By JAN CARLO ANOLIN
Action inside the Circle is back as ONE Championship returns on July 31, CEO Chatri Sityodtong said Friday.
Sityodtong announced the recent development on Facebook, kicking off the promotion’s flagship event titled ONE: No Surrender in Thailand.
The event is set in a closed-door, audience-free stadium in response to coronavirus protocols. ONE Dark Series, a taped first-air product for ONE’s broadcast partners, will also hold 12 extra fights on the same day.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our superstar team at ONE Championship for everything,” Sityodtong wrote.
“The world is suffering from the worst global crisis in a hundred years. Most national borders remain closed across Asia. With zero visibility and weekly COVID-19 policy changes in every country, it has been impossible to plan anything. Thank you to the greatest team in the world for your heart and hustle.”
Official cards and other details on ONE: Surrender have yet to be announced.
The news came after the successful ONE Hero Series 13 and 14 in Shanghai, China last weekend.
Last February, Team Lakay’s Honorio Banario started his 2020 campaign right after beating Thai foe Shannon Wiratchai via split decision in the featherweight division in ONE: King of the Jungle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Filipina fighter Denice Zamboanga of Fairtex defeated Japanese Mei Yamaguchi and earned a world title shot against reigning women’s world atomweight queen Angela Lee before ONE decided to freeze its events for the next four months.
