5 more special bouts we want to see in ONE Championship

Ever since ONE Championship announced Demetrious Johnson versus Rodtang Jitmuangnon for ONE X, special bouts have become a hot topic. ONE X is, of course, the promotion's historic 10th-anniversary event, which celebrates a decade of exciting martial arts. Having special bouts is also ONE Championship's way to honor the Asian martial arts tradition.

With the popularity of individual martial arts steadily increasing, an organization like ONE has an advantage over its contemporaries. Its roster currently features athletes from the world of kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Muay Thai. In the past, ONE has also held submission grappling matches, and even a world championship boxing match. The organization certainly takes their tagline of 'The Home of Martial Arts' very seriously.

With the variety of martial arts on-hand in ONE, these special bouts can easily be put together.

More importantly, this creates endless opportunities for dream matchups. As more of these special bouts become popular, some interesting special bout ideas come to mind.

Here are five incredible special bouts that fans would surely love to see, and that ONE Championship can definitely deliver.

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#5. John Wayne Parr vs. Dan Hardy

Rule Set: Muay Thai

Dan Hardy has said he wants this fight, and John Wayne Parr is always down for a scrap, so why not?

Hardy, 39, was last seen in competition back in 2012 with the UFC, winning a unanimous decision against Amir Sadollah. Since then, he's had a falling out with the promotion, and left the UFC in 2020.

Hardy has also gone on to become a highly regarded martial arts analyst, hosting a YouTube Channel and making some stops as a color commentator along the way.

He has become close to the ONE Championship organization, and previously singled out the idea of competing in a caged Muay Thai fight as one of interest.

Australia’s John Wayne Parr is admittedly in the twilight of his illustrious career, having turned 45 in July. However, he’s yet to lose the desire to compete. A legend in the striking arts, John Wayne Parr basically invented caged Muay Thai which has become immensely popular in the modern day.

Booking such a special bout makes sense from both sides. The younger Hardy returns to action by stepping into John Wayne Parr’s world, and it could prove to be a feel-good showcase for both men. Neither fighter knows how to back down, which would produce an absolute banger for the fans.

#4. Gordon Ryan vs. Buchecha

Rule Set: ONE Championship MMA

The two best heavyweight grapplers in the world going head-to-head in a mixed martial arts fight?

It's must-see TV, so sign us up.

The duo met in a grappling match back in 2019, which saw Ryan narrowly win by points.

Since then, Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida has made the switch to MMA. He won in his ONE debut in late September by making quick work of Anderson 'Braddock' Silva and submitting him by way of the rare north-south choke. The move was highly anticipated, with many in the MMA community questioning Buchecha’s ability to implement his grappling in the circle.

Ryan, meanwhile, has mulled the idea of embarking on an MMA journey for quite some time. A winner of multiple ADCC gold medals, Ryan has made a name for himself with his aggressive approach to grappling, a style seemingly suited for MMA.

So why not kick things off with a scrap against a fellow grappling ace?

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#3. Rodtang vs. Lito Adiwang

Rule Set: ONE Super Series Muay Thai

With seven knockouts in 11 wins, it’s no secret that Lito Adiwang is one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts.

But just how good is he?

Enter the pound-for-pound striking king, Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

Booking a Muay Thai rules bout between Rodtang - the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion - and Adiwang provides the latter with a chance to prove how good his striking really is.

Should the fight be competitive, Adiwang’s stock will rise. Should he defeat Rodtang, the plot would certainly thicken for the Filipino star. As for Rodtang, who has 319 professional bouts to his name, what’s one more Muay Thai match against a mixed martial artist?

It’s an excellent opportunity for both men to prove their mettle in a highly fan-friendly affair, one that will almost certainly end before the final bell sounds.

#2 Shinya Aoki vs. Demian Maia

Rule Set: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Truly the best at what they do, Aoki and Maia are two of the most accomplished mixed martial arts grapplers in the sport’s history. Aoki, in particular, has made a career out of grappling opponents into oblivion in ONE and beyond.

To strip down the ruleset and allow only grappling – where both fighters’ strengths truly lie – provides a platform for a masterful display of martial arts.

Adding to the intrigue is the contrast of personalities.

While Maia mostly puts forth a healthy amount of respect for his opposition, Aoki attacks with a brash personality and seldom turns down a chance to speak his mind.

The mirroring skill sets and opposite personalities make for intrigue in both fighter and rule set – a perfect grappling match for martial arts fans to happily consume.

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#1. Jake Paul Vs. Nieky Holzken

Rule Set: Boxing

Win or lose, if Jake Paul accepts a boxing match against Holzken, fans would have no choice but to respect his bravery. Holzken is one of the most technical and powerful strikers in ONE Super Series, and he's boxed before.

That being said, taking a boxing match against a proven destroyer like Holzken may not be a bright idea. While Paul was making a name for himself on Vine and YouTube, Holzken was amassing a kickboxing record of 94-16 and a boxing record of 14-1.

Nowadays, like it or not, Paul is considered a professional boxer and has built a record of 4-0. His opposition has consisted of a YouTuber, a retired NBA player, a retired wrestler, and the shell of former UFC star Tyron Woodley. Paul had a significant size advantage in each bout as well.

Holzken, meanwhile, has defeated some of the best strikers on the planet, fighting around the world multiple times each calendar year. To make things more interesting, ONE Championship has held a boxing match before, so it would no surprise if they could do it again.

So, would the fight be competitive? Probably not. Would it be exciting to watch? Definitely. Would fans tune in? You better believe it.