MMA legend BJ Penn praises ONE Championship, calls for event in Hawaii

Hall of Famer BJ Penn is ready to see ONE Championship bring its world-class roster to Hawaii for a Fight Night in the Islands of Aloha.

In May, ONE made its long-awaited debut in North America, invading the 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado for a critically-acclaimed event, ONE Fight Night 10. The card featured the who’s who of combat sports stars, headlined by a trilogy bout between ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson and eight-time world titleholder Adriano Moraes.

With their first trip to the mainland being a massive hit with fans and fighters, BJ Penn would like to see ONE head to Hawaii:

“I'm really impressed by the shows you guys put on,” Penn said while speaking on Just Scrap Radio. “I love how you guys are doing the Muay Thai fights with the little gloves. Yeah, I guess the big question is when are you guys coming to Hawaii?”

A fight night in the Aloha State could be huge for ONE Championship given the plethora of fans the promotion has in the tropical paradise. Much of that can be attributed to the legendary Lee family who call Hawaii home. Reigning atomweight queen Angela Lee and her brother, two-division world champion Christian Lee, are undeniable fan favorites and could bring fans from all over Hawaii together for an epic night of action in a genuine tropical paradise.

ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong recently revealed that the promotion will return to the United States in 2024 with four blockbuster events. No further information has been revealed as of yet, but Sityodtong confirmed that dates, venues, and potential headliners will be revealed within the month.

Where would you like to see ONE Championship head to in their highly anticipated return to North America?