By Dan Paulo Errazo CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. It was revealed that ONE Bantamweight […]
CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Though this may be the first title defense for Belingon, “The Silencer” knows all too well just how important this match is after two of his Team Lakay stablemates lost their World Titles six days apart to start off 2019.
Even more compelling is that Belingon will be defending his title against Fernandes, known as the most dominant World Champion in ONE history with eight successful title defenses.
The pair first met in January 2016 in China, where the Filipino stalwart fell to Fernandes via first-round kimura. With his first World Title opportunity slipping right through his fingertips, Belingon embarked on an unprecedented run through the ranks, winning six consecutive bouts in epic fashion. Two years later, Belingon finally clawed his way back to title contention.
He met Fernandes in a highly-anticipated rematch last November at Singapore’s ONE: HEART OF THE LION event. The rematch between the two produced absolute fireworks, as Belingon came well-prepared for Fernandes’ grappling and was finally able to land his signature strikes to earn a split decision.
Now in the much-awaited rubber match, both Belingon and Fernandes look to finally settle the score and determine the true owner of the golden strap this 31 March. Belingon aims to maintain the hard work that his team put forth over the past few years and keep his title. While Fernandes looks to re-establish himself as the bantamweight king.
The Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan will be the venue where the ONE Middleweight, Lightweight, Bantamweight, and Women’s Strawweight World Titles will be defended and possibly change hands.
Belingon and Fernandes are getting ready for the biggest match of their careers, as they await the gold glitter and confetti to fall from the rafters.
By Dan Paulo Errazo CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. It was revealed that ONE Bantamweight […]
CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Though this may be the first title defense for Belingon, “The Silencer” knows all too well just how important this match is after two of his Team Lakay stablemates lost their World Titles six days apart to start off 2019.
Even more compelling is that Belingon will be defending his title against Fernandes, known as the most dominant World Champion in ONE history with eight successful title defenses.
The pair first met in January 2016 in China, where the Filipino stalwart fell to Fernandes via first-round kimura. With his first World Title opportunity slipping right through his fingertips, Belingon embarked on an unprecedented run through the ranks, winning six consecutive bouts in epic fashion. Two years later, Belingon finally clawed his way back to title contention.
He met Fernandes in a highly-anticipated rematch last November at Singapore’s ONE: HEART OF THE LION event. The rematch between the two produced absolute fireworks, as Belingon came well-prepared for Fernandes’ grappling and was finally able to land his signature strikes to earn a split decision.
Now in the much-awaited rubber match, both Belingon and Fernandes look to finally settle the score and determine the true owner of the golden strap this 31 March. Belingon aims to maintain the hard work that his team put forth over the past few years and keep his title. While Fernandes looks to re-establish himself as the bantamweight king.
The Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan will be the venue where the ONE Middleweight, Lightweight, Bantamweight, and Women’s Strawweight World Titles will be defended and possibly change hands.
Belingon and Fernandes are getting ready for the biggest match of their careers, as they await the gold glitter and confetti to fall from the rafters.
Today’s ONE: Hero’s Ascent saw a new flyweight champion crowned. Adriano Moraes recaptured the title he lost to Geje Eustaquio last June with a unanimous decision victory. Inside a sold-out Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, the pair faced off for the third time in their careers. Throughout the five rounds, both men had […]
Today’s ONE: Hero’s Ascent saw a new flyweight champion crowned. Adriano Moraes recaptured the title he lost to Geje Eustaquio last June with a unanimous decision victory. Inside a sold-out Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, the pair faced off for the third time in their careers.
Throughout the five rounds, both men had their moments. Moraes dominated the fight on the ground while Eustaquio controlled the stand-up exchanges. A cagey opening round was followed by an exciting second during which the bout transformed into a predominantly grappling contest.
Thirty seconds into the second, Moraes took Eustaquio to the ground. Eustaquio was able to get to his feet but not without Moraes taking his back. The Brazilian began working on an armbar submission attempt, but in doing so allowed Eustaquio to reverse positions. The rest of the round involved a series of entertaining scrambles as both fighters jockeyed for position.
Going into the third, Eustaquio looked more relaxed and confident, and it showed in his movement. The Filipino started the round with a stinging sweeping leg kick and followed it up shortly after with a Superman punch off the cage. Each minute the fight stayed standing lessened Moraes chances of claiming the title.
