Oumar Kane, also known as “Roig Roig,” has rejoined ONE Championship after a brief stint in free agency.
The Senegalese heavyweight secured a victory over Marcus Buchecha at ONE Fight Night 13 in August, earning $50,000, but then unexpectedly terminated his contract.
The 31-year-old, based in Dubai, had expressed a desire to transition from mixed martial arts to boxing, despite his background in Senegal’s traditional wrestling. This decision raised questions given his lack of striking expertise.
Former mixed martial artists, such as Ben Askren and Dillon Danis, have ventured into boxing, but Kane’s situation is met with skepticism.
Kane boasts an impressive record of 6-1 and has emerged victorious in five of his six bouts with ONE Championship. With a three-fight winning streak, he was likely positioned to challenge heavyweight champion Anatoly Malihin had his contract not expired.
He has been vocal on social media, publicly criticizing Malihin and hinting at positive contract negotiations. Meanwhile, Malihin is focused on cutting weight for his middleweight title bout at ONE 166 in Qatar.
Nolan added to ONE Fight 18 card
British lightweight Liam Nolan is set to compete against Ali Aliyev in a Muay Thai match at Lumphini Stadium during ONE Fight Night 18.
After two initial losses at ONE Championship, Nolan rebounded and secured three wins out of his next four fights, including a victory over Eddie Abasolo at ONE Fight Night 4.
ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sitoyotton expressed confidence in Nolan’s potential to become a global superstar.
The event’s lineup features prominent MMA matches, including South Korean Kang Ji-won facing Dutch veteran Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif after more than a decade and Mark Abelardo competing against Ibrahim Daev in their promotional debut.
Rodtan is out, Super Rec is in.
The spotlight of ONE 165 will be on the title match between Super Rec Kiatomu 9 and Takeru on January 28th at Ariake Arena.
Takeru’s original opponent, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, withdrew due to injury, paving the way for Super Rec to take his place in the main event against the Japanese superstar and former K-13 champion.
Takeru, an esteemed kickboxer, will make his ONE Championship debut, while Super Rec, who secured a win over Rodtan at ONE Friday Fights 46, is set to defend his title with a 10-game winning streak.
The forthcoming ONE Championship card in Japan, the first since 2019, will feature two title matches, with Kade Ruotolo defending his lightweight submission grappling belt in the co-main event.
