By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media, (see video interview, and photo gallery below)
It’s been quite the week in Denver as fans have streamed into the Mile High City from around the world to take in all the excitement surrounding One Champion’s days long activities leading up to what promises to be a phenomenal night of mixed martial arts action at Denver’s Ball Arena Friday September 6, 2024 featuring two must-see World Championship showdowns!
Coming off a sold-out U.S. debut last year, ONE Championship makes its highly anticipated return to Colorado with ONE 168: Denver with the top names from around the world including the “Steel City Kid,” Nico Cornejo of Pueblo, Colorado. (Read more about Nico below)
On Tuesday fans were allowed to view open workouts at the Easton Training Center Denver on Santa Fe Dr. On Wednesday a press conference at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and the event’s biggest stars. At the pre-fight Press Conference on September 4, Chatri spoke about the significance of ONE 168: Denver and why ONE chose to return to Colorado for its second on-ground U.S. event in company history after selling out 1stBank Center last year. ONE Color Commentator Mitch Chilson will emcee the event.
One of the highlights came on Thursday with the Ceremonial Weigh-Ins & Faceoffs. The Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Plaza Ballroom was packed with fighters, fans and media from countries like Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and several others. The lines to get autographs following the Weigh-Ins was more than a block long.
Plus, Muay Thai legends Liam Harrison and Seksan Or Kwanmuang go head-to-head in the ultimate dream match. And former two-division ONE MMA World Champion Aung La N Sang returns to the Circle to take on undefeated Shamil Erdogan.
The event will be headlined by reigning two-sport ONE World Champion Jonathan Haggerty, who will put his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title on the line against current ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a powerhouse matchup between two of the best pound-for-pound strikers on the planet.
Championship ONE 168: Denver will also feature a submission grappling dream match between American phenoms Kade Ruotolo and Mikey Musumeci, the highly anticipated returns of former two-division MMA World Champion Aung La N Sang and British striking superstar Liam Harrison, the Muay Thai debut of former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker, and more of the world’s greatest martial artists.
Nico Cornejo, nicknamed ‘The Steel City Kid,’ is the first Pueblo, CO athlete to sign with a major sports promotion, ONE Championship. As a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, he’ll join the ONE 168: Denver fight card on Sept 6th at Ball Arena, only the second ONE event EVER in the United States (the first was last year in Broomfield).
Nico was born and raised in Pueblo, growing up very poor with his father in prison. Nico was determined to change the direction of his life as a pro fighter. He has a very interested history as a former corrections officer, responsible for over 300 inmates at a time and for the SWAT team for the state department. In addition to being a family man, he’s now concentrating on his professional fighting career and this first ONE Championship event in September.
Despite his grappling talents, the Colorado, United States, native does his best work while the fight is standing. His devastating punching power has seen him forge a successful MMA career on the regional circuit.
Nico Cornejo looms as a dangerous proposition for any lightweight MMA athlete on the ONE roster.
After an undefeated run as an amateur, Cornejo stormed into the professional ranks with a series of jaw dropping knockouts in 2023.
His finishing ability brought him to the attention of ONE Championship in 2024, and he now has his sights set on adding more highlights to his reel on the global stage.
Click HERE for tickets.
You must be logged in to post a comment.