MMA News: Boxing Rematch Between Ex-UFC Champions Teased for ONE Championship 169

A pair of former UFC champions could be making their boxing debuts in November.

(ONE Championship)

Two former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions may be squaring off in a boxing match at ONE Championship 169 in Atlanta, GA.

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ONE Championship made its United States debut last year with ONE Fight Night 10 in Broomfield, CO, and now the promotion is set to return to U.S. soil in the second half of 2024 with events already set for Denver and Atlanta.

ONE 169 (previously billed as ONE Fight Night 28) will be headlined by ONE triple-champ Anatoly Malykhin defending his heavyweight strap against Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane, and in a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson claimed that a boxing match with Rashad Evans is currently in the works for the event on November 8.

May 17, 2014; Southaven, MS, USA; Muhammed Lawal (red gloves) fights against Quinton Jackson (blue gloves) during BFC 120 at Landers Center. Quinton Jackson defeats Muhammed Lawal by unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports / Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

“My first boxing match is gonna be against Rashad. I need to get that win back," Jackson explained to Joe Rogan. "They were talking about in Atlanta…[Evans] said it was gonna be under the ONE FC banner. That’s what he’s telling me, I’m waiting for my manager to talk to him.”

One of the things that makes ONE Championship a unique fixture in the combat sports landscape is the sheer diversity of fights that the promotion organizes. MMA, kickboxing, submission grappling, and 4 oz. Muay Thai are all regular offerings on ONE cards, and in 2018 a matchup between Iran Diaz and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai took place as the first boxing match in the promotion’s history.

“Rampage” last competed in MMA in 2019 when he lost to fellow PRIDE legend Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237, and Jackson was previously expected to make his boxing debut opposite former WBO Heavyweight Champion Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs in June before that fight fell through.

Aug 5, 2017; Mexico City, Mexico; Sam Alvey (red gloves) fights Rashad Evans (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Mexico City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Miguel Tovar-USA TODAY Sports / Miguel Tovar-USA TODAY Sports

Evans has been out of action since a one-off fight for Eagle FC in 2022 where he defeated Gabriel Checco, but if a boxing match at ONE 169 is in the works it would give “Suga” a chance to improve to 2-0 over Jackson after the two former light heavyweight champions headlined UFC 144 in 2010.

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