The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

Martial arts legends Georges St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie lead daring physical challenge; Catcha Group Co-Founder & Group CEO Patrick Grove Advises In Boardroom.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition" returned with another exciting episode on Monday, March 29, on One Sports.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

Martial arts legends Georges St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie appeared in the episode and participated in a difficult physical task with the candidates. Catcha Group Co-Founder and Group CEO Patrick Grove later joined ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and Advisor Niharika Singh in the boardroom.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

Physical Challenge: Fort Siloso Skywalk on Sentosa Island

For the physical challenge, candidates had to rappel down an 11-story structure and quickly climb back up via rope ladder. The team with the shortest combined time from all candidates would earn a victory celebration at Bar Square and receive an advantage in the next business challenge.

St-Pierre and Gracie surprised the cast by performing the task first, and Task Captain Dom Lau briefed the group shortly afterward.

Candidates from both teams experienced difficulty rappelling down the skywalk and struggled to maneuver their way up the dangling ladder. Japanese candidate Sho Takei struggled with his fear of heights but ultimately willed himself through the challenge.

Despite Sho's tough time, his teammates pulled through, and Team Valor captured the victory behind a strong group effort.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

Business Challenge: Seven-Day Social Media Campaign

Teams had to create an engaging seven-day social media campaign, choosing between influencers Yumika Hoskin and Justin Bratton to promote Andaz Singapore's designer hotel experience. Because Team Valor won the physical challenge, the group had first pick.

With Filipino candidate Louie Sangalang as Project Manager for Team Valor, the unit mostly worked together in harmony while preventing Clinton Tudor from disrupting the productivity. Meanwhile, Eugene Chung's inexperience as a leader for Team Conquest resulted in a disorganized mess.

Both teams delivered solid presentations, but it quickly became clear which side had created the more robust campaign.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

The Pitches

With ONE’s Siyodtong, Singh, and Catcha Group’s Grove examining every aspect of both marketing plans, the atmosphere was intense.

Sho, Kexin Ye, and Monica Millington led the presentation for Team Valor, impressing Sityodtong by combining analytics with creative ideas. However, Grove pointed out the lack of a clear seven-day plan, which the challenge required.

In contrast, Niraj Puran Rao and Paulina Purnomowati presented a clear plan for Team Conquest, but the campaign was bland and unoriginal. Singh criticized Alvin Ang for not contributing to his team enough and Roman Wilson for his PowerPoint design flaws.

With vastly different approaches, both teams headed to the boardroom.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Sends Two Candidates Home In Action-Packed Second Episode

The Boardroom: Double-Elimination

Team Valor once again emerged victorious in the business challenge. Sityodtong credited the win to a superior concept and praised Millington's ability to build brand identity. Conversely, the ONE Championship CEO sent Ang, Chung, and Wilson from Team Conquest to the chopping block.

Chung delivered a passionate speech about changing his life and the inspiration he took from Sityodtong's own rags-to-riches life story, which moved the ONE CEO.

That kept Chung on the show, but Wilson's passiveness and Ang's lack of contribution saw both of them eliminated from the competition.

“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition" consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network, and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sport.

More information on “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” and How to Watch can be found at:  https://www.onefc.com/the-apprentice

ONE Championship and Turner Sports Announce ‘ONE on TNT’ Event Series Coming to U.S. Prime Time in April

Demetrious Johnson, Adriano Moraes, Christian Lee, Aung La N Sang, and More Headline U.S. Prime-Time Events Every Wednesday in April on TNT

 

ONE Championship and Turner Sports Announce ‘ONE on TNT’ Event Series Coming to U.S. Prime Time in April

ONE Championship and Turner Sports have announced four weeks of blockbuster martial arts events airing in U.S. prime time with “ONE on TNT.”

The “ONE on TNT” series will air every Wednesday from April 7 to April 28. Each week will include a preliminary card digitally streamed exclusively on the Bleacher Report App and B/R Live from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET, followed by three main card fights televised exclusively on TNT in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET.

ONE on TNT kicks off with about featuring reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

“We are absolutely thrilled to kick off 2021 with the announcement of our first season of ‘ONE on TNT’. We look forward to introducing our unique brand of martial arts to the U.S. on prime time. American fans can expect something fresh, new, and completely different from anything that is currently available in the U.S. As always, we will feature some of the greatest World Champions across various martial arts alongside a few familiar, legendary names.” ~Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship

The stacked card will also feature unranked Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez against #2-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus in the co-main event, plus reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon taking on the UK’s Jacob Smith in a non-title bout.

“ONE on TNT II,” airing April 14, will feature the return of reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, as he defends his World Title against #3-ranked lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin.

“ONE on TNT III,” airing April 21, will see former ONE Middleweight World Champion and current ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang face former ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash in a trilogy bout to determine a #1 contender in the middleweight division.

