Singapore-based combat sports promotion ONE Championship recently revealed a series of announcements regarding their business ventures within Thailand.
Most notably, the promotion is expected to make their return to the country in early 2023, hosting a double-header of events from the Impact Arena in Bangkok on January 13th and 14th.
The card is scheduled to be headlined by a special rules bout between Stamp Fairtex and Anissa Meksen.
Similar to a fight that ONE promoted between Demetrious Johnson and Rodtang Jitmuangnon earlier this year, the bout is expected to take place under both MMA and Muay Thai rules.
The ruleset of the fight will alternate based on the round. When Johnson and Rodtang did their mixed rules fight, it started under Muay Thai rules, then went to MMA rules in the second frame.
Muay Thai is the base of Stamp’s fighting style. She has branched out since joining ONE a few years ago, having picked up eight MMA wins through 10 appearances.
Meksen is a kickboxer, that joined ONE just last year after a long campaign in GLORY Kickboxing. This booking will be her first time appearing in a bout that includes MMA rules.
Stamp is now double-booked, as the Thai talent was already expected to compete against Jihin Radzuan at the promotion’s September 31st event.
No other matchups are known for the card currently. However, talents Rodtang and Nong-O Gaiyanghadao are expected to join the lineup as well.
ONE Announces Partnership With Lumpinee Stadium
ONE held a press conference Tuesday to reveal a massive upcoming deal with Muay Thai venue Lumpinee Stadium.
ONE is planning on hosting a card at the venue every Friday in 2023, putting on a total of 52 events in the year. The promotion will attempt to help boost Muay Thai in the area, while also promoting the sport to a global audience.
It was not known currently whether ONE will strictly host Muay Thai fights in Lumpinee Stadium, or if other combat sports will also be on display. Furthermore, it isn’t known if those events will take place under ONE’s unique rulesets for combat sports, or will be more formal to what is expected for regional shows.
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