while also attempting flash, spinning ninja kicks."It was a matter of minutes from the beginning of the fight before I cracked him with something," said O'Malley after the bout."I was longer than him and when you're as fast and accurate as I am, I'm gonna land first, I'm going to land early, and I landed on the button."I was really, really healthy for this fight, I had no injuries," he said. "Last fight, I felt I was 95 percent, I had a couple small injuries, but I felt 100 percent in there tonight."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/world-lethwei-championship-still-planning-2020-debut-in-the-us-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The world's most brutal fight firm is bringing its unique brand of violence to the US, and it involves head-butt knockouts</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-wlc-talking-about-cross-pollenating-each-others-promotion-2020-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA firm One Championship and the World Lethwei Championship are in talks to cross-pollinate each other's organizations</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, One promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-matchroom-and-eddie-hearn-will-restart-boxing-during-coronavirus-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britain's biggest fight promoter has launched an ambitious plan to bring elite boxing to his huge, multi-million dollar mansion — and Anthony Joshua wants to get involved</a>

An unbeaten American with rainbow hair and a face tattoo obliterated his UFC opponent with a textbook, high-powered one-two KO

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="9359272" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aljamain-sterling">Aljamain Sterling</keyword> choked <keyword id="9359273" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cory-sandhagen">Cory Sandhagen</keyword> unconscious and then used his platform during the post-fight interview to support those "fighting the good fight" in America and beyond.</li><li>"The world is in shambles, especially in America," Sterling said.</li><li>"We got a lot going on in this country, it's a great country, but there's a lot of things that need to be changed — especially the injustices happening to minorities."</li><li>Watch Sterling's rear-naked choke submission and his victory speech below.</li></ul>An American athlete nicknamed "Funk Master" choked his opponent unconscious in the first round, then got on the mic and hailed people "fighting the good fight" by protesting police brutality.Aljamain Sterling, 30, was competing at the <keyword id="9341735" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc-250">UFC 250</keyword> event in the UFC-owned facility Apex, Las Vegas, on Saturday, June 7.The New Yorker won comfortably before calling himself "a viper, the human backpack" because of the way he submitted Cory Sandhagen with a rear-naked choke.Watch Sterling tighten his grip on Sandhagen right here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269469002205626374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>Sandhagen lost consciousness after the submission and appeared to spasm.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269470051079503872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>It was a statement victory for the <keyword id="992778" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="UFC">UFC</keyword>'s No.2 bantamweight, who is in a commanding position to challenge for the vacant championship.But rather than acknowledge the win or the title landscape, Sterling used his post-fight platform to speak out against the challenges ethnic minorities are facing in the United States and around the world.<h2>'The world is in shambles,' according to Sterling</h2>"I got no words for this right now," <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1269471274306285569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sterling said on the broadcast</a>. "The world is in shambles, especially in America. We got a lot going on in this country, it's a great country, but there's a lot of things that need to be changed — especially the injustices happening to minorities."So this was for everybody back home fighting the good fight, protesting, I support you guys. I'm with you guys all the way. I wish I could be home and be part of it, but I had to handle business … I'm just on cloud nine right now."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269471274306285569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>On the victory itself, Sterling said: "I'm a viper, the human backpack. I heard his coach say, "he's just looking to wrestle" and I said, yup haha."That's my game plan, pressure forward, elite wrestlers can really dictate the pace of a fight, especially if you are competent on the feet, that's what makes us more dangerous."Striking is fun, but it hurts a lot more, I'll tell you that, wrestling is just an easier, clear-cut path to victory, especially when you are as dangerous on the ground as myself."There are black belts and then there are black belts … and I'm a Serra BJJ black belt."<h2>Sterling not the only athlete to highlight the Black Lives Matter movement</h2>In the evening's second bout on the early preliminary section of the UFC 250 card, the UFC light heavyweight Devin Clark knelt on a knee and raised his fist when he was introduced by Bruce Buffer.The take a knee movement was popularized by the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 and has become a staple part of the protests which have gone beyond the borders of the US, <a href="https://www.insider.com/new-video-three-minneapolis-police-officers-keeling-george-floyd-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis last month</a>.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—ESPN MMA (@espnmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269407605388001280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>Clark won his fight by decision, out-pointing Alonzo Menifield to extend his record to 12 wins from 16 (3 by knockout, 1 by submission, and 8 decisions).Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/video-sean-omalley-ends-eddie-winelands-evening-with-power-punch-2020-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An unbeaten American with rainbow hair and a face tattoo obliterated his UFC opponent with a textbook, high-powered one-two KO</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/world-lethwei-championship-still-planning-2020-debut-in-the-us-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The world's most brutal fight firm is bringing its unique brand of violence to the US, and it involves head-butt knockouts</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, One promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-matchroom-and-eddie-hearn-will-restart-boxing-during-coronavirus-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britain's biggest fight promoter has launched an ambitious plan to bring elite boxing to his huge, multi-million dollar mansion — and Anthony Joshua wants to get involved</a>

