Tag: ONE Championship News

ONE Championship superstar Martin Nguyen claimed a special slice of martial arts lore when he defeated Eduard Folayang at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in Manila at the end of 2017.

The victory secured “The Situ-Asian” the ONE Lightweight World Championship alongside the ONE Featherweight World Championship that he already owned to become the first dual-division champion in the burgeoning promotion’s history.

Far from satisfied with such an accomplishment, Nguyen proved he wasn’t one to rest on his laurels by immediately setting his sights on a third world championship belt in the bantamweight division.

Unfortunately, it proved a bridge too far for Nguyen. He came up short in a narrow split decision loss to legendary champion Bibiano Fernandes, then a few months later dropped another decision to Kevin Belingon in a bout for the division’s interim world title.

While Nguyen has since vacated the lightweight title due to injury, he still reigns atop the featherweight division where he’s proven unstoppable. That said, he still can’t shake the nagging fact that he’s yet to have his hand raised at bantamweight.

“I’ve always got a chip on my shoulder about the bantamweight division. I know I say I’m done with that division, but I have this chip on my shoulder where I have to at least get a win there,” Nguyen confesses.

While it seems we may not have seen the last of Nguyen at that lighter weight class, his immediate concern lies with his upcoming opponent Koyomi Matsushima at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES in Manila on 2 August.

“That might be something later on that I might revisit but at the moment I’m focusing on Matsushima and a couple more guys in my weight division,” he continued. 

The Japanese up-and-comer has stamped his mark quickly and emphatically in his opening two bouts with ONE Championship, catching Nguyen’s eye against one particular opponent he’s very familiar with.

“To be honest I didn’t know him until he fought his first bout against Marat Gafurov, and I thought ‘this guy’s pretty decent’,” he said.

“I kept an eye on him and when he fought Kwon Won Il, he dominated. Congrats to him, he deserves a title shot after that,” Nguyen added. 

Nguyen’s respect well and truly earned, the Vietnamese-Australian still has complete confidence he has the tools to get the better of Matsushima wherever the contest may take place.

“I love the catch wrestling, I love the scrambling and I think my cardio is one step ahead of his, as is my striking.  We’ll see what he’s like under pressure and we’ll see how the fight plays out from there,” he concluded.

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When ONE Championship returns to Manila on 2 August, they’ll be bringing with them some of the biggest stars on their roster. 

ONE: DAWN OF HEROES at the Mall of Asia Arena will feature Vietnamese-Australian superstar Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen defending his ONE Featherweight World Championship against Japanese challenger Koyomi Matsushima in the main event, while British striker Jonathan Haggerty defends his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship against Thailand’s Rodtang Jitmuangnon. 

Also on the card will be martial arts heroes and world champions Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, former ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario, Japanese veteran Yushin “Thunder” Okami, and many others. 

The biggest bout that won’t have a world championship up for grabs, however, is undoubtedly the lightweight clash between former two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines and multiple-time world champion Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez of the United States. 

Folayang versus Alvarez, in any other card, would definitely be the marquee matchup. Nevermind that it was recently elevated to become the last semi-final bout of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix following an injury to Timofey Nastyukhin. 

The Folayang-Alvarez bout is nothing short of a dream match, something that people have been waiting to see since Alvarez inked a massive deal with the Asia-based martial arts promotion back in 2018. 

On 2 August, that dream match becomes a reality, and at this moment, it is the most important bout in the careers of both men. 

Folayang, a two-time king in his division, is coming off a submission loss to Japanese legend and fellow former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in Japan last March. It was his second time to surrender the lightweight throne, which Aoki also quickly lost to current reigning champion Christian Lee.

Now, Folayang, the Baguio City, Philippines-native and Team Lakay product, is looking to return to glory, and standing in his way is one of the biggest names he will ever face in his storied mixed martial arts career. 

All the hype that surrounded Alvarez when he signed with ONE quickly dispersed when he found himself on the receiving end of a first-round TKO courtesy of Timofey Nastyukhin also in Japan back in March. 