The 30-year-old upped the tempo in the fourth, finally getting the takedown he was looking for.
Eustaquio soon found himself in an extremely precarious position. Moraes caught the champions left leg and proceeded to bend it straight back behind the Filipino’s head. It was painful to watch and must have been more painful to have experienced, but somehow Eustaquio survived the round.
The result was still up in the air leading into the fifth. However, at the halfway mark Moraes achieved a takedown and set about securing his victory.
ONE Lightweight Grand Prix Kicks Off
The ONE Lightweight Grand Prix’s opening quarterfinal was a short, one-sided affair with the returning Lowen Tynanes submitting Honorio Banario in the first round.
Coming into this bout, a question mark hung over Tynanes. The undefeated Hawaiian had not fought since 2016. At the time, he was shaping up as a title contender, but injuries forced him to have an extended spell on the sidelines. However, any concerns about Tynanes losing a step due to his injuries disappeared once the fight started.
The former state wrestling champion exhibited no signs of ring rust following his lay off. Two minutes into the bout, Tynanes took Banario down in the center of the cage. Banario fought resiliently to get back to his feet, but Tynanes was too strong and technically too sound to allow the Filipino any room to maneuver.
After softening up Banario with series of increasingly powerful strikes, Tynanes took Banario’s back and began raining down a steady diet of unanswered blows. The referee was forced to step in and halt proceedings with 10 seconds left in the round.
Tynanes now finds himself one result away from what could be the biggest bout of his career. The Lightweight Grand Prix bracket was released yesterday, and Tynanes is slated to meet the winner of Eddie Alvarez and Timofey Nastyukhin.
He may have been out of action for longer than expected, but Tynanes has timed his return perfectly.
A Muay Thai Masterclass
Thailand’s Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon dominated Tunisia’s Fahdi Khaled in their three-round flyweight Muay Thai bout.
The gape in class between the pair was evident from the outset. Rodtang, a two-time Omnoi Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, appeared impervious to any strikes thrown by Khaled. The 21-year-old continually walked down his Tunisian rival, backing him against the cage before unleashing thunderous leg kicks.
Khaled, a WMC Intercontinental Muay Thai Champion, seemed powerless to inflict any damage on Rodtang despite his high output of strikes. The 23-year-old produced leaping knees, spinning back fists, and elbows throughout the three rounds, but was unable to put even a dent into “The Ironman.”
As the bout wore on Rodtang became visibly frustrated at Khaled’s refusal to stand and trade with him in the center of the cage. However, it was likely this refusal that allowed Khaled to go the distance with his much more experienced opponent.
It could be argued that the Thai had it in his powers to force the action and chase the stoppage with more intent, but that would be looking for flaws when in all honesty there were none.
The question now turns to who ONE can find or bring in capable of posing a genuine threat to Rodtang.
ONE: Hero’s Ascent Full Results
Adriano Moraes def. Geje Eustaquio via unanimous decision
Lowen Tynanes def. Tatsumitsu Wada via first-round TKO
Danny Kingad def. Tatsumitsu Wada via unanimous decision
Rodtang Jitmuangnon def. Fahdi Khaled via unanimous decision
Reinier De Ridder def. Fan Rong via first-round submission
Hiroki Akimoto def. Josh Tonna via unanimous decision
Bangpleenoi Petchyindee Academy def. Brown Pinas via unanimous decision
Prelims:
Elias Mahmoudi def. Yukinori Ogasawara via unanimous decision
Tang Kai def. Sung Jong Lee via second-round KO
Hiroaki Suzuki def. Mohammad Bin Mahmoud via third-round TKO
Himanshu Kaushik def. Egi Rozten via first-round KO
ONE Championship returns to the Philippines this week with ONE: Hero’s Ascent taking place on Friday, January 25, 2019, inside Manila’s Mall Of Asia Arena. A flyweight title bout between defending champion and hometown hero Geje Eustaquio and former champion Adriano Moraes headlines the 11-fight card. The ONE Championship Lightweight Grand Prix also kicks off […]
ONE Championship returns to the Philippines this week with ONE: Hero’s Ascent taking place on Friday, January 25, 2019, inside Manila’s Mall Of Asia Arena.
