ONE Championship to hold 3 events in Shanghai

ONE Championship will hold three competitions in Shanghai this year. The “Battle For The Heavens” is set for May 26, featuring reigning women’s strawweight world champion Xiong “The Panda” Jingnan in the main event.

The other two events will be on August 18 and December 15, with all competitions being held at Pudong’s Oriental Sports Center, organizers announced yesterday. Thirty-year-old Xiong made history in Indonesia in January by becoming the first Chinese to win a gold belt on Asia’s premier MMA stage. She will defend her title against Argentine Laura “La Gladiadora” Balin, who will make her ONE debut. ONE also announced a partnership with local sports channel Great Sports. The channel will broadcast ONE’s competitions so as to reach out to more MMA fans. “Combat sports has been gaining in popularity very fast,” said Weng Weimin, Great Sports general manager. “We share the same culture and values, and hope to introduce this sport to a wider Chinese audience.”