“ONE on TNT IV,” airing April 28, will cap off the series with more high-stakes bouts to be announced at a later date.

“ONE Championship has a passionate global fan base and this next step in our partnership elevates the exposure for its top martial arts events in the U.S. This multi-faceted approach combines two leading platforms in Bleacher Report and TNT as we further expand the reach of these premier events and drive additional engagement with a broader audience.” ~Tina Shah, Executive Vice President, and General Manager, Turner Sports

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and more. ONE host the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and World Champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts across 150+ countries with some of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Star Sports, Tencent, TV5, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Fox Sports, Thairath TV, Turner Sports, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, and more.

About Turner Sports

Turner Sports, a division of WarnerMedia, is an industry leader in the delivery of premium sports content across all platforms, widely recognized for its long-standing partnerships with the NBA, Major League Baseball, and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The Turner Sports portfolio includes two of the hottest digital destinations for young sports fans in Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, along with the B/R Live streaming platform and ELEAGUE, a leading gaming and esports entertainment brand. Turner Sports co-manages NBA Digital – comprised of NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE Pass, the NBA App, and NBAGLEAGUE.com – as well as NCAA.com and the NCAA March Madness Live suite of products.

Meng Bo Calls Out Denice Zamboanga, Wants Her Spot in Rankings

“We were supposed to fight last year, but COVID happened and it was cancelled. I couldn’t fly to Singapore at that time. But I must say, Denice was lucky that fight got cancelled. If we were in the ring together, without a shadow of doubt, I would beat her up and take her spot as the #1 ranked atomweight in the division. Denice is a stubborn and tough fighter. But if I was to identify her strength, she’s only good at punching, nothing else. (As for me) I learned a lot in the Samara Santos fight. One weak area I’ve discovered is my ground fighting skills. I need to improve my ground control and strength. My goal is to master all combat sports skills and become the most dangerous MMA fighter in ONE Championship. I think my stand up fighting techniques will be enough to give me the victory. I’m pretty confident that I can finish Denice with a flurry of punches and knock her out within two rounds. That would be more than enough to earn a shot at the World Title. Once I get Denice in the Circle and beat her, I will be ranked #1 in my division, and I’ll be next in line to fight the champion.” ~Meng Bo, Number 2 ranked women's atomweight MMA

Meng Bo Calls Out Denice Zamboanga, Wants Her Spot in Rankings

Fresh off a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over Samara Santos at ONE: UNBREAKABLE on 22 January, #2-ranked women’s atomweight mixed martial arts contender Meng Bo already has her sights set on a possible next opponent.

The 24-year-old fighter from Changsha, China -- currently unbeaten in the ONE Circle -- is calling for a showdown with the #1-ranked Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga of the Philippines. Meng wasted absolutely no time, making her desire to face Zamboanga and take her spot in the official athlete rankings known immediately after her impressive performance last Friday night.

Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga of the Philippines

Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga of the Philippines

Meng is today one of the hottest fighters in the atomweight division. Famous for being the only woman to have defeated UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion “Magnum” Zhang Weili, Meng has knocked out two of her last three opponents, both in the first round.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga’s resounding victories over top-ranked Jihin Radzuan and Mei Yamaguchi since joining ONE Championship in 2019 earned her pole position in the rankings. She currently sports an unblemished 5-0 record.

Meng, however, is hardly impressed by what “The Menace” has accomplished so far in the world’s largest martial arts organization. The 24-year-old Chinese standout feels she is a far better fighter and wants to knock Zamboanga off her lofty perch.

Both Meng and Zamboanga are expected to be participants in the much anticipated ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix, slated to commence sometime later this year. Meng wants Zamboanga in a bad way, regardless. Without a doubt, both Meng and Zamboanga are on a collision course.

If it were up to the Chinese star, she wants to face Zamboanga in the Circle sooner rather than later, tournament or not.

ONE Championship returns with ONE: UNBREAKABLE II, a previously recorded event scheduled for broadcast on Friday, 29 January. 

In the main event, former ONE Heavyweight World Title challenger Mauro "The Hammer" Cerilli of Italy will take on Russia's Abdulbasir "Dagestan Machine" Vagabov. Also scheduled for action is four-time Heavyweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Alain "The Panther" Ngalani of Hong Kong, who will face Senegalese sensation "Reug Reug" Oumar Kane.

ONE Esports and Moonton Announce Mobile Legends Professional League Invitational

“I’m proud of how the ONE Esports and Moonton relationship has blossomed to now include this unique competition, which, for the first time, will enable the best teams from each of the four Mobile Legends Professional Leagues to compete in an online tournament. I thank the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia for supporting our mission to share and celebrate the stories of esports heroes who ignite the world with strength, hope, dreams, and inspiration. Without them, delivering this first-of-its-kind competition to the esports community would not be possible.” ~Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports

20 Southeast Asian teams will compete for a $100,000 USD prize pool in a tournament presented by the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia.