The 'Funk Master' of the UFC scored a highlight-reel submission then dedicated the win to everybody 'fighting the good fight'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="8445085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Demetrious-Johnson">Demetrious Johnson</keyword> may be the "greatest" <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> fighter ever but he is about to embark on the fight of his life, <keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> boss Chatri Sityodtong told Insider.</li><li>Johnson, statistically the most dominant champion the UFC has ever seen, left the Las Vegas-based fight firm to join Singapore's One Championship MMA league.</li><li>The American won his first three fights, claimed the One Championship flyweight Grand Prix, and is now set to challenge Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Adriano Moraes for the flyweight title.</li><li>"It's a 50-50 fight, great fight for the fans, but not an easy one for DJ," Sityodtong said. "And for Adriano … he's fighting a legend."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Demetrious Johnson is the greatest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts but that does not mean he has it easy in his next fight, a flyweight bout against One Championship title holder Adriano Moraes.That is according to Chatri Sityodtong, the founder and CEO of Singapore-based MMA firm One, who told Insider earlier this month that the former UFC athlete Johnson epitomizes One's culture as he is an extraordinary mixed martial artist and "a wonderful human being."Sityodtong signed Johnson in a landmark trade deal with the UFC in 2018, which saw the welterweight wrestler Ben Askren join the Las Vegas-based business.Johnson left the UFC on a loss, having been defeated by Henry Cejudo after a 13-fight winning run which included 11 consecutive title defenses — a UFC record.Since competing in One, Johnson won three in a row, including a debut guillotine choke submission, and claimed the One Championship flyweight grand-prix, last year.It sets him up for a shot at Moraes' flyweight title — "a tough fight" for Johnson, Sityodtong told us, regardless of his pedigree at the top of the sport.Sityodtong called Johnson "the greatest, pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in history" — a statement ESPN may dispute after <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/mma/story/_/id/26046297/why-georges-st-pierre-greatest-fighter-ever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently naming Georges St-Pierre as the world's best</a>, but <a href="https://theathletic.com/1343546/2019/11/25/the-2010s-mmas-all-decade-team-with-the-top-fighter-in-each-major-division/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one The Athletic may not argue</a> as it said Johnson is most dominant champion in UFC history."It's a statistical fact," it said in 2019.Sityodtong said Johnson's greatness is not just evident during combat. "He's someone that grandmothers and grandchildren can look up to as a role model. He's an incredible father, incredible husband, obviously incredible athlete. I love the guy."<h2>It's a 50-50 fight between a 'Jon Jones'-esque body type and an MMA 'legend'</h2><div type="image" title="Demetrious Johnson and Chatri Sityodtong" height="962" width="1283" msid="75475530" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-20-fights-we-want-to-see-most-in-2020-2?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One of Insider's dream combat sports matches we had been anticipating this year</a> was a seemingly inevitable fight between Johnson and Moraes, which the coronavirus pandemic has, so far, quashed.But the way Sityodtong talks, it is only a matter of time before we see Moraes put his 18-3 record and his One belt on the line against Johnson."It's going to be a tough fight," Sityodtong said, telling Insider that Johnson's fights in the One Grand Prix proved challenging for the American."Adriano is 18-3 and he's a beast. He's a black belt on the ground but he's long, lanky, and tall. He's got that Jon Jones body type for his weight class, and so he's difficult to deal with."It's a 50-50 fight, a great fight for the fans, but not an easy one for DJ. And for Adriano … he's fighting a legend."As for when this match can be made, that remains unclear.One was recently forced to clear its entire combat calendar through May, and so Sityodtong said his team has been "scrambling behind the scenes to reconstruct cards because the [coronavirus-enforced] travel bans has caused so many fights to fall apart "Sitodtong said: "My intention is to put on all these fights, but let's see what Mother Nature says."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/ufc-has-inhuman-attitude-patricio-freire-says-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and 'die,' a Bellator MMA athlete says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/francis-ngannou-so-strong-he-lifted-shaquille-oneal-with-ease-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The hardest-hitting heavyweight in UFC history is so strong he lifted Shaquille O'Neal with ease</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-slapping-champ-dumpling-slap-mma-opponent-in-prison-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 300-pound internet star took part in a 'prison block' slapping match against a 6-foot-7 cage-fighter</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/demetrious-johnson-is-greatest-ever-mma-fighter-says-chatri-sityodtong-2020-4">Insider</a>

Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter in history, but has it tough against a Jon Jones-esque opponent, his promoter says

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> holds its 12th event of the pandemic era on Friday.</li><li>With four championship belts on the line at the behind-closed-doors Singapore event, this is the Asian <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> firm's most ambitious event of 2020.</li><li>If it weren't for the coronavirus pandemic, One Championship would have made its American debut by now, the CEO <keyword id="3492993" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="chatri-sityodtong">Chatri Sityodtong</keyword> recently told Insider.</li><li>And the One founder said at an October press conference that his company's end-of-year schedule and 2021 plans will soon be confirmed, which could include fights for two former UFC champions.</li></ul>One Championship would have debuted in the US if it weren't for "strange" times around the world, its boss told Insider ahead of its biggest and most exciting pandemic-era event, which takes place in Singapore on Friday.Like many of the major <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> leagues and organizations, One Championship was affected by the worsening coronavirus pandemic from March, and canceled all events in that month, April, and May.One Championship, led by founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, restarted operations in June with two events in Shanghai, before a four-event residency in Bangkok, a standalone show in Tokyo, a two-event run back in Bangkok, and now an October series in Singapore.Sityodtong told Insider recently that if it were not for the coronavirus, his MMA firm would likely have made its US debut already.At a press conference earlier this month, he added that the political situation and modern day race relations in America mean the country is going through an extraordinary period.Regardless, a future date on American soil remains "definitely in our plans," Sityodtong said.<h2>One Championship is on the cusp of its greatest show of the year</h2>Sityodtong told Insider that he misses the atmosphere generated by fight fans at live shows, having now held 11 events in the coronavirus era of combat sports."Obviously the biggest difference for us is doing empty stadium, audience-free events," he said."Fighters fighting in quiet environments is a different feeling. Of course, they're giving it their all, chasing their dreams [but] when you have 10,000 or 20,000 screaming fans it really does change the environment in the arena, on the broadcast, and it inspires the athletes. I do miss that."But, at the same time, I'm grateful we're back," he told us. "We were down in March, April, May, and came back in June. Now we are gaining momentum and coming back with our big global stars and our international events."Sityodtong said one of the more challenging things has been getting athletes into territories where borders had closed to stop the spread of COVID-19 by restricting travel. This was particularly true in much of Asia, where many of One's fighters come from.However, he said he has been working with governments to hold events and said his firm has been the first sports league to hold a show in Singapore since lockdown.Friday's event, imaginatively termed "Inside the Matrix," is the third such event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang.But what makes this event different is the championship quality on offer, with four title fights on the card.Here they are:<ol><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ol><li><keyword id="10190750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aung-la-nsang">Aung La Nsang</keyword> (c) vs. Reinier de Ridder — One middleweight championship</li><li><keyword id="9130294" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="christian-lee">Christian Lee</keyword> (c) vs. Iuri Lapicus — One lightweight championship</li><li>Martin Nguyen (c) vs. Thanh Le — One featherweight championship</li><li><keyword id="10190751" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="xiong-jingnan">Xiong Jingnan</keyword> (c) vs. Tiffany Teo — One women's strawweight championship</li></ol></li></ol><div type="image" title="One Championship, Inside the Matrix" height="1350" width="1080" msid="78936138" hostid="261"></div>It is One Championship's most ambitious event in the pandemic to date, and the first of 2020 to have four titles on the line.Aung La Nsang is on a seven-fight win streak and was last seen in a One ring knocking out Brandon