5 UFC-ONE World Champion vs. World Champion super-fights we need to see

World champions are always eager to take on the biggest and best challenges. That being said, it’s always fun to fantasize about the best fighters from each promotion facing off against each other.

The UFC and ONE Championship are two of the biggest promotions in the world. While the UFC is no doubt the MMA leader in the West, ONE Championship has a stranglehold on martial arts in Asia.

With ONE Championship’s arrival on U.S. primetime via its partnership with Prime Video beginning at ONE 161, North American fans will finally get the full ONE Championship experience. Furthermore, the promotion could mount its first live event on U.S. soil by 2023.

As such, the possibility of a crossover event between ONE and the UFC has fight fans salivating over potential dream matches from the best in each organization.

The organizations play by slightly different rules though, including a different classification of weight classes. ONE Championship prohibits weight cutting via dehydration, instead stipulating their athletes compete within their natural weight classes. This is a stark difference from the UFC, where fighters often shed massive amounts of water weight 24-48 hours before their fights so they can come in under the limit.

For instance, 205 lbs is the light heavyweight limit for UFC, but it’s only the middleweight limit for ONE Championship. It’s an important factor to consider when matching up the talents between the two organizations.

With that in mind, here are five super-fights that we need to see if the two organizations go head-to-head against each other.

---

Two-division world champion Reinier de Ridder vs. UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka (205 lbs.)

Two-division ONE world champion, The Dutch Knight Reinier de Ridder, against the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka, is one for the ages.

A clash between these two world champions would be an interesting fight to see, especially considering their fighting styles.

Reinier de Ridder has proven himself to be a master of the ground game, with 10 of his 15 wins coming by way of submission. Since his arrival in ONE Championship, he has used his grappling prowess to assert his game against his opponents. Even his lone TKO in the Circle was made possible because of his control on the ground.

Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka is primarily a striker, tracing his martial arts roots to Muay Thai. The Czech fighter owns 25 knockouts in 29 professional MMA wins. His three appearances in the octagon have resulted in 'Fight of the Night' performances, with his latest one also earning him the light heavyweight crown.

Despite Prochazka’s recent achievements, de Ridder believes that he is easy work and that he would submit the Czech standout in short order. ‘The Dutch Knight’ has shown that he can take a fight wherever he wants, even against the heaviest punchers in the game.

ONE interim heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin vs. UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou (265 lbs.)

These two heavy-handed giants would rock any stadium.

ONE interim heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin has remained undefeated in 10 bouts, with seven knockouts and three submissions. The wrestling specialist has the ability to take his opponents to the ground whenever he wants to, and his three appearances in ONE Championship showcased his devastating punching power.

Meanwhile, UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has won several 'Performance of the Night' honors because of his exciting brand of fighting, which has also led to him claiming the undisputed title in the promotion. 12 of his 17 wins have ended by knockout, in addition to 4 submissions, with his latest fight ending via unanimous decision.

Ngannou is known to have recorded the hardest punch in the world, but Malykhin is not impressed by his boxing technique. ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong also doesn’t think that ‘The Predator’ can hang with Malykhin or the other heavyweights in ONE Championship.

---

ONE women’s atomweight world champion Angela Lee vs. UFC strawweight queen Carla Esparza (115 lbs.)

Pitting together Angela Lee and Carla Esparza matches two history-making women who will battle it out on the ground.

Angela Lee is the first and only woman to have held the ONE women’s atomweight world title. Her technical mastery in grappling has helped her overcome every opponent who has dared to challenge her reign at the top of the division.

Most recently, she finished ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix Champion and Muay Thai phenom Stamp Fairtex in March at ONE X, the promotion’s 10-year anniversary event.

Meanwhile, Esparza was the first UFC women’s strawweight champion. She won a tournament to earn the right to fight for the crown and dominated Rose Namajunas in their matchup to win the top prize of the division. After a long road back to the top, she faced Namajunas for a second time earlier this year to reclaim the title.

Both Lee and Esparza are stalwarts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and will certainly look to test their skills against each other on the ground. Esparza may have the edge in experience, but Lee will have the advantage in youth and power, and better overall skills.

ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong Jing Nan vs. UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (125 lbs.)

Two heavy-hitting world champions could produce fireworks if they stand against each other in an official bout.

No strawweight has ever beaten Xiong Jing Nan in the Circle so far. She has relied on her heavy hands to knock out 4 of her first 5 opponents, claiming and defending the division’s crown in the process. ‘The Panda’ has essentially cleared out the division and is looking for a new challenge.

Enter Valentina Shevchenko, the top pound-for-pound female fighter in the UFC today. The former kickboxer has transitioned well to MMA, showing that she can be as dangerous on the ground as she is on her feet with 8 knockouts and 7 submissions in 23 wins. Like Xiong, ‘Bullet’ has defeated every challenger to her crown.

The two fighters briefly met when Shevchenko visited Singapore for an event last month. They were able to work with each other and train together at Evolve MMA, while sparking the imagination of fans on what could happen if the two were to take each other on in a real match.

---

ONE flyweight king Adriano Moraes vs. UFC’s bantamweight world champion Aljamain Sterling (135 lbs)

Adriano Moraes is one of the most dominant world champions in ONE Championship and is responsible for the first knockout loss of MMA legend Demetrious Johnson. He has a penchant for finishing his opponents, and his technical skills have helped him win 10 of his 20 wins via submission and 4 by knockout.

For his part, Aljamain Sterling is responsible for snapping Petr Yan’s 10-fight career win streak to claim the UFC bantamweight title. Although he won via disqualification, he was able to win their rematch to unify the title, albeit via a close split decision. Like Moraes, ‘Funk Master’ is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and has used his ground prowess to amass 8 submissions in 21 wins.

The two world champions could certainly see their fantasy fight go to the ground at some point, considering their backgrounds. However, in a matchup between a proven world champion who has defended his world title against multiple elite athletes and a champion who won the crown amidst controversy, it is Moraes who will be favored to take the victory in this one.