B-Sides: ONE 170

OH MY GOD IS MARCELO-CHAN! uwu (and I guess some other guys are fighting as well)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 FROM IMPACT ARENA, BANGKOK, THAILAND
PRELIMS: 7:30 AM EST

While Carl toils away questioning his sanity by keeping up to date on the UFC’s ins-and-outs, it has become apparent that, frankly, we as MMA fans are in need of non-UFC content. But where do we go? PFL/Bellator is, honestly, a baffling organization that I still don’t quite understand in terms of how they operate. RIZIN is both alive and also dead simultaneously in a way that only a JMMA organization can be. This leaves me with singular “major” MMA organization to help cover and flesh out Fight Island’s content a bit more, ONE Championship.

ONE frankly is an attempt to be the UFC in Asia while also saying “no thanks to that MMA junk” in a way that is truly unique. You see unlike with the UFC, PFL/Bellator, KSW, RIZIN, and others, ONE’s MMA (as Jack Slack puts it) is in service to its Muay Thai. The MMA divisions in ONE are genuinely barebones, but their Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Grappling? Man, oh man, they’re pretty slick and worth your time if you have any to spare.

With their first event in 2025 just around the corner, featuring three world title fights and a super fight between two of grappling’s all-time greats, it actually is a card that is worth checking out.

ONE Featherweight (155 lbs) Muay Thai World Championship: Tawanchai P.K.Saenchai (c) (7-1) vs. Superbon Banchamek (21-3)

The reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, Tawanchai P.K.Saenchai, has established himself as ONE’s most exciting fighters in their Muay Thai division. His precision, composure, and devastating counter-striking is what has seen him defeat top challenger after challenger en route to a decision win over Petchmorakot Petchyindee at ONE 161 in 2022. Since then he’s held firmly onto the title with three successful defenses.

Meanwhile his opponent, Superbon, is a genuine household name in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, with accolades that include being the former ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion. It’s worth noting that Kickboxing and Muay Thai in ONE operate slightly differently, with the latter using MMA gloves instead of the traditional kickboxing gloves which the Kickboxing division uses. Yes, I know that’s just as confusing as their weight division names. With wins over Giorgio Petrosyan, Marat Grigorian, and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, Superbon’s career led him to a ttile match against Tawanchai in 2023 that saw Superbon lose via a decision. Since then he’s plugged away and bounced back with two straight victories earning him another crack at Tawanchai’s title which he has been itching for since that defeat.

This match is, honestly, one (pun intended) of the best Muay Thai title fights ONE have been able to put together.

Interim ONE Bantamweight (145 lbs) Muay Thai World Championship: Nico Carrillo (4-0) vs. Nabil Anane (6-1)

Scotland’s Nico “The Problem Child” Carrillo has emerged as one of the Muay Thai Bantamweight' division’s most exciting fighters. He has quickly established himself as an aggressive fighter with solid KO power, having put away his past four opponents in a row. Carrillo has been on a tear ever since he entered ONE in 2023, and quickly rose up the ranks with victories over Nong-O Hama, Saemapetch Fairtex and Muanthai P.K.Saenchai. His relentless forward pressure and heavy hands have made him a fan favorite and a dangerous contender in a relatively short period of time. Originally, this was meant to be an opportunity for Carillo to face reigning champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the title, but a recent injury changed those plans and now Carillo is due to face off against Nabil Anane instead, somewhat spoiling a potential superstar moment for the Scotsman.

At just 19 years old, Nabil Anane has already established himself as a rising star in Muay Thai. At a staggering 6’2”, Anane uses not only his height but a rather unorthodox style to confound his opponents. Ironically enough, Anane faced off against Superlek back in his ONE debut, losing via KO. Since then however, he’s racked together a set of solid wins to earn himself a chance at redemption. The only thing in his way is just an aggressive Scottish guy.

