Brazilian Michelle Nicolini eats a stiff kick from Singaporean Tiffany Teo (2018).
PHOTO: ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
Featuring a formidable roster of female martial arts athletes, ONE: Empower marks a pivotal milestone for women’s martial arts in Asia.
“Over the past decade, we have seen a more level playing field between men and women emerge in combat sports, particularly in comparison to other sports, but there is still a lot of work to be done, as evidenced by the fact that none of the other major global mixed martial arts organisations have ever put together a card exclusively for its women’s roster. ONE Championship is proud to be the first,” shares Matt Connolly, who is Vice President, Marketing, Social Media and PR of ONE Championship.
“ONE: Empower is a huge milestone for women’s martial arts, particularly for any female martial artists who come from countries where sports remain male-dominated. As ONE World Champions like Xiong Jing Nan and Stamp Fairtex have proven, women can be just as talented and successful — if not more so — than their male counterparts.”
Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex dominates India’s Puja Tomar (2020).
PHOTO: ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
“I am the youngest among a very powerful and experienced group of female athletes and I am proud to be a part of this historical all-female event in ONE Championship,” reveals 21-year-old Japanese sensation Itsuki Hirata, who is undefeated in her professional fighting career and is looking to add to her impressive collection of knockouts and submissions at ONE: Empower.
A household name, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion martial artist Angela Lee played an important part in paving the way for other female martial artists from Asia.
“I am so excited for ONE: Empower, as it will be history in the making for ONE Championship! I am so proud to see a fully stacked women’s card,” Lee exclaims. “It’s truly a first for women’s martial arts. Especially for women in Asia, this event will help many other people, women and men, see what being a fighter truly means. Women possess strength, skill, determination and bravery. ONE: Empower will showcase this to the world. Let this be the first of many all-women’s events!”
“I think it’s dope to have an all-female card! I think women athletes deserve that spotlight not just once but multiple times a year,” divulges 12-time former UFC Flyweight World Champion and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson. “This is huge and I hope to see the women’s martial arts scene rise to greater heights.”
“The sky’s the limit for the future of women’s martial arts. The sport is still in its infancy in most countries around the world,” remarks Connolly. “I have no doubt that the level of talent will continue on its rapid ascent, with new stars emerging from across the globe. I am particularly excited to see the development of the lower weight classes that ONE Championship has pioneered, with Angela Lee’s women’s atomweight division at the forefront. The Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix that will kick off at ONE: Empower is just the beginning.”
Watch ONE Empower on the ONE Championship app or on YouTube. ONE: Empower’s scheduled date will be announced soon on www.onefc.com.