A flyweight title bout between defending champion and hometown hero Geje Eustaquio and former champion Adriano Moraes headlines the 11-fight card. The ONE Championship Lightweight Grand Prix also kicks off with the first quarterfinal of the eight-man tournament set to occur. The bout will serve as the co-main event of the evening
Stand-up fans will be well-catered for this week with five ONE Super Series bouts scheduled throughout the night.
Trilogy Bout For the Flyweight Title
Last June, interim flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio clashed with regular champion Adriano Moraes in a tightly contested unification bout.
The Filipino edged out his rival via razor-thin split decision victory. That victory that could have easily gone in the Brazilian’s favor. The bout was a rematch of their first contest in 2014, which Moraes won via second-round submission.
Since 2014, Eustaquio has improved in leaps and bounds. The 29-year-old former wushu fighter was already a talented striker, but his ground game required refining. In their June meeting, Eustaquio’s development in this department was showcased for all to see.
Moraes was still the stronger grappler, but Eustaquio improvements nullified the Brazilian’s submission attempts. Their upcoming rubber match is shaping up as genuine 50-50 contest. Both men are aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and it is unlikely either fighter has made any dramatic technical improvements since their last encounter.
The winner will again come down to who can better execute their game plan while making as few errors as possible. In the end, whoever emerges victorious will soon find a “Mighty Mouse”-sized shadow falling over them.
In the eyes of many fans, Demetrious Johnson became the division’s de facto champion as soon as he signed his contract with ONE. It will eventually be up to the winner on Friday night to prove them wrong.
Lightweight Grand Prix Begins
Former ONE Featherweight champion Honorio Banario will face off against returning undefeated American Lowen Tynanes on Friday. Their fight will mark the start of the ONE Lightweight Grand Prix Tournament.
Banario has established himself as one of the top fighters in the lightweight division since moving up weight classes. The 29-year-old has won six of his past seven bouts. He last fought in November where he defeated Singapore’s Rahul Raju via unanimous decision.
In Tynanes, Banario will be sharing the cage with the lightweight tournament’s wildcard. The 25-year-old former Hawaiian State Wrestling Champion most recent appearance inside the cage was in 2016. When he won a unanimous decision victory over Japanese veteran Koji Ando.
At the time, the Honolulu-based fighter seemed destined for a title shot. However, injuries curtailed any talk of a championship bout. How he will fare on his return is one of the most interesting questions hanging over this tournament.
Tynanes made a name for himself back in 2012 with a first-round stoppage of current ONE lightweight champion Eduard Folayang. In recent training footage, the Hawaiian appears to be in peak physical condition with no signs of any lingering damage from his injuries
If Tynanes can perform as well as he has had in the past, he will definitely be a contender for the lightweight strap
The Return Of “Iron Man”
Last year’s signing of Muay Thai wunderkind Rodtang “Iron Man” Jitmuangnon to the ONE Super Series, was greeted with excitement amongst stand-up fans.
A two-time Omnoi Stadium Muay Thai World Champion with over 300 professional bouts to his name, a lot was expected from the 21-year-old flyweight in his debut. Thankfully for ONE, the “Iron Man” more than lived up to expectations when he comprehensively outpointed the highly-rated Sergio Wielzen.
At ONE: Hero’s Ascent, Rodtang will take on ONE debutant Fahdi Khale. The Tunisian trains out of Thailand’s Venum Training Camp and is a former WMC Intercontinental Muay Thai Champion. As good as Khale is, it would still be considered a huge upset if the 23-year-old walked out of the cage victorious on Friday. Rodtang is shaping up to be a possible breakout star for ONE Championship. If the Thai boxer can stay healthy and active, it would seem that the sky’s the limit for the Bangkok-based athlete.
It would not be too hard to imagine Rodtang headlining a major event in the near future.
The first ONE Championship event of the year, ONE: Eternal Glory, went down today. Japan’s Yosuke Saruta pulling off a stunning upset in the night’s main event. The 31-year-old captured the ONE strawweight world championship from defending champion Joshua Pacio via a closely-fought split decision victory. The five-round championship bout was the main event of […]
The first ONE Championship event of the year, ONE: Eternal Glory, went down today. Japan’s Yosuke Saruta pulling off a stunning upset in the night’s main event.