“The MPL Invitational is an event that can give the opportunity for our teams from different MPL countries to play in a professional setting so as to gauge each region’s level of play against one another. Esports is developing at an extremely fast pace in Southeast Asia, and we are so grateful to have our partners, teams, players, and community for showing their support and commitment to the MPL ecosystem. We saw a big increase in our peak concurrent users with Indonesia hitting 2.8 million and Philippines hitting over 700,000 in our latest MPL. We look forward to breaking another record and bringing MLBB esports into the international esports stage.” ~Lucas Mao, Moonton Esports Managing Director

ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship™ (ONE), the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and Moonton, developer of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, today announced the 2020 Mobile Legends Professional League Invitational (MPLI). Featuring the best teams from the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL), the tournament will take place online across five countries in Southeast Asia. 20 invited teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Singapore will compete for the $100,000 USD prize pool.

“I highly appreciate and support ONE Esports’ 2020 Mobile Legends Professional League Invitational as a virtual sports tourism event that will create compelling and engaging travel experience content to encourage domestic tourism travel in Indonesia, while adhering to health protocols. This is in line with our goal to promote Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability in the super priority tourism destinations in Indonesia including Borobudur, Lake Toba, and Mandalika.” ~Wishnutama Kusubandio, Minister of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia

Set to begin on 27 November, the tournament will span two action-packed weekends with the finals culminating on 6 December 2020. The event will be broadcast to fans across the world via both the ONE Esports and Mobile Legends official streaming channels. The event is made possible by the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, which is the presenting partner for the event

Tournament Information

Viewers will be treated to a tournament format that will include the top 20 performing teams from the MPL regional leagues:

• Indonesia: Alter Ego, Aurafire, Bigetron, EVOS Legends, Geek Fam ID, Genlix Aerowolf, ONIC Esports, RRQ Hoshi
• Malaysia: Orange Louvre Esports, Todak
• Myanmar: Burmese Ghouls, Ronin Esports
• Philippines: Aura PH, Blacklist International, Bren Esports, Execration, Omega PH Esports, ONIC PH
• Singapore: EVOS SG, Resurgence

The tournament will be livestreamed in five different languages, including Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Burmese, English, and Filipino. Details regarding the livestream will be provided in due course via our social announcements and tournament website at oneesports.gg/MPLI.

For more updates on ONE Esports, please visit oneesports.gg, follow us on Instagram @oneesports and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/oneesports.

 

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Esports
ONE Esports is Asia’s largest championship esports series, featuring the world’s biggest games, the world’s best teams, and the world’s best gamers. As the Home of Esports Heroes, ONE Esports unleashes esports heroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration. ONE Esports also owns oneesports.gg, a Top 5 global esports site that reaches millions of visitors each month, and delivers to its community the latest esports news, reviews, features, how-to guides, and in-depth stories on esports athletes, teams, and fans.

 

About Mobile Legends Professional League
Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) is held in four regions and represents the highest level of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition in each region (Indonesia, Malaysia-Singapore, Myanmar, and Philippines), with a grand prize of more than half a million USD across regions per season. Moonton created these leagues to serve as a path for the young generation of athletes to pursue their dreams of becoming a MLBB professional player and to support the esports ecosystem in every region. MPL is well on its journey to being the best and the biggest esports league in the world.

 

About Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia
The Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, or abbreviated as Kemenparekraf RI, is a Ministry in the Indonesian Government in charge of tourism affairs and creative economy. The Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy is led by a Minister of Tourism (Menparekraf) who since October 23, 2019 is held by Wishnutama Kusubandio.

 

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia's largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. With a focus on both martial arts and esports, ONE Championship is currently the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts across 150+ countries with some of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Star Sports, Tencent, TV5, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Fox Sports, Thairath TV, Turner Sports, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, and more.

Pongsiri PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym Defeats Sean Clancy by Unanimous Decision in Epic ONE Super Series Battle

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), returned with another spectacular evening of world-class martial arts action. Broadcast last Friday night, 11 September, ONE: A NEW BREED II -- a previously recorded, closed-door event in Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok -- saw the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent take the ONE Championship ring.

In the main event, 4-time Muay Thai World Champion Pongsiri PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym of Thailand turned in a stirring performance, going toe-to-toe with Ireland’s Sean “Clubber” Clancy across three gruelling rounds. Clancy looked to counter Pongsiri’s forward movement with volume output, but the Thai superstar would not be deterred. A sharp left hook from Pongsiri stunned Clancy momentarily, as the Irishman retreated to the corner. In the second round, a slicing right elbow from Pongsiri dropped Clancy to the canvas. But “Clubber” showed incredible heart, beating the 10-count, and making his way back up to his feet. In the third and final round, the two men went to war in the phonebooth, with neither wanting to take a step backward. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Pongsiri to win by unanimous decision.

