Tag: ONE Championship

Aung La N Sang might be an ordinary mixed martial arts athlete in the eyes of many in the world, but he is extremely revered by over 52 million people as a hero in Myanmar.

A national treasure like Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in his motherland, the whole country stands still each time that Aung La N Sang steps inside the ONE Championship cage.

Aung La N Sang’s superstar status has been published in every mainstream newspaper in Myanmar, and he has been a regular staple on each household’s television screen.

On the day of his bout, all walks of life unite in support of Aung La N Sang, which he then compensates with a sweet victory.

In his battles on the ONE Championship stage, Aung La N Sang admitted that his countrymen are his source of strength and his inspiration to win every match.

“I feel very honored to be able to represent my people. They love the sport. I am very surprised by how much support I get from the people. They are my inspiration every time that I compete,” he said.

“Myanmar is my mother. It’s the country that made me who I am today. I will try my best to be a positive role model to everyone. There is no greater feeling than performing for all of my people. I am truly honored for this opportunity,” Aung La N Sang added.

Aung La N Sang’s name will never be forgotten after an exceptional run as a mixed martial artist under the ONE Championship banner.

The 33-year-old native of Myitkyina, Kachin accomplished a rare feat of becoming a two-division titleholder in the sport, defeating Russia’s Vitaly Bigdash for the ONE Middleweight World Championship in June 2017 before capturing the vacant ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship against Brazil’s Alexandre Machado this past February.

As his popularity and commercial clout have grown in tandem with his rise up the mixed martial arts ranks, Aung La N Sang stressed that he wanted his fame and his success in the cage to help unify and inspire a nation like Myanmar.

“I hope to be an inspiration to the people of Myanmar. This is for them. It feels like I am very blessed and hopefully I can bring blessings to other people as well,” he asserted.

Even though Aung La N Sang left the country with his parents at a very young age and spent his teenage years and adulthood in the United States, Myanmar will always hold a special place in his heart.

“This is where my heart lives and has stayed. I will always be home in Myanmar. They have embraced me just as I have embraced my roots. Myanmar will always be home to me. The time I spent growing up here is what makes me the man I am today. And for that I’ll always be grateful,” he shared.

Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship’s Chairman and CEO, stressed that Aung La N Sang’s achievement represents a foothold for mixed martial arts in Myanmar as it is the company’s strategy to build local homegrown Asian martial arts heroes from the grassroots level.

“Aung La N Sang commands a superstar presence in Yangon. The people just adore him. Whenever Aung La N Sang shows up anywhere in Myanmar, expect a massive throng of passionate fans. It’s actually incredible to witness. When he performs in Yangon, the cheers blow the roof off the stadium. In Yangon, Aung La N Sang is a bonafide superhero,” Sityodtong discussed.

“Since we have decided to focus on developing Myanmar, there is no doubt a sharp increase in the sport’s popularity in the country. Not just that, but traditional Lethwei practitioners as well. A lot of Myanmar’s top Lethwei competitors are now training in mixed martial arts, and it is such a wonderful feeling to have had an influence in that,” the promotion’s head honcho further bared.

Sityodtong believes that the people of Myanmar have found a deeper meaning in Aung La N Sang’s professional career.

“Aung La N Sang has single-handedly made mixed martial arts one of the most popular sports today in Myanmar. His presence just oozes with superstar quality, and the fans just love him. He represents what it means to be a true warrior. His backstory is compelling and completely relatable to fans in Myanmar,” Sityodtong explained.

Now a celebrated two-division world champion in the forever-expanding landscape of mixed martial arts, Aung La N Sang stressed that the work to bring Myanmar into a well-deserved prominence around the globe is not yet over.

“If I can inspire at least one person, one child, to know that anything is possible in this world, then I have done my job as a martial artist,” he declared.

“Martial arts isn’t just about fighting. It’s about giving back to the world that has given you life. I’m doing this for my people, and when I fight for my people, nothing is ever difficult,” Aung La N Sang continued.

Aung La N Sang returns to action on Friday, 26 October as he is set to defend his ONE Middleweight World Championship against Lebanon’s Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki in the main event of ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS, which takes place at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

The post Two-Division Kingpin Aung La N Sang Is More Than A Champion In Myanmar appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Recently, former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez made waves in the MMA world by signing with Asian promotion ONE Championship. Now it’s time Alvarez reveals the real reason he made the big change.

Alvarez appeared on today’s episode of ‘Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show’ (via ESPN.com) to discuss the differences between ONE’s offer and the UFC’s. Of course, it came down to money, but there was one major difference apart from that:

“When I left the table at the UFC and said I wanted to go and explore, this is the deal I had in my mind.

“ONE made me a partner in their promotion. It was more of a partnership than, ‘Hey, come on as a fighter. Here’s your money to fight,’ and that’s it. They made me a true partner. It’s a package deal. It’s nothing like a normal MMA contract. They fully committed to me, and we are full committing back.”

There’s no exact detail on just what Alvarez’ partnership with ONE will entail just yet. However, it’s a supremely interesting dynamic for them to entice their biggest-ever signing with.

Eddie’s Advice To Fighters

Alvarez said he wouldn’t have been able to reach such a gamechanger of a deal if he didn’t test free agency. He was willing to do – and always has been.

That willingness is so important to fighters, he said that every top pro should test the waters. If they didn’t, they would never realize their full value as a result:

“The value of free agency today is so incredible. For any fighter to give that up is foolish. If you really want to make money in this sport and test how much you’re worth, you become a free agent. I would say there’s no other option.

“Leverage always goes to the man who is willing to walk. There hasn’t been one single contract during my career where I wasn’t willing to walk if I felt like I wasn’t going to get paid what I felt I was worth. If you’re willing to walk, you hold all of the cards.”

Alvarez was also to pull off this momentous deal even after he lost his last UFC bout to Dustin Poirier. He was criticized for testing free agency and losing, but it ultimately played out in his favor in a huge way. In that sense, he said the loss didn’t hurt his value at all:

“Monetarily did it hurt me? No. Not at all,” he said. “There’s a lot of promotions with a lot of money, and there isn’t a lot of free agents. There’s barely any. So it’s supply and demand.”

A Bold Claim

Finally, Alvarez teased that he was not the only big-name signing to ONE Championship. More huge signings were coming soon, and it would signify a huge shift in power towards the promotion:

“I’m not the last large signing in the next month or so,” he said. “There will be a shift, a massive shift, in power towards ONE Championship.”

The promotion is certainly making some major noise in the MMA world. Whether or not they rise up to take on the UFC will remain to be seen.

They’re making all the rights moves, however, and Alvarez says there are more to come.

The post Eddie Alvarez Reveals Real Reason He Signed With ONE Championship appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Former two-division Desert Force Champion and Phoenix Middleweight Champion Mohammad Karaki promises to leave no stone unturned when he challenges two-division kingpin Aung La N Sang for the ONE Middleweight World Title in the main event of ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS on Friday, 26 October at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

The 27-year-old Lebanese behemoth, who finished eight of his nine opponents by either knockout or submission, realizes that he will be in a tough contest when he takes on the hometown hero in Yangon.

“Facing Aung La N Sang won’t be a walk in the park especially that the bout is in Myanmar. He never fails to bring it as he is known to deliver an inspired performance each and every time he performs in front of his hometown crowd,” Karaki conceded.

Karaki regards the defending middleweight titleholder as the complete package of a martial artist, even praising his foe’s incredible display of heart against Ken Hasegawa in his last outing.

“Aung La N Sang is the complete package. He is capable of going the distance, scoring a knockout or getting a submission. In his last outing against Ken Hasegawa, he displayed unspeakable grit that you don’t usually see in many martial artists. He is durable, capable of taking hard shots yet continue to move forward to deliver his own devastating shots,” he said.

“He will surely go in there looking to finish. My mentality is the same, and I am ready to do whatever it takes to the ONE Middleweight World Title back to Lebanon. Myanmar fans shouldn’t blink because this bout could end in a heartbeat. They are in for a treat,” Karaki added.

Even if Karaki is entering enemy territory for his world championship clash against Aung La N Sang, the Lebanese world title challenger assures that he is in no way intimidated with his opponent’s hometown advantage.

Karaki is not new to overseas trips as all of the bouts in his professional career are out-of-the-country matches, but it will be his first time to face a local favorite on his home-soil.

“I am not bothered whatsoever fighting in Myanmar against their hero. It’s a tough task, but I have to step up and prove that I am a warrior. It’s not all the time that I will have the luxury to fight in my own comfort zone,” he stated.

“Aung La N Sang is revered by his people. I will show his countrymen that I am the real champion. They see me as the challenger, but I’m also coming to Yangon, Myanmar as a conqueror,” Karaki continued.

While the Lebanese challenger has nothing but praise and admiration for Aung La N Sang, he also made it clear that he is coming to Myanmar to take the gold-plated strap and have it wrapped around his waist.

“He is a well-rounded martial artist. I have all sorts of respect for him, but at the same time, I believe I have all the right tools to stop him on his tracks. Just like Aung La N Sang, I am capable of going the full five rounds. I can also win a contest by either knockout or submission,” Karaki concluded.

The post Hometown Crowd In Yangon Won’t Prevent Mohammad Karaki To Shock The World appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

For its upcoming event, ONE Championship returns to Yangon, Myanmar on 26 October to hold ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium.

The monumental show will feature the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent, accentuating a tremendous headlining bout between ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang and Lebanese challenger Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki.

The ONE Middleweight World Title main event featuring Aung La N Sang and Karaki will be joined by 11 more amazing contests.

Myanmar’s Phoe Thaw will return to action in front of his hometown crowd against Malaysian standout Keanu Subba.

Some of the hardest hitters in ONE Super Series will return to action for bouts that promise to deliver fireworks.

Ibrahim “Mr. Cool” El Bouni will stand across from another powerhouse in Tarik Khbabez in a three-round kickboxing contest.

Meanwhile, Top King Muay Thai World Champion Han Zi Hao will square off against a six-time national Muay Thai champion from the Philippines, Ryan “The Filipino Assassin” Jakiri.

A pair of fantastic mixed martial arts match-ups will complete the main card as a quartet of competitors aims to charge back towards the top of their divisions.

In featherweight action, SFC Bantamweight Champion Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia will put his skills to the test against Pancrase Lightweight Champion Kazuki Tokudome from Japan.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke will also make his comeback to the cage for his first bout since March, battling India’s seven-time national wushu champion Himanshu Kaushik.

“It’s a stacked card from top to bottom. The bout lineup is great. ONE Championship always brings the best whenever they are in Myanmar. My excitement is palpable. I will make sure that my countrymen will go home with smiles on their faces. Let us make history again,” Aung La N Sang said. 

The martial arts scene in Asia today is synonymous with ONE Championship as one of the company’s missions