Just as 2018 draws to a close, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shocked the combat sports world with yet another mega announcement.

Breaking the news on his personal Facebook page, Sityodtong announced the first-ever ONE Super Series Featherweight World Grand Prix.

Set to commence in 2019, the tournament will feature eight of the best strikers on the planet.

Earlier this year, ONE released its 2019 schedule, with 30 live events already planned across Asia. The grand prix will take place in a variety of different countries throughout the year.

Comprised of only elite-level athletes, each participant is a multi-time World Champion and they all come from a variety of different striking backgrounds. This makes every match a World Champion VS World Champion clash of skill, grit, and determination.

The initial quarterfinal contests will feature competitors from six different countries.

The star-studded lineup is set to include Italy’s Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, the Netherlands’ Andy “Souwer Power” Souwer, France’s Samy “AK-47” Sana, Russia’s Dzhabar Askerov, the UK’s Charlie “Boy” Peters, and Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex, “Smokin'” Jo Nattawut, and Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy, all from Thailand.

Thailand is the most prominently displayed nation in the grand prix, with three of the country’s top athletes set to compete. While Yodsanklai is the most accomplished kickboxer of the bunch, both Nattawut and Petchmorrakot will bring a wealth of Muay Thai experience to the tournament.

In the coming weeks, fans can expect the full slate of first-round bouts, as well as the dates and locations for one of the arguably biggest world championship tournaments in the history of combat sports.

With this most recent announcement, 2019 will now feature a total of three grands prix.

In November, the promotion announced two eight-man mixed martial arts tournaments in the flyweight and lightweight divisions.

For each of the grands prix, it will be a single-elimination format, with the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final each taking place at separate events.

As ONE continues to expand at an exponential pace, 2019 now looks to be by far the biggest year in the company’s history.