Exclusive | ONE Championship: ‘Thai Kitten’ Grace Cleveland joins atomweight grand prix, Empower card gets new date
- Cleveland replaces Brazil’s Julie Mezabarba against Meng Bo in first round of eight-woman tournament
- Kick-boxer Anissa Meksen also has new opponent but rest of postponed card intact
ONE Championship’s postponed all-female Empower event – featuring the first round of the long-awaited atomweight grand prix – will take place on September 3, the Post understands.
One change has been made to the previously-announced tournament brackets, with American newcomer Grace “Thai Kitten” Cleveland (5-0) to face Meng Bo (17-5) of China.
The 27-year-old Cleveland, who was born in Thailand and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, arrives in ONE on the back of three wins in Southern California promotion King of the Cage.
It is the third change of opponent for 25-year-old Meng, who was originally scheduled to face Ritu Phogat when the brackets were first announced in April.
“The Indian Tigress” (4-1) was replaced by Brazil’s Julie Mezabarba (8-2-1), however, after losing a split decision to Bi Nguyen (6-6) at ONE: Dangal, which was broadcast in May. Phogat is back in action at Battleground against China’s Lin Heqin (14-2-1).