In a ONE Super Series kickboxing bout, 2-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 of Thailand overcame a tough challenge from opponent Fahdi “The Gladiator” Khaled, just edging out the Tunisian on the scorecards after three rounds. The first round started out with furious exchanges at the center of the ring. Khaled connected on a wild left hook that stunned Superlek momentarily. In the second round, Superlek continued his kicking onslaught, as Khaled opted to box and counter. In the final round, Superlek did just enough to sway the result in his favor, punishing Khaled consistently with his piston-like kicks. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Superlek to win by unanimous decision.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, PBA Thailand Champion Supergirl Jaroonsak Muaythai put together a rousing performance, stopping Milagros Lopez of Argentina in the first round of her promotional debut. Supergirl opened up the action with a fast and powerful straight right hand down the middle, stunning Lopez slightly. As the two women proceeded to trade strikes at the center of the ring, Supergirl connected on another right hand to drop Lopez, who was able to get back up albeit on unsteady footing. Back on the feet, Supergirl ended matters with yet another straight right hand, sending Lopez to the canvas for good.

Australian Brogan “Broken Heart” Stewart-Ng showcased his superior grappling skills, as he finished opponent, 2018 One Shin Cup Champion Prach “SuperBest” Buapa of Thailand in the first round. Buapa began the match aggressively, connecting on a handful of combinations from range. Once Stewart-Ng was able to close the distance, however, the Australian easily took matters to the ground via bodylock. “Broken Heart” swiftly transitioned to his opponent’s back and locked in the deep rear-naked choke to force the tap.

“Merciless” Abu Muslim Alikhanov of Russia made a successful ONE Championship debut, dominating opponent Pascal “Money P” Jaskiewiez of France across two rounds to score a submission victory. Alikhanov wasted no time in taking matters to the ground at the sound of the opening bell, using his wrestling to score a plethora of takedowns. In the second round, a scramble led to the bout-ending leg lock, and Jaskiewiez was forced to tap.

Kicking off the action at ONE: A NEW BREED II, MFC Lightweight Tournament Champion “SuperBenz” Witchayakorn Niamthanom of Thailand delivered an inspiring performance, finishing Moroccan Kickboxing National Champion Khalid “Monster” Friggini inside the first round. After trading strikes briefly at the center of the ONE Championship ring, Witchayakorn scored a successful takedown. On the mat, the Thai athlete worked to secure a deep rear-naked choke, forcing the tap.

ONE Championship returns to Bangkok with the previously recorded event, ONE: A NEW BREED III, set for broadcast on Friday, 18 September. Check local listings for times. In the main event, ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy of Thailand defends his title against Lion Fight World Champion Magnus “Crazy Viking” Andersson of Sweden. Also making an appearance is Thai women’s martial arts pioneer, Rika “Tiny Doll” Ishige, who takes on atomweight prospect Sunisa “Thunderstorm” Srisen.

Official results for ONE: A NEW BREED II

• Muay Thai Bantamweight: Pongsiri PK. Saenchaimuaythaigym defeats Sean Clancy by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
• Kickboxing Flyweight: Superlek Kiatmoo9 defeats Fahdi Khaled by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
• Muay Thai Catchweight (53.7 KG): Supergirl Jaroonsak Muaythai defeats Milagros Lopez by Knockout (KO) at 1:00 minutes of round 1
• Mixed Martial Arts Catchweight (67.5 KG): Brogan Stewart-Ng defeats Prach Buapa by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:51 minutes of round 1
• Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov defeats Pascal Jaskiewiez by Submission (Leglock) at 2:08 minutes of round 2
• Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Witchayakorn Niamthanom defeats Khalid Friggini by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:11 minutes of round 1

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia's largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. With a focus on both martial arts and esports, ONE Championship is currently the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.7 billion potential viewers across 150+ countries with some of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Star Sports, Tencent, TV5, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Fox Sports, Thairath TV, Turner Sports, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, and more.