The 31-year-old captured the ONE strawweight world championship from defending champion Joshua Pacio via a closely-fought split decision victory. The five-round championship bout was the main event of the 14 fight card held in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the Istora Senayan.
Pacio was initially scheduled to face off against another Japanese veteran Hayato Suzuki, but after Suzuki pulled out injured Saruta was drafted in as a late notice replacement. Saruta, who only made his ONE debut in December, was the more aggressive fighter throughout the contest. The former Shooto Strawweight World Champion’s unorthodox stance and constant forward pressure appeared to unsettle Pacio.
The 23-year-old appeared unable to establish any attacking rhythm apart from one brief explosive moment at the tail end of the third round.
Forcing The Action
The bout was somewhat of a stop-start affair with neither fighter able to fully impose their will on the other. Saruta had success taking down Pacio over the course of the bout, but once there was unable to keep his opponent on the ground for any length of time or cause any significant damage. It was the Japanese fighter’s aggressiveness that would gave him the edge in the eyes of the judges. Both men had success on their feet, but it was Saruta who forced the action.
Going into the final frame, the result hung on a knife’s edge. ONE Championship bouts are judged on their entirety as opposed to a round by round basis and if Pacio had pushed the pace and come out guns blazing he may have left the cage with the belt still strapped around his waist.
However, it was Saruta, perhaps sensing that this was going to be his night, who seized control of the final moments. A takedown in the final seconds, followed by a final wild flurry of blows cemented Saruta’s victory.
Now the question is, can he hold on to the belt? None of the last three strawweight champions have been able to mount a successful title defense, so it will be interesting to see if Saruta can break this pattern.
Christian Lee Dismantles Edward Kelly, Calls For Title Shot
It was a short day at the office for Singapore’s Christian Lee, who needed less than three minutes to defeat Edward Kelly in a rematch of their 2018 bout.
The 20-year-old dominated the contest from the outset in much the same way he did when the pair previously fought. The two last met in September at ONE: Beyond The Horizon. Lee was in full control of the fight and looked to be on the verge of victory before being disqualified after performing an illegal suplex.
Tonight, the six-time Pankration world champion’s grappling was just too slick for Kelly to handle. Lee took the fight in the ground in the opening minute, and from then on the result looked inevitable.
Kelly attempted to get to his feet, but Lee gave him no opening. The referee stopped the fight once Lee’s ground and pound overwhelmed the Filipino. In his post-fight interview, Lee called for a rematch with ONE featherweight world champ Martin Nguyen.
Lee is on a two-fight winning streak but has not fought any of the top contenders in the division since his split decision loss to Nguyen last May. Another crack at the title may be warranted, but it would make sense for Lee to first get a victory over one of the division’s top-tier fighters such as Narantungalag Jadambaa before he gets another championship shot.
An Atomweight Upset
Earlier in the night, India’s Puja Tomar stunned the home crowd when she recorded her first ONE Championship victory, defeating high-flying Priscilla Lumban Gaol via split decision.
Coming into this fight, Lumban Gaol appeared to be next in line for a shot at Angela Lee’s atomweight crown. The 30-year-old Indonesian had a breakthrough year in 2018, winning and competing in, more fights than any other athlete on the roster.
It was expected that her striking and overall ability would be too much for Tomar to handle. However, the Indian fighter was one who dominated the stand-up, especially in the first round, landing several heavy shots. Lumban Gaol had some success in the second and third on the ground, but not enough in the eyes of the judges.