ONE MMA Bantamweight (145 lbs) World Championship: Fabrício Andrade (c) (9-2) vs. Kwon Won-il (14-4)

Like I said earlier, ONE’s MMA divisions are simply not as robust as other organizers and so we occassionally have an MMA fight to sort of fill out a portion of the card. This title fight in the Bantamweight division is pretty much that. Fabricio Andrade has established himself as someone who quite likes to strike, and has found himself as the king of the ONE Bantamweight division as a result. His rise in ONE started in 2020 and he would eventually rack up wins, including one over Kwon, eventually facing then champion John Lineker. Unfortunately for Andrade, his first attempt at championship gold resulted in Lineker not only missing weight (and then stripped of the title), but also ending in a No-Contest because Andrade knee’d Lineker in the groin and that just ended the fight right then and there. It was a horrific moment that you should not go watch unless you are a psychopath. The rematch, a few months later, saw Andrade properly win the title and cement himself at the top of the pile.

Kwon Won Il is also a ONE fighter who established himself with his KO power, though in ONE that can sometimes be deceptively framed. Since his loss to Andrade in 2022, he went on to rack another three wins in a row, all via TKO, to find himself in a rematch and this time for the Bantamweight crown. Kwon has steadily shown improved grappling and striking diversity, making him a legitimate threat to the champion.

As a result, Kwon’s resurgence and Andrade’s dominance have made this rematch inevitable. Kwon has worked tirelessly to address the gaps in his game since their first meeting, while Andrade looks to assert his supremacy in the division.

142 lbs Catchweight Muay Thai: Saeksan Or. Kwanmuang (11-1) vs. Soe Lin Oo (3-1)

Known as “The Iron Man,” Saeksan is one of the most entertaining fighters in Muay Thai given he just seems to thrive in toe-to-toe wars, relying on relentless aggression and a high-output striking style to overwhelm opponents. His never-back-down attitude has made him a fan favorite throughout his time in ONE.

Conversely, Soe Lin Oo brings a methodical and technical approach to Muay Thai. While he can engage in high-paced battles, he is far more prone to use calculated combinations and ring IQ to pick his opponents apart en route to a win.

Both fighters are coming off impressive wins, with Saeksan showcasing his typical brawling style and Soe Lin Oo displaying his tactical prowess in their recent outing. This is a matchup that is the epitome of a battle of styles, with Saeksan’s aggression meeting Soe Lin Oo’s calculated offense.

Openweight Grappling: Marcelo Garcia vs. Masakazu Imanari

Widely regarded as one of the greatest grapplers of all time, Marcelo Garcia is a five-time ADCC champion and multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. Known for his incredible guard work, lightning-quick transitions, and deadly rear-naked choke, Garcia has been a dominant force in the grappling world for decades. His philosophy of “simple but effective” techniques has revolutionized modern jiu-jitsu. Though he has not competed in recent years, owing to a bout with cancer in which he is in remission for, his return to competition in this matchup has generated a lot more excitement in the grappling community than most other competitors can even hope to create.

“The Ashikan Judan” (The Master of Leg Locks), Masakazu Imanari is easily one of the premier pioneers of modern leg lock techniques and a legend in both MMA and grappling circles. Imanari’s signature move, the Imanari Roll, is flat out an all time iconic entry into leg lock submissions that helped revolutionize grappling as well as MMA. While he is probably more well known globally for his MMA resume, he is very much a seasoned submission grappler that actually puts all his MMA wins to shame. Imanari’s creativity and unorthodox approach make him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. I would personally know given the one round of jiu jitsu sparring I had with him, he folded my legs like they were pretzels in ways I still can’t figure out how.

This super-fight between two grappling icons is a dream matchup for fans of submission artistry. Garcia’s traditional jiu-jitsu roots and control-focused style contrast sharply with Imanari’s chaotic and unpredictable leg lock game. Both competitors are revered for their technical innovation and legacy in combat sports, making this a must-watch clash.

Marcelo Garcia steps into the spotlight after years away from competition, while Imanari seeks to prove that his unique approach can still challenge the best. This openweight bout also adds intrigue, as size disparities may play a role in strategy and execution.

Final Thoughts

As a whole, the main card for ONE 170 has some dynamic matches that should be worth the time to wake up early for an Asia timezone event. While none of these names are as widely known as their UFC counterparts, ONE’s Muay Thai division easily are strong recommendations alone. The two Muay Thai title fights should be plenty to placate even the most skeptical of viewers as to why ONE is, more or less, the only place to watch high quality Muay Thai and Kickboxing events, with a sprinkling of MMA added for some flavoring.