The Philadelphia-made “Underground King” has been a champion in just about every promotion he has been in, and he was expected to do the same in ONE. Alvarez was supposed to run through the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix and become the tournament champion, and then run through whoever was the lightweight titleholder at the time and become the first man to hold world championships in three major promotions. 

That was until a hard-hitting Russian had other plans. 

Now, Folayang and Alvarez find themselves in similar positions in their careers. 

Both are coming off losses, and both likely cannot afford another consecutive defeat, especially at this point in their careers. A win, however, pushes them back into the title picture and moves them another step closer to ONE glory. 

As important as this match is for both Folayang and Alvarez, this must-see lightweight matchup is also slowly shaping up to be the most important bouts that ONE Championship will be putting on in terms of pitting the East versus the West. 

On one end, you have Folayang, who has become one of ONE’s biggest stars and is a hero in the Philippines. The soft-spoken 35-year old is the epitome of a success story and embodies the values of martial arts. 

On the other, you have Alvarez, who was made for mixed martial arts. Alvarez was born and bred to compete inside a cage and has done very well for himself in that field. For Alvarez, mixed martial arts is a job, and business has been very good. 

A win for Folayang not only moves him closer to another run at the gold, but it also solidifies his place as a world-class mixed martial artist. It raises his credibility and the credibility of ONE as a hotbed for untapped talent in Asia. 

A win for Alvarez proves that whatever happened to him in his debut was a fluke and that he is destined for greatness wherever he goes. It strengthens ONE’s status as the home of the best martial artists in the world. 

Whatever happens inside the cage come 2 August, one thing is for sure: you should not miss this one.

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ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty will defend his belt for the first time against Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES on 2 August in Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. 

Haggerty grew up in a rough part of Orpington where most of his friends ended up in prison. Not wanting the same fate, he decided to take a different path, which led him to become a well-accomplished mixed martial artist.

“It was kind of rough in my area. Either you went one way or the other – you went the bad route or the good route,” he explained. 

“I was always good at observing whatever people did wrong. I’d see the consequences and think to myself, ‘I don’t want them.’

“I’d see how people went through life, and they struggled because they chose the [bad] route. I thought, ‘Maybe if I go the other side, I’ll grow up, and I won’t struggle,’” he added.

As a young lad, Haggerty had a tight-knit of friends that he went to school and played football with. But his peers got influenced by the streets and entered a world of crime and corruption and were eventually put behind bars.

“I know a few people that made the wrong choices, and now they’re in prison. I tried to get them to come down the good route, but you can’t force people to do what they don’t want to do,” he said. 

“I still speak to them, but hopefully they come out on the right side. They’re my good friends, but obviously, I’ve learned and I’ve observed.”

Haggerty started learning Muay Thai from his father at the age of seven. The sport kept him away from all the distractions and temptations. He had his first bout a year later, and then at the age of 12, started competing at the amateur level where he quickly earned wins. 

“[Muay Thai] kept me busy, that was the main thing really. If I wasn’t busy, my mind would be elsewhere. Who knows where I would have ended up without the gym, my father, and my family,” he explained.

“It wasn’t really that strict – I would go to parties – the main thing was just making time for training and being dedicated. It was tough, but I was always smart. I always had my head screwed on, and today, it shows.”

The Team Underground athlete is thankful for martial arts. Instead of living a life of misery and regret, he chose a life of discipline, honor, and integrity. That’s why Haggerty is putting up a school in London to share that opportunity with others and put kids in a position to succeed as well.

“It was tough, but that’s where my dad stepped in, and with his guidance, I went down the right path, which I’m very thankful for today,” he concluded. 

“[Prison] was not a position I wanted to be in. The position I’m in now is where I want to be.”

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ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen is returning in the circle at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES on 2 August at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines against Japan’s Koyomi “Moushigo” Matsushima.