Vera for the light heavyweight title, becoming a two-weight champion in the process.Elsewhere on the bill is Christian Lee, a fighter Sityodtong has great confidence. Sityodong believes the 170-pounder could beat any other fighter in any other MMA organization, and even told us earlier this year he'd have tipped the 21-year-old to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov retired Saturday from the UFC with a flawless 29-0 record.Martin Nguyen, meanwhile, has held the One featherweight title since August, 2017, and has three championship defenses to date. His fourth arrives Friday.Finally, Xiong Jingnan moves on from a two-fight rivalry (one knockout win and one submission loss) to Angela Lee, by taking on Tiffany Teo for the strawweight title.<h2>Sityodtong will announce his end-of-year schedule, and will soon give his US fighters competition</h2><div type="image" title="Aung La Nsang, One Championship" height="1206" width="2000" msid="78936145" hostid="261"></div>One Championship attracted worldwide headlines in recent years when it signed a number of US-based athletes like Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, and Sage Northcutt.At October's press conference, Sityodtong said athletes such as Johnson and Alvarez, both formerly champions in the UFC, will soon have fight dates in One."You know, we are solving those issues as we speak. And again … we are working with multiple governments internationally to be able to create the same situation that we have in Singapore."So knock on wood that things come to fruition. But yes, I'm eager to get DJ and Eddie back in action ASAP," he said.Sityodtong subsequently told Insider that holding an event in the US remains a priority for his company."It's still in our plans," he said. "We were anticipating our debut in the US before the pandemic hit, so obviously that put things on hold."[But] I'm hoping to revisit that, and see when's the right time. The United States is going through its own difficult times right now with COVID, but also the riots and protests which have been violent."It's a very tricky time in US history. We have an eye on that. It's not just the COVID thing, but I would love to have an event in the US."At the press conference, he noted: "I don't want to commit to a date of when we will go to the United States, but it's definitely on our plans. The US is in a very strange place right now as well."As for the end-of-year schedule and plans for 2021, Sityodtong said: "We hopefully will be able to announce the initial calendar for 2021 in the near future as we also plan out for the rest of the year."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/why-the-next-khabib-nurmagomedov-could-head-to-one-championship-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Championship's relationship with Dominance MMA means the next Khabib Nurmagomedov could head to the Asian fighting firm instead of the UFC</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-juan-romans-knockout-was-so-awesome-the-commentator-swore-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juan Roman's spinning kick knockout was so impressive that a TV commentator couldn't help but swear live on air</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/demetrious-johnson-is-greatest-ever-mma-fighter-says-chatri-sityodtong-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter in history, but has it tough against a Jon Jones-esque opponent, his promoter says</a>

One Championship would have debuted in the US if it weren't for current 'strange' times, but is one day away from its greatest pandemic-era event anyway

You Searched For "dave leduc" and got 7 results

The world's most brutal fight firm is bringing its unique brand of violence to the US, and it involves head-butt knockouts

Alan Dawson

Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows

Alan Dawson

MMA firm One Championship and the World Lethwei Championship are in talks to cross-pollinate each other's organizations

Alan Dawson

An unbeaten American with rainbow hair and a face tattoo obliterated his UFC opponent with a textbook, high-powered one-two KO

Alan Dawson

The 'Funk Master' of the UFC scored a highlight-reel submission then dedicated the win to everybody 'fighting the good fight'

Alan Dawson

Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter in history, but has it tough against a Jon Jones-esque opponent, his promoter says

Alan Dawson

One Championship would have debuted in the US if it weren't for current 'strange' times, but is one day away from its greatest pandemic-era event anyway

Alan Dawson