ONE Championship made its debut on TNT on Wednesday with ONE on TNT I, and the event produced some stunning results.
First, Eddie Alvarez (30-8) was disqualified for illegal punches to the back of Iuri Lupicas (15-1) just 62 seconds after their fight, and minutes later, former UFC champion and best Demetrious Johnson (30). -4-1) ended for the first time in his career when he was eliminated in round 2 by Adriano Moraes (19-3) in their main draw at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The MMA world continued to falter after the show, and a deluge of comments lit up social media. For more, check out below for the best Twitter responses to ONE on TNT I.
Wait, wait, wait, WAIT! He’s acting clearly here! I would know! Where are his “clown” emojis with you cowards ??? Show yourself! #What about meGuys, I’m clearly kidding#ONEonTNT #ONEChampionship
– Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 8, 2021
Buddy doesn’t get up. They might as well start the next fight!
– Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 8, 2021
LOL the guy turned his head and pretended to be KO’d because he heard people screaming behind the head.
– Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) April 8, 2021
My word. Alvarez is shown a red card. He is DQ’d. The battle is over. Man.
– Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 8, 2021
That Alvarez DQ was weak.
Lapicus looked like he was done.
– Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) April 8, 2021
A red card without warning is unprecedented. #ONEonTNT
– Bi Nguyen “killer bee” (@killerbeemma) April 8, 2021
I don’t know about that DQ, those punches didn’t have much in themselves. The opponent played the system and turned around while Eddie was hitting. If you turn around while someone hits and you get an illegal hit, that hit should be a legal hit!
– Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 8, 2021
Unless there is blood most fans don’t care 🤷🏾♂️ The harsh reality of our sport that we love. BUT that shot was NOT a knee!
I have to find his Twitter to see if he called me an actor too. That would be some karma IF he attacked me https://t.co/16bwqXYGZq
– Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 8, 2021
👀 Look what caused you, man.@PetrYanUFC # ONEonTNT1
– Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 8, 2021
Joe Silva was right about Eddie Alvarez.
– Ant Evans (@AntEvansMMA) April 8, 2021
EA tweeted out about Joe a year ago – a lot of suckers are like “Yah, Eddie! You’re so beautiful and Joe so bad”.
But I’d take Joe Silva over 100,000 of this MAGA-hatted hype job.
– Ant Evans (@AntEvansMMA) April 8, 2021
Obviously, he’s hitting the back of his head. Can you imagine getting an elbow there?
What’s going on here my GOD
Keep the rules! https://t.co/FJOSsju242– Junior Dos Santos 🅾️➕ (@junior_cigano) April 8, 2021
Johnson had problems with his struggling defense in the last few fights in ONE. He won them, but he showed a few holes and at this point Moraes seems to be stronger from the top position. # ONEonTNT1
– Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) April 8, 2021
What did I just watch 😱
– Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 8, 2021
Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
– Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) April 8, 2021
MIKINHO! WHAT AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE. Knees on the floor = best ruleset, but DJ was ready for that.
– Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) April 8, 2021
LEGALLY GROUNDED KNEE FOR THE PROFIT!
– Daniel Rubenstein (@dannyrube) April 8, 2021
Knees of an opponent on the ground allowed in ONE 😱. That looked weird, it’s like boxing where ground and pound are allowed 🥶
– Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 8, 2021
This is why knees to downed opponents are mean and ILLEGAL in MMA in the UFC! If this was the US, that knee is not allowed and Mighty Mouse can stand up in a more safe and protective way.
I hope Mighty Mouse is okay, but that’s why I disagree with those rules. # ONEonTNT1
– Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 8, 2021
Knees to a grounded opponent should be legal everywhere
– Luis Antonio Pena (@violentbobross) April 8, 2021
congratulations to @adrianomheeren for the big win tonight! Great performance against the very best. We need knees to the head on the floor as part of the Unified Rules. I would love it if they allowed soccer kicks as well.
– Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) April 8, 2021
Is Cejudo going to ONE now?
– Michael Chiesa (@ MikeMav22) April 8, 2021
MMA shows us that there are great fighters everywhere. It’s not about what banner you fight, it’s about what skills and abilities you have.
– Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) April 8, 2021
there’s something really funny about a shirtless guy with a team sobbing that one of the times he hit a guy tonight was maybe an inch off https://t.co/1d7zrGEhwo
– Wild Troys Always Shine (@pdlmma) April 8, 2021
Congratulations Adriano Moraes! Nice knee. And good to see that DJ recovered quickly
– Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) April 8, 2021
all good all back in the hotel. watch the fight. off day at the office. congratulations @adrianomheeren we come back.
– Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouse) April 8, 2021
Adriano believed in herself from the first moment this fight was matched! Never a shred of doubt in that heart! So proud! Congratulations Adriano, you shocked the world and proved what you always said! @adrianomheeren pic.twitter.com/4CLIpTmsJn
– Alex Davis (@Alexdavismma) April 8, 2021