3 ONE Championship stars that retired in 2022

In many respects, 2022 was the most important year in ONE Championship history.

The promotion launched many new World Championships, significantly expanded its submission grappling roster, and debuted on Amazon Prime Video Sports.

Together with those significant acquisitions, some beloved ONE Championship athletes announced their retirement from competition after successful careers. Here is a look at three such big names that retired in the year of 2022.

John Wayne Parr

Over his legendary and long career, Australian fan favourite John Wayne Parr earned the moniker "The Gunslinger."

The outgoing demeanour and firebrand style of hitting of the Muay Thai stylist endeared him to fans worldwide, making him an ideal addition to ONE Championship in 2021.

The former WMC Muay Thai World Champion made an unforgettable impression on the combat sports world, culminating in an amazing retirement fight against Eduard Folayang at ONE X this past March, followed by a remarkable post-bout interview.

While he did not win versus Folayang, the Australian's performance captivated viewers and earned him an additional US$50,000 from a fan vote performance bonus.

Cosmo Alexandre

Cosmo Alexandre, a well-known Brazilian knockout artist, has done and seen almost everything in the world of combat sports.

"Good Boy" participated in kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA inside the ONE Championship Circle, wowing fans with his tremendous power and aggressive approach in each sport.

Alexandre finished Juan Cervantes in a Muay Thai bout at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November to keep his perfect record in the promotion.

Following that, the 40-year-old veteran informed supporters that he was formally retiring from professional competition. Alexandre's several knockouts, though, will definitely be remembered in highlight reels for years to come.

Brandon Vera

Brandon Vera has accomplished more in ONE Championship than most other athletes.

The Filipino-American fighter made his promotional debut in 2014, capturing the ONE Heavyweight World Title and defending it twice before losing to current divisional king Arjan Bhullar.

Vera, a competent wrestler and talented Muay Thai striker, frequently astounded viewers with his fight-stopping strength (he won all of his ONE Championship fights through first-round knockout) and astonishing athleticism for a heavyweight fighter.

"The Truth," adored by his loyal Filipino fan base, announced his retirement after his final bout at ONE 164 earlier this month in Manila. He can now ride out into the sunset knowing that he was one of the organization's top stars.

What are your thoughts on these fighters retiring? Let us know in the comments below.

LEAVE A COMMENT

Please login to leave a comment

0 Comments