ONE: Eternal Glory Full Results
Yosuke Saruta def. Joshua Pacio via split decision
Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy def. Alexi Serepisos via unanimous decision
Christian Lee def. Edward Kelly via first-round TKO
Puja Tomar def. Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol via split decision
Jonathan Haggerty def. Joseph Lasiri via unanimous decision
Robin Catalan def. Stefer Rahardian via unanimous decision
Bruno Pucci def. Kotetsu Boku via first-round submission
Prelims:
Kwon Won Il def. Anthony Engelen via first-round first-round TKO
Koji Ando def. Rasul Yakhyaev via split decision
Niu Kang Kang def. Sunoto via first-round KO
Aziz Calim def. Adi Paryanto via first-round submission
Oscar Yaqut def. Andreas Satyawan second-round TKO
After a brief hiatus over the holiday season, ONE Championship returns this weekend with the first event of 2019, ONE: Eternal Glory. The card will take place this Saturday, January 19, 2019, in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event will be headlined by a strawweight title bout between reigning champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio and recent arrival […]
After a brief hiatus over the holiday season, ONE Championship returns this weekend with the first event of 2019, ONE: Eternal Glory. The card will take place this Saturday, January 19, 2019, in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The event will be headlined by a strawweight title bout between reigning champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio and recent arrival Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta. The 14-bout card contains a number of intriguing match-ups whose outcomes could determine future title contenders in at least two divisions.
The event will also signal the start of ONE’s three-year partnership with Turner Sports, who will provide exclusive coverage for the United States market. The full event will air live on B/R Live. This year could be a breakthrough year for ONE as they look to expand into new markets.
Without further ado, let’s take an in-depth look at what ONE: Eternal Glory has in store for us.
Pacio’s First Strawweight Title Defense
This weekend, Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio will attempt to do what neither of the previous two ONE strawweight champions could manage, and that is, mount a successful title defense.
At only 23 years of age, Pacio has the ability and maturity to remain a dominant force in the division for years to come. The only unanswered question is, how well he will cope with the added pressure that comes with being a defending champion?
Pacio captured the belt with an impressive unanimous decision win over Japanese submission expert Yoshitaka Naito last September at ONE: Conquest Of Heroes.
“The Passion” out-landed Natio over the course of the five-round bout and demonstrated impressive takedown defense which helped nullify Natio’s grappling. In Yosuke Saruta, Pacio will be sharing the cage with an athlete who feels he can win the fight either via his striking or his ground game.
The 31-year-old Japanese athlete only made his promotional debut last month at ONE: Destiny Of Champions, where he defeated former strawweight champion Alex Silva via unanimous decision.
Saruta, a former Shooto Strawweight World Champion, is a powerful grappler with a lethal right hand. He will come into this contest without the pressure or expectations that Pacio will carry on his young shoulders.
The Filipino has all the tools he needs to leave Indonesia with the belt still wrapped around his waist. However, against Saruta, he will be facing a livewire who is more than capable of pulling off a victory.
A Super Series Co-Main Event
The ONE Super Series was nothing less than a revelation for the promotion last year. Right out the gate, it became an instant hit with fans and fighters. Recent additions to the roster have only added to the ever-growing pool of striking talent that exists inside the company.
New Zealand’s Alexi “Phet” Serepisos and Thailand’s Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy are two of the company’s latest signees. This weekend the pair will clash in a Muay Thai flyweight bout. Mongkolpetch is a decorated Lumpinee Stadium world champion with 110 career wins under his belt. The 23-year-old is known for his strong clinching but has due to this bout taking place over three-rounds as opposed to five he has stated that he will focus more on his striking.
The contest will be fought in MMA gloves, which should make for an even more entertaining spectacle. Serepisos is regarded as one of the top practitioners of the art of the eight limbs in New Zealand and has won both national and international titles.
Fearless inside the ring, the 24-year-old is the only New Zealander to ever compete for a World Lethwei Championship. This match-up should serve as a perfect way for both fighters to showcase their talents to a broader audience. Fans should expect an intense, and action-packed affair.
Christian Lee Is Ready To Start The New Year Right
Singapore’s Christian Lee is the odds-on favorite to claim victory in his rematch with Team Lakay’s Edward Kelly this weekend.
The pair first met last September in China. Lee controlled the opening exchanges of the bout, but in the third minute performed an illegal suplex and was disqualified.
It was a frustrating moment for Lee, who appeared to be well on his way to victory. After a mixed 2018, the 20-year-old has targeted 2019 as the year he claims a ONE World Title. He’ll need to win impressively on Saturday night if he wants to begin building a case for another shot at Martin Nguyen’s featherweight crown.
Check out ONE: Eternal Glory’s full lineup here:
ONE: Eternal Glory Lineup
Main Card:
Joshua Pacio vs Yosuke Saruta
Alexi Serepisos vs Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy
