Bigdash's injury forces shakeup of Angela Lee-Yamaguchi schedule

Roger Gracie will now vie for the new One light heavyweight title.
One Championship (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--An injury to One middleweight champion Vitaly Bigdash led to a series of tweaks to One: Ascent to Power at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 6.

As announced by One Championship on Thursday, Bigdash's title defense against fellow Russian Aleksei Butorin was canceled after Bigdash suffered an injury during training that made him not fit to fight on the said date.

However, the MMA promotion remained true to their words to keep their event at the place they call home highlighted by two world title fights as the scheduled match between Roger Gracie and Michal Pasternak was elevated to co-main event status with a plum, the new light heavyweight title, on the line.

Gracie made an impression in the Philippines after winning in his match at One: Warriors' Way at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay last December.

Also, One: Ascent to Power will remain a nine-fight schedule as a match between Agilan Thani and Brad Robinson was announced.

In a match set at a 194-pound catchweight, Thani locks horns with Robinson, who made a successful return to MMA action after two years of rest last January after a submission win against Mark Palomar at UGB: Foreign Invasion in Makati.

[Related Story: Foreigners rule UGB's first tie-up with WSOF]

Barring another schedule adjustments, all the other fights taking place on May 6, including the main event between Angela Lee and Mei Yamaguchi for the One women's atomweight title, will push through.

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