Recently, it came to light that erstwhile ONE Championship heavyweight contender Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida is set for his UFC foray against Martin Buday in Abu Dhabi later this month. He’s not the only former ONE fighter on the docket—Reiner de Ridder, a former two-weight titleholder from the Singaporean promotion, is slated to face off against Robert Whittaker in the main event of the tournament. Traditionally, ONE has positioned itself as a counterpoint to UFC, with headlining fighters including Bibiano Fernandes, Shinya Aoki, and the sibling duo of Angela and Christian Lee.
In the recent years, however, the promotion’s focus seems to have slightly shifted, embracing a higher number of Muay Thai and kickboxing bouts as compared to their MMA fights. A consequence of this has been disgruntled MMA fighters, including the reigning champions, leading to the exit of some notable profiles like de Ridder. The remaining fighters could well consider his move and potentially court other promotions, specifically the UFC, which is arguably the grandest stage for MMA fights.
It’s important to highlight that the weight classes within ONE typically exceed the UFC’s equivalent categories by 10 lbs. Hence, the rendition of categories like atomweight, strawweight, and others is slightly different. However, in the case of a few classes such as lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight, the discrepancy is more pronounced and the weight allowances follow a different standard.
A contender who might follow a trajectory similar to de Ridder is Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane. The current ONE heavyweight champion comes as a worthy mention, given his remarkable victory over Anatoly Malykhin last year, an event that was seen as one of the biggest surprises in the sport. Kane’s physical stature and his prestigious wrestling pedigree—undefeated in sixteen of the bouts in ‘lutte avec frappe’, his native Senegalese wrestling style—make him an impressive prospect.
From a marketability perspective, Kane could significantly attract the UFC’s attention considering they’re keen on tapping into the African audience. To further sweeten Kane’s potential deal with the UFC, he has a notable victory over Almeida under his belt. This could create a tantalizing rematch opportunity if both manage to climb their way up to becoming contenders.
Another fighter worth keeping an eye on is Roberto ‘Robocop’ Soldic. Often praised as one of the finer talents outside the UFC, Soldic boasts a track record of securing titles wherever he has competed. His achievements within the Polish promotion KSW constitute one of the most successful periods in their history—Soldic has captured the welterweight title twice aside from grabbing the middleweight championship.
Despite his impressive martial arts acumen, Soldic’s trajectory has not been entirely linear—a knee strike during an accidental contact leading to a no-contest in his debut match and a knockout in the subsequent fight are part of his past. However, climbing back into the winning column with his latest knockout victory puts him in good standing for a potential title fight.
Another inspiring account in martial arts is that of Stamp Fairtex, the first competitor, irrespective of gender, to lay claim to championships across MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. At present, she’s taking medical leave, having been obliged to relinquish her MMA atomweight title due to complications in recuperating from a knee injury. When in full health, though, Fairtex is an extremely well-rounded fighter.
Fairtex’s prowess isn’t confined to merely striking, her ground game is equally commendable with two submission victories in her MMA career. Given the atomweight division’s need for formidable challengers, these skills could elevate her standing in the division’s hierarchy once she’s fit to compete.
However, the potential departure of these fighters from ONE doesn’t cast aspersions on the competence of the remaining roster. The reason these specific athletes stand out is due to the promotion’s apparent decision to downscale their MMA offerings, potentially nudging them to consider other options for showcasing their talent.
ONE’s overall lineup does feature a number of competent fighters. That being said, none possess the gravitas or following associated with Kane, Soldic, or Fairtex. The trio’s potential departure could leave a noticeable void within their respective divisions and the promotion at large.
Ultimately, whether these fighters choose to follow the likes of de Ridder and Almeida or stay with ONE, the landscape of MMA will be influenced significantly. Perhaps this development could lead to a resurgence in ONE’s MMA operations or it might trigger a migration of talent elsewhere.
Regardless of the path these fighters choose, the choices of fighters like Kane, Soldic, and Fairtex will undoubtedly shake up the world of martial arts, further adding a layer of intrigue in the already thrilling sphere of MMA–a testament to the fluid nature of the combat sports landscape.