The 30-year-old will make his third World Title defense, after last seeing action in April where he hit Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa with an amazing walk-off flying knee, which is arguably one of the best knockouts in ONE history.

Prior to that bout, Nguyen was out for nine months but showed no signs of slowing down, displaying a dominant performance and picking Jadambaa apart. The Vietnamese-Australian is expected to be in his best shape and his morale is high as he faces his next challenger.

Matsushima, on the other hand, became a top contender in his division when he knocked out former ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in the first round in his ONE debut. The win led to a match against “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il which he also won.

The Kanagawa native boasts a tight ground game and an astounding striking game which could give Nguyen problems. Nguyen, though, is a more decisive finisher than Matsushima.

This matchup is the main event of ONE: DAWN OF HEROES, which was initially headlined by the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship tilt between Jonathan “The General” Haggerty and Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

Other headliners are the bout between Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez and Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, and Dae Sung Park and Honorio “The Rock” Banario.

Also on the card are the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix semi-final bouts featuring Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada, and Danny “The King” Kingad and Reece “Lightning” McLaren.

You can catch ONE Championship on Turner and on B/R Live in the United States. Outside of the US, you can watch every ONE Championship event live via the ONE Super App.

The post How and Where to Watch Martin Nguyen Defend His Title Against Koyomi Matsushima appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

We sat down with former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang to talk about his upcoming bout with Eddie Alvarez at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES.

Here is the interview.

Q: Have you trained any differently for this match (against Eddie Alvarez) than you have for others in your career?

A: Yes, my opponent is an experienced and seasoned athlete. He’s a legend in this sport and has been around a long time. But I’m used to facing legends. Inside that ring, it’s just two guys going at it. We’re both human, and we both can win or lose. This is the fight game, and anything can happen. All I need to make sure of is that I am well prepared for anything he has to offer. You can be sure that my team and I are putting together a very good strategy that will be effective against him.

Q: You have proven time and again that you are capable of bouncing back from adversity. You’re coming back from a loss to Aoki in March and looking to defeat Alvarez in August, what are your plans moving forward? Do you want to chase a third title reign?

A: Of course, I want to make another run at the World Title. Right now, I still feel like I’m at the top of the game. The journey isn’t over for me yet. I know it’s going to be hard. I’m not expecting things to be easy. The ONE lightweight division is super stacked, so every challenge is a big challenge. To chase that World Title again is the plan. But right now, I have to deal with the monster in front of me. Eddie Alvarez is no easy task. I have to be at my best to win.

Q: How aware of Alvarez’s career were you before he came to ONE Championship?

A: I’ve watched Eddie compete for a long time. I think everyone has. He’s an absolute legend. I’m very familiar with his style and where his advantages are. He’s a former World Champion, just like myself. So he knows what it takes to win at the highest level. I think this is a great fight and a great matchup between us. Whoever wins this will be in a good position to call for another shot at the belt.

Q: If given the opportunity, would you want to face Aoki again for a rubber match or will you look for other opportunities?

A: Shinya and I still have unfinished business. We have one win each, and I am always open to face him for the third time. I think it will always be an awesome opportunity to take on a legend like that. Right now though, we’re both coming off losses. And that’s something that we have to get past. I know somewhere down the line, our paths will cross again.

Folayang vs. Alvarez is just one of the significant matchups scheduled for ONE: DAWN OF HEROES on 2 August in Manilla. The main event will be the world title defense of ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen against Koyomi Matsushima. In the co-main event, newly crowned ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty faces Rodtang Jitmuangnon. 

There are several Grand Prix matches on tap as well. Team Lakay will have another member of its esteemed squad in action as Danny Kingad battles Reece McLaren in a ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix semi-finals match. Demetrious Johnson faces Tatsumitsu Wada in the other semi-final. 

The preliminary card is also packed with intrigue as undefeated American welterweight James Nakashima meets Japanese legend Yushin Okami and another great Filipino warrior Geje Eustaquio battles Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu in an alternate matchup for the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix.
ONE: CENTURY is set to be the biggest card in ONE history, but this Manila event is pretty close.