The Fights Coach Mark Sangiao Wants Next For His Team Lakay Wards

“The lightweight division is one of the deepest in ONE Championship. There are so many great talents, and anybody can beat anybody on any given day. But Eduard Folayang is the best of the best. He’s the former champion and he’s so hungry to get that belt back. I’ve never seen him work harder in his career than now. There are a lot of great matchups to be made at lightweight for Eduard, but the one man he wants most is Christian Lee. Eduard is out for redemption, and he’s training very hard to achieve his goals. Kevin and Bibiano have unfinished business. I just wasn’t convinced the last they fought. Knowing Kevin, he isn’t easy to submit. There were just some mistakes that we made that cost us the fight. But I know we can correct those mistakes. As long as Bibiano is still the champion at bantamweight, Kevin will always be a threat. He’s going to beat any man put in front of him, and he’s always going to be right there at the top as the number one contender. Kevin Belingon won’t go away, and sooner or later, Bibiano’s going to have to face him again. That’s why I believe a fifth fight could happen. Like Eduard, Joshua is in one of the deepest divisions in ONE Championship. Strawweight is stacked with world-class fighters from top to bottom. The competition is very close. But Joshua is so good, that he can really hang with the best of them. He’s at the top now, and this young man is working very hard to keep his spot. I think he needs to complete trilogies with Yosuke Saruta and Yoshitaka Naito. A lot of people weren’t convinced with his victories over either, which is why I think rematches would work well in favor of Joshua closing the book on these adversaries. Joshua continues to get better and better by the day. I’m really amazed at his development, and he’s still so young. Whether Adriano Moraes will remain champion after his fight with Demetrious Johnson, that remains to be seen. But whether or not Moraes is champion, Danny is ready to fight him. Danny has improved so much in just a span of three years. He’s worked so hard in every facet of his game. There’s no stopping this young man from achieving his goals. Fans will be surprised by just how good Danny is now compared to just a few months ago. He’s used this time off wisely to refocus and rededicate himself to proving himself as one of the best in the world at his weight class. I think Danny learned so much from the first fight with Adriano, and now he’s a completely different fighter. He has so much more experience. I know Danny will beat Adriano the next time they meet in the Circle.” ~Mark Sangiao, Philippine Martial Arts Pioneer

Mark Sangiao isn’t just the head coach and founder of the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Philippines. He’s also the team’s spiritual leader, a father-figure to many of its younger members, and a guide through the often convoluted world of mixed martial arts.

Known as one of the most prolific martial arts outfits in Asia, Team Lakay is home to many great athletes and World Champions, many of whom trust Sangiao with their lives. So it certainly comes as no surprise that Sangiao has a pretty good idea of what could be next for some of his most prized pupils.

The 41-year-old veteran recently shared his thoughts on potential matchups for his wards in ONE Championship. Here’s what he had to say.

• Eduard “Landslide” Folayang

Former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang is a man on the comeback trail. After a dismal 2019, wherein he dropped two out of three, the 36-year-old veteran is on the quest for gold.

The reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion, 22-year-old Christian Lee is the most wanted man in the division. Sangiao likes the odds for Folayang against the young titleholder, should they meet in the Circle.

Where Folayang is right now in the pecking order at lightweight is debatable. He currently sits outside of the top five in ONE’s official athlete rankings. Folayang may need a win over a big-name opponent to position himself for a shot at “The Warrior.”

• Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon

Another world champion on the hunt for redemption is former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin Belingon. Belingon is a ferocious beast in the Circle, favored to decimate any man unlucky enough to get stuck in there with him.

Reigning bantamweight king Bibiano Fernandes, however, remains the only man capable of taming “The Silencer.” The 40-year-old “Flash” owns two legitimate submission victories over Belingon, and one questionable disqualification. On the other hand, Belingon has one comprehensive win over the legend.

Sangiao believes that as long as the two are in the same division, the threat of Belingon to Fernandes’ title reign will always be present.

Belingon is currently ranked #1 at bantamweight in ONE’s official rankings, so the idea of a fifth showdown between the two isn’t too far-fetched. However, Belingon may have to defeat another top contender before he earns another shot at Fernandes.

• Joshua “The Passion” Pacio

Reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio knows being a champion means everyone is coming for you. In one of ONE Championship’s richest weight classes in terms of talent, Pacio has established himself as a legitimate and dominant champion.

But there are two men who Sangiao believes Pacio should rematch -- former strawweight titleholders Yosuke Saruta and Yoshitaka Naito.

Saruta and Naito are actually scheduled to face each other this September in Tokyo’s “Road to ONE: 3rd TOKYO FIGHT NIGHT” event organized by Abema TV in partnership with ONE. Saruta has expressed his intention of facing Pacio if he can get past Naito. His opponent should be thinking the same.

• Danny “The King” Kingad

When Danny Kingad lost to reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes in 2017, it set “The King” off on a path of learning. After all, he suffered the first defeat of his professional career, in his first-ever title shot, and it’s an experience Kingad says will stick with him for as long as he competes.

Sangiao believes Kingad learned more in that loss than he did in any of his wins. As a result, the Filipino star is developing at an exponential rate, and Sangiao is simply amazed at what he sees.

Moraes is expected to defend his title next against ONE Flyweight Grand Prix World Champion and 12-time former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Sangiao is confident Kingad would destroy Moraes now, regardless of whether or not the Brazilian remains champion after the Johnson bout.

Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera Excited with possibility of facing ‘Monster’ Buchecha in the ONE Circle

“So I had to look up the proper name, because I only know that monster as Buchecha. He is a phenomenal athlete. I am very lucky to have the opportunity to possibly meet him in the ONE Circle. And it’s not just him. ONE signed a plethora of amazingly talented heavyweights. I’m going to train right now! I am very familiar with his grappling accolades. He has beaten the best in the world and at any given moment, at any weight, he is one of the top two grapplers in the world against anyone. I am very excited he is making the transition to MMA. I think it is the correct progression after you win 13 World Titles in grappling. There is no one else for you to beat there. Looking forward to watching him and maybe even competing against him. It’s a very welcome challenge. My grappling and jiu-jitsu lineage is full of schools of hard knocks -- from Master Lloyd Irvin, to Dean Lister, to Andre Galvao, my catch-wrestling coach Neil Melanson, and everyone in between. I’m very confident in my jiu-jitsu capabilities. The level of competition has just increased exponentially. ONE Championship is making a very comfortable home for the big boys and giving me a lot of work to do. I’m looking forward to all of it.” ~Brandon “The Truth” Vera, Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion

Brandon “The Truth” Vera, Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion

Brandon Vera Excited With Possibility of Facing ‘Monster’ Buchecha in the ONE Circle. Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera and his potential matchups in his division. 

Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is spending much-needed quality time with his wife Jessica and newborn Atreyu Timothy in Guam amid the pandemic. But ONE Championship’s recent bolster of its heavyweight division has the reigning king enthusiastic about a handful of potential matchups.

One such matchup could possibly come against a recent signing. The promotion announced last week that it had added grappling legend Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida to its ranks. The Brazilian superstar is one of the most prolific Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world and is widely considered a demigod in the grappling circles.

After hearing the news of Almeida’s signing, Vera says he felt extra motivated to get the right to work. One look at Almeida’s grocery list of achievements on the mats can make anyone starstruck. The number of gold medals and world championship he's won is blinding. 

Almeida has 128 victories and only 13 losses in his grappling career, and now, he’s making the shift to the Circle which has fans from both the grappling and mixed martial arts worlds excited.

Vera knows exactly the type of ‘monster’ he could be up against should he meet Almeida in the Circle. “The Truth” is all praises for “Buchecha.”

Vera has held the ONE Heavyweight World Title since 2015 when he captured the inaugural belt with a knockout victory over Paul Cheng. Since then, Vera has defended the title successfully on two occasions, via first-round finishes over Hideki Sekine and Mauro Cerilli.

After a failed bid at light heavyweight against Aung La N Sang, Vera is excited to get back in the Circle and continue his reign of dominance in his natural weight class.

With the possibility of facing “Buchecha” down the line, Vera is confident his jiu-jitsu can hang with the world’s best, and that his overall skills will guide him through if he works hard enough.

Though nothing has been finalized as of the moment, the Filipino-American is expected to make his next title defense against India’s Arjan Bhullar, another worthy name in the mix. That bout could come later this year or in early 2021.

One thing is certain, ONE Championship’s heavyweight division is looking very deep right now, and Vera suddenly has a myriad of tough matchups he could possibly face in the Circle. At this stage in his career, Vera is rejuvenated. 

Like always, the 42-year-old veteran is up for the toughest challenges.

Strong Faith, Great Teammates, Man’s Best Friend are Joshua Pacio’s Lockdown Essentials

“The important thing for me in this kind of situation is praying to God. He is the only one who knows what's going to happen, trusting in God in this kind of situation is important and of course, we should trust Him not only in these situations but in good times or bad. My teammates inspire me every day, they are the reason why I'm a champion, they helped me get to where I am today, they motivate me in downtimes and help me realize what my mistakes are. The hardest part is that we can't go to the gym to train, that's why we find ways to train inside our homes. In the past years, we were lacking training equipment in the gym. This is not new to us, so we find ways to stay sharp. Luckily, I have punching mitts and manong (older brother) Kevin [Belingon] and I are in the same barangay (village) so we hold pads for each other. Actually, this pandemic taught me more about how to bond with my dog. And my dog is getting fat so I need to go run or jog with her. When I get older, I think we need to talk about getting up in a higher weight division. But for now, I have no intention of going up in weight classes because my teammates are in those weight classes. Honestly, I’m not the guy who has a dream opponent. I just focus on improving every day and every bout. I am a champion and I need to prove that every time I step inside the Circle.” ~Joshua Pacio, ONE Strawweight World Champion

On many occasions, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has stated that he would never sign an athlete like Conor McGregor because he doesn’t embody the values of the company. In many respects, ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio is the polar opposite. 

Pacio is a shining embodiment of traditional martial arts values. Nicknamed “The Passion,” Pacio is a man who relies firmly on his faith. In these times of uncertainty, it’s something that he has turned to for reassurance. Pacio is part of a unique band of brothers at the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Philippines. Remarkably, he is one of five athletes who have realized their dreams of becoming World Champions at ONE Championship.

Under the watchful eye of legendary coach Mark Sangiao, Pacio and his team combine a strong work ethic with deep-rooted values to achieve unprecedented success. They didn’t start out with any fancy equipment, but the strength of their collective mindset gave them everything they needed to succeed.

While the current COVID-19 situation is far from ideal for an elite martial arts world champion, Pacio’s experience as a member of Team Lakay has put him in good stead. Having a teammate nearby is certainly helping Pacio stay sharp during the pandemic, but as fans have seen in his recent social media posts – one companion, in particular, has become a mainstay of his daily routine. While Pacio’s dog may have put on the pounds, he doesn’t intend to follow suit.

Pacio’s reservations about a jump to flyweight are understandable. ONE’s flyweight division really is packed with his brothers from Team Lakay. Geje Eustaquio is a former ONE Flyweight World Champion, and Danny Kingad was a finalist in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix. Meanwhile, competing at his current weight seems to suit Pacio just fine, with his second reign as king of the strawweights producing some impressive results.

After winning the belt back from Yosuke Saruta in Manila in April 2019, the young star returned to his nation’s capital twice more to carve out a statement victory over veteran wushu world champion and fellow Filipino Rene Catalan in November, before going on to clinch a decision win over former strawweight titleholder Alex Silva in January.

ONE Championship’s martial arts values are integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion. In difficult times, it’s inspiring to see an individual who has such a strong grasp of what it means to incorporate them into daily life, whether it’s in or out of competition, or indeed, in the midst of a global pandemic.

But, judging by his work ethic, as well as the strength he draws from his faith, his teammates, and indeed, his furry companion, Pacio has all the ingredients to flourish under any circumstance. Despite not having about booked for the first time in a long-time, the 24-year-old Pacio’s mindset seems sharper than ever as he looks to carve out an enduring legacy in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

ONE Championship’s Singapore Event Converted to Closed Door Event

“In light of the coronavirus situation in Singapore, I have made the decision to convert ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 into a closed event for broadcast only. The Singapore Indoor Stadium will not be open to the general public, but the event will proceed behind closed doors as scheduled live on all TV and digital platforms across 150+ countries around the world. We just felt that this was an incredible moment for us to ignite hope and strength across the continent of Asia and to our fans all over the world during this difficult time. I also want to say that it is only by love, compassion, and resilience that Singapore as a country and Asia as a continent can overcome and conquer the Coronavirus. It was not an easy decision for us. In fact, many people were pushing us to cancel the event. But I thought back to why I started ONE Championship in the first place. And our mission since day one has been to unleash real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration. It’s a very different mission than all of our other global competitors. Yes, we want to put on the greatest fights. Yes, we have the greatest martial artists in the world but there’s a deeper mission for ONE Championship. And in a time of crisis, in a time of fear in the continent of Asia, our heroes are ready to inspire the world.” ~Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Chairman & CEO

ONE Chairman & CEO Chatri Sityodtong organized a conference call earlier today on the decision to convert the upcoming ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE from live into a closed-door event.

ONE Championship recently announced that the company has made the decision to convert one of its live events into a closed-door event. ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE, which is scheduled for Friday, 28 February in Singapore is to proceed as planned, but the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be closed off to fans and media.

The decision was made with regards to the situation in Singapore surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (official name COVID-19). 

Singapore’s Ministry of Health recently raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from yellow to orange after having confirmed 75 cases of infection.

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong made the announcement to convert their event in Singapore to a closed-door event initially on his social media accounts. Shortly after, Sityodtong fielded questions from the media on a global conference call.

Fans who purchased tickets to the event will be given a full refund through Sportshub Tix, ONE’s official ticketing partner in Singapore. All bouts are to proceed as scheduled, and will still be available live via TV and digital platforms worldwide, as well as through the ONE Super App.

The main event of ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE will see two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand defend her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title against Janet “J.T.” Todd of the United States.

In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will take on Lachlan “Rocky” Ogden of Australia for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.

Representing Singapore on the global stage is former ONE World Title challenger Amir Khan, who is accompanied by fellow Singaporean stars Tiffany “No Chill” Teo and Redeem Rahman. In addition, Singapore-based athletes Troy Worthen and Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat are set to see action.

Sityodtong also says that while Singapore will proceed with its closed-door event, other events the organization has scheduled in other countries will proceed as planned. ONE Championship remains firm in its promise to deliver at least 50 events this year across all of its properties and will make decisions to alter its events based on various factors as situations change.

Complete fight card announced for ONE: A NEW TOMORROW

ONE: A NEW TOMORROW

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the complete card for ONE: A NEW TOMORROW, set for the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Friday, 10 January 2020. ONE Championship’s first event of the new year brings together an exciting ensemble of the world’s greatest martial arts talent, who are set to take the global stage and showcase their incredible skills.

In the main event, reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon of Thailand will take on England’s Jonathan “The General” Haggerty in a highly-anticipated rematch for the ONE World Title.

Like many Thai warriors before him, Rodtang started training in Muay Thai when he was a young boy, competing in his first professional bout at the age of 10. Initially training at a small camp in his hometown of Pattalung, Rodtang eventually made the permanent move to Bangkok to hone his skills at the famed Jitmuangnon camp. 

By the time he turned 21, Rodtang had already garnered over 250 wins, capturing the prestigious Omnoi Stadium World Title twice. He joined ONE Super Series not long after and lifted the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship last August after earning a hard-fought Majority Decision over Haggerty. He then successfully defended the belt with a Split Decision win over Brazil’s Walter Goncalves.

Haggerty, on the other hand, stormed into ONE Super Series with victories over Joseph Lasiri and Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, showcasing his unique striking style in the process. The win over Sam-A earned him the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title, which he surrendered to Rodtang in his first defense.

The first meeting between Rodtang and Haggerty was extremely close. This rematch aims to settle the dispute and determine the rightful owner of the ONE World Title.

ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand continues her quest for the mixed martial arts World Title when she takes on India’s Puja “The Cyclone” Tomar.

Stamp is 3-0 in mixed martial arts competition, recently winning both of her bouts in 2019 over tough opponents. Stamp has expressed her commitment to focus on her mixed martial arts career. Against Tomar, she will be facing an experienced veteran who poses a solid challenge.

Also on the card is Maira Mazar of Brazil who takes on Japan’s Ayaka Miura in a three-round bout.

Mazar is making her ONE Championship debut, bringing power and a penchant for spectacular knockouts to the table. Miura, conversely, is riding a five-bout winning streak with two of those wins coming under the ONE banner.

Vietnamese-American rising star Thanh Le is back in action against Japan’s Ryogo “Kaitai” Takahashi.

Le has impressed so far in his time inside the ONE Circle, putting together a pair of thrilling knockouts against Yusup Saadulaev and former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku. Le hopes for a similar result against Takahashi, a Shooto Pacific Rim Featherweight Champion who has won his last eight bouts.

A battle between rising stars ensues when featherweights Ma Jia Wen of China and Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg of Mongolia collide.

Ma is 6-2 in his ONE Championship career so far, showcasing tremendous finishing ability having ended four of his wins within the distance. Meanwhile, Zoltsetseg, a ONE Warrior Series contract winner, has won his last three bouts including two scintillating knockouts, setting up his ONE Championship main roster debut.

Finally, a welterweight showdown transpires when Russia’s Raimond Magomedaliev faces ONE Championship newcomer Joey “Mama’s Boy” Pierotti of the United States. Meanwhile, Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales of the Philippines takes on Elipitua “The Magician” Siregar of Indonesia.

Also featured at ONE: A NEW TOMORROW is a plethora of highly-anticipated ONE Super Series Muay Thai matchups for striking enthusiasts.

Former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao of China makes his return to the global stage to face ISKA and WBC World Champion Mehdi “Diamond Heart” Zatout of France. Looking to build off his impressive ONE Championship debut is Thailand’s Sangmanee “The Million Dollar Baby” Sathian MuayThai who locks horns with WBC Muay Thai Japan Champion Kenta Yamada of Japan. Also from Thailand, multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Muangthai “Elbow Zombie” PK. Saenchaimuaythaigym puts his reputation at stake when he throws down with former ONE World Title challenger Brice “The Truck” Delval of Algeria. Eight-time Muay Thai World Champion Liam “Hitman” Harrison of England squares off with Malaysia’s Mohammed “Jordan Boy” Bin Mahmoud.

Last but not least, Victor Pinto takes on Adam Noi in a kickboxing bout.

ONE: A NEW TOMORROW

Friday, 10 January

Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand

Main Event

ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship

Rodtang Jitmuangnon (C) vs Jonathan Haggerty

Muay Thai: 61.2kg

Stamp Fairtex vs Puja Tomar

Mixed Martial Arts: 52.2kg

Maira Mazar vs Ayaka Miura

Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg

Raimond Magomedaliev vs Joey Pierotti

Mixed Martial Arts: 83.9kg

Ramon Gonzales vs Elipitua Siregar 

Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg

Thanh Le vs Ryogo Takahashi

Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg

Ma Jia Wen vs Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg

Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg

Han Zi Hao  vs Mehdi Zatout

Muay Thai: 65.8kg

Sangmanee Sathian MuayThai  vs Kenta Yamada

Muay Thai: 65.8kg

Muangthai PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs Brice Delval

Muay Thai: 65.8kg

Liam Harrison vs Mohammed Bin Mahmoud

Muay Thai: 65.8kg

Victor Pinto vs Adam Noi

Kickboxing: 65.8kg

*Bouts and bout order are subject to change.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

ONE: A NEW TOMORROW also features a series of compelling mixed martial arts contests that offer interesting matchups.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia's largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.