ONE 174 Shanghai to mark ONE Championship China return

ONE 174 Shanghai is set for 12 December, bringing ONE Championship's flagship numbered series back to China for the first time in seven years. The Bangkok Post reported on Monday, 9 November, that the show will be held at the 13,000-seat Shanghai Indoor Stadium, citing a source, after chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong confirmed the return to China.

Chatri posted "12/12 #ONE174" with a Chinese flag on Facebook on Monday. He did not name the city or the venue, and no bouts have been officially announced yet.

Di Bella title defence planned

The one fight fans already know about is a title defence. Late last month, Chatri said strawweight kickboxing champion Jonathan Di Bella would defend his belt at ONE 174, though he kept the host country secret at the time. Speaking on a Facebook Live on the ONE Championship Thailand page, he joked that he had almost let the country slip.

The Italian-Canadian's opponent has not been named. China's Wang Junguang has pushed himself into the picture after beating former champion Prajanchai Pongsuphan PK by split decision in a kickboxing bout at The Inner Circle 35 on 16 October.

Di Bella has welcomed that challenge. In an interview published by ONE last month, he said he had scored all three rounds of that fight for Wang and that the Chinese fighter deserved a shot. A bout between the two has not been confirmed.

Di Bella last fought in July, when he kept his title with a unanimous decision over another Chinese challenger, Zhang Peimian, at The Inner Circle 22 in Bangkok.

Why ONE 174 Shanghai matters

The event will restart ONE's numbered series more than a year after ONE 173 in Tokyo in November 2025. According to the Bangkok Post, it will also be the first numbered card held outside Thailand, Japan and Qatar since ONE 168 in Denver in September 2024.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, China was a regular stop on ONE's tour, along with Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. Key moments from those years include:

• ONE: Age of Dragons at Beijing's Cadillac Arena on 16 November 2019, the last flagship event in China.
• Legendary Quest at Shanghai's Baoshan Arena in June 2019, where Stamp Fairtex defended her atomweight Muay Thai title against Alma Juniku.
• Closed-door Hero Series development events in Shanghai in June 2020.

The Bangkok Post had earlier reported that ONE was close to finalising events in China and Malaysia for late 2025, but neither went ahead.

What it means for Thai fight fans

Bangkok remains the heart of ONE's calendar. The promotion runs regular events at Lumpinee Stadium, such as the card covered in our ONE Friday Fights 177 preview, alongside its ONE Samurai series in Japan. Recent Lumpinee shows have had their share of drama too, as seen when ONE Fight Night 49 went ahead despite weight misses and at the Lee and Ruotolo weigh-in.

A big card in Shanghai could also open the door for Thai strikers. Prajanchai's loss to Wang showed how competitive Chinese kickboxers have become, and Thai fans will be watching to see whether any of their stars are added to the 12 December line-up.

For the promotion, returning to China also means reconnecting with a large market it has not served with a major live card since before the pandemic. A sell-out crowd in a 13,000-seat arena would be a strong signal for future tours across the region.

ONE has also confirmed a return to Doha's Aspire Dome on 26 March 2027, under a renewed three-year deal with Visit Qatar that covers several flagship events.

Further details are expected once ONE formally announces the card. The original report is available from the Bangkok Post.

Image: Shanghai Indoor Stadium, the reported venue for ONE 174 Shanghai on 12 December. Photo by Narjuko via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.