5 ONE Championship stars who could pass as variants in the MCU multiverse

The latest trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now out and fans of the MCU are all going crazy. This is definitely one of the most hyped films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date and it’s set to premiere in theaters across the world on May 6.

While Spider-Man: No Way Home flirted with the idea of bringing together several variants of the same superhero from different universes into one single movie, the follow-up to Doctor Strange is set to blow it all completely out of proportion.

With actors like Tom Cruise rumored to play Iron Man and John Krasinski as Reed Richards, as well as the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man, fans could see a ton of superhero variants appear in this movie.

With that in mind, here are a handful of ONE Championship stars as superhero variants in the MCU.

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#5. ONE Championship's Victoria Lee as MCU's Spider-Gwen

Even with a mask on, Victoria Lee (Right) can kick butts like Spider-Gwen (Left). [Photos: Comic Vine/ONE Championship]

MCU’s multiverse could open up an entire world of possibilities, including seeing Victoria Lee as a variant of Gwen Stacy’s Spider-Woman. The character was conceptualized in 2015 and has spawned multiple story arcs, including a big-screen debut in 2018’s Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.

Lee’s physique can seamlessly transition the cartoon character to real life. Watching her fight will give you an idea of how she can also easily mimic Spider-Gwen’s combat movements.

Affectionately known as Spider-Gwen, the character’s universe saw Gwen Stacy being bitten by the radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker. As a result, Stacy moonlights as Spider-Woman while fulfilling her duties as a student.

For her part, Lee is an emerging MMA star who made her professional debut in the Circle last year. She is undefeated through her first three fights, stopping each of her opponents within two rounds. ‘The Phenom’ did all of this while juggling her responsibilities as she heads into her senior year of high school.

Fighting in the Circle is not exactly the same as having a secret identity, but like Spider-Gwen, Lee has to juggle two completely different lives – one where she hits the books, and another where she hits people.

#4. ONE Featherweight Contender Garry Tonon as The MCU's Wolverine

Garry Tonon's aggressive fighting style and variety of looks makes him fit Wolverine's character best. [Photos: Digital Spy/ONE Championship]

The MCU has yet to introduce the X-Men in their universe, but rumors are it will happen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Who better to play the part of Wolverine than ONE Championship featherweight and Brazilian jiu-jitsu icon Garry ‘The Lion Killer’ Tonon.

Wolverine has self-healing abilities, which makes him a fixture in any timeline throughout Marvel’s comics. Of course, Tonon understandably does not possess this ability. He’s only human after all. But his personality is closest to that of the Wolverine.

Like Wolverine, ‘The Lion Killer’ has a relentless style of fighting that he carries no matter the size of his opponent. He is effectively one of the most feared grapplers in the world.

Also, as evidenced in the photo above, he just looks the part.

In the X-Men series, Wolverine’s one true love is Jean Grey and he has always valued that relationship. Meanwhile, Tonon is a pretty loyal guy himself, continuing to work with his mentor John Danaher and protégé Gordon Ryan after their famed Danaher Death Squad group disbanded late last year.

While Wolverine prefers to work as a lone wolf and has a knack for pushing people away with his personality, Tonon attracts people as a fun-loving person as evidenced by his social media pages. A Garry Tonon variant of Wolverine can add an interesting depth to the character that we haven’t seen before.

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#3. ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang as the MCU's Iron Man

Rodtang as Iron Man just makes sense, as he already adopted it as a nickname. | [Photos: ONE Championship]

Tony Stark’s Iron Man is known for his tough armor and is easily the reason why Rodtang Jitmuangnon adopted the nickname ‘The Iron Man.’ This Iron Man variant could be the most deviant from the MCU’s version though.

Unlike Stark, Rodtang doesn’t have an infinite number of armored suits that he dons in battle. But what he does have, however, is incredible durability. Rodtang is practically impervious to human strikes and he makes sure to put on a display of toughness in every fight.

That’s the reason why they call him ‘The Iron Man.’ Because he can walk through any kind of fire like it’s nothing. In addition, Rodtang has paired his ironclad defense with fearsome striking weapons in the art of Muay Thai.

Stark and Rodtang also come from vastly different backgrounds. Stark was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, inheriting tremendous wealth and a tech empire, while Rodtang had to claw his way out of poverty and fight for everything he had.

At the end of the day, though, they are both champions at what they do – Stark for saving the world and Rodtang for bringing action and excitement to the Circle.

#2. ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson as Black Panther in the MCU

The tech-savvy Demetrious Johnson can handle all the gadgets of Black Panther. | [Photos: ONE Championship]

We all know Black Panther in the MCU for his cat-like reflexes, quickness and having one of the most technologically-advanced arsenals among all superheroes. ONE Championship’s Demetrious Johnson could be an ideal variant for The King of Wakanda.

He obviously doesn’t bring gadgets into the cage with him when he fights, but ‘Mighty Mouse’ certainly knows his tech as an avid gamer and tech enthusiast. Johnson regularly streams on Twitch and can probably beat people in video games the same way he beats people in the Circle.

What he does have in common with Black Panther in terms of technology are his tools in the Circle. Johnson is widely considered as one of the greatest of all-time in MMA because of his otherworldly skills and his body of work in the cage.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s speed is also formidable. He may be the closest as humanly possible to Black Panther in terms of quickness, as evidenced by the lightning quick moves he pulls off in his fights.

Johnson may never rule his own country, but he did reign over the UFC’s flyweight division for years before taking his talents to ONE Championship.

T’Challa remains as one of the key figures in the MCU right now. Despite actor Chadwick Boseman’s death, showrunners are looking to recast the role. Finding variants to play his character will be essential in the continuation of his storyline.

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#1. ONE Championship's Gordon Ryan as Captain America in the MCU

Gordon Ryan is already a hero in his own right, fighting for what he believes in. | [Photos: ONE Championship]

If the MCU’s multiverse was indeed real, Gordon Ryan could easily be a variant of Captain America, not only physically, but also because of what he stands for. Captain America is a hero who fights for freedom and American ideals, something that Ryan embodies in real life.

Although he doesn’t have the platform that Captain America has in terms of his relationship with the government, Ryan uses his social feeds to share his pride as an American and even takes a stand on some controversial topics. Like Captain America, he wants to be a voice that represents the people he protects.

‘The King’ may never carry an indestructible shield made of alien metal, but he does his job of protecting people by supporting charitable efforts whenever he can. He’s even giving out free grappling lessons regularly on his Instagram page.

Captain America was considered the leader of superhero group The Avengers. Meanwhile, Ryan is also a notable member of the famed Danaher Death Squad, arguably The Avengers of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to hit theaters in a few months and fans could see a variant of Steve Rogers in a universe or two. Who knows, we could see Gordon Ryan don the red, white, and blue.