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There is arguably nothing that gets a fan’s attention more than a head-kick knockout. The head-kick KO or any kick that leads to a stoppage is dynamic in combat sports. In the short history of ONE Championship, we’ve seen some incredible kick finishes. 

Let’s highlight six athletes who have proven to be some of the most dangerous kickers in the promotion.

Joshua Pacio

One might find it hard to believe that Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is a big kicker because he’s mostly considered a grappler/submissions guy. Pacio has come up with some powerful striking moments. He stopped Rabin Catalan with punches at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS, and he used a devastating spinning back fist to finish Roy Doliguez at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD.

But Pacio’s feet and legs are also weapons. Recently, he completely folded Yosuke Saruta with a fourth-round head kick at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR in April. Saruta, who was a late replacement for Hayato Suzuki, pulled off an upset against Pacio at ONE: ETERNAL GLORY in January. Pacio avenged that loss and decimated the Japanese champion to regain his belt. Pacio is again the reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion, and everyone knows they should be aware of the Filipino star’s kicks.

Thanh Le
Thanh Le may be new to the organization, but if you have watched him compete, you’ll understand why he’s on this list. In his ONE Championship debut, Le smoked Yusup Saadulaev with a right-leg head kick that instantly left the latter unconscious. Before landing with ONE, Le had shown the ability to finish opponents with head kicks.

His finish of Lazar Stojadinovic was explosive. While the 33-year-old is just getting started with ONE, he is an athlete to keep an eye on moving forward. 

Petchdam Petchyindee Academy

This list wouldn’t be complete without a top-notch Muay Thai practitioner or kickboxer. Arguably, there is no one above Petchdam Petchyindee Academy in his weight class. The 21-year-old has become the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, mainly because of the strength of his kicking game.

In October 2018, Petchdam smashed through Kenny Tse with a left high kick, which was one of the Thai warrior’s memorable head-kick finishes. But his destruction of Josh Tonna might be his signature knockout. The vaunted left roundhouse kick connected with Tonna’s chest, but Petchdam’s knee also clipped his opponent’s chin. The result was an easy KO, and Tonna was out before he hit the canvas. Regardless of the sport, Petchdam might be the nastiest kicker in the promotion. 

Vitor Belfort

He hasn’t made his ONE Championship debut just yet, but if you’ve been an avid follower of mixed martial arts star, you know Vitor Belfort’s spinning wheel kicks are a blend of beauty and power. 

In 2013, Belfort strung together three of the most exciting kick knockouts in history, and he finished well-known former world champions with those strikes.

He first destroyed Michael Bisping in January 2013. Four months later, Belfort did the same to Luke Rockhold. The spinning wheel kick caught the American on the temple and left him unconscious. To end the year, Belfort scored his first of two KO finishes against the great Dan Henderson.

Belfort is 42, but when healthy enough to compete with ONE, foes should be aware of his kicks. 

Kevin Belingon

The former ONE Bantamweight World Champion is active and continuously moving. Kevin Belingon utilizes the spinning back kick as well, better than anyone in mixed martial arts. In milliseconds, he can rip off the move in a way that seemingly freezes his opponent.

At ONE: HEROES OF HONOR against Andrew Leone, Belingon connected with the most epic spinning back kick that led to a KO finish. The win was instrumental in setting up Belingon for his shot at the interim title, which he eventually won.

Alain Ngalani

Last but not least is heavyweight powerhouse and former kickboxer, Alain Ngalani. He looks like a bodybuilder, but Ngalani has the skills of a much smaller man. His agility allows him to unleash viciously quick and powerful head kicks. His best one came against Mahmoud Hassan at ONE: CHAMPIONS AND WARRIORS in September 2017. 

It was a spinning wheel kick that clipped Hassan on the top of the head. The force of the blow sent the big man backward, and then down to the mat where Ngalani finished the job. For Ngalani, it’s quality over quantity, and that KO was of the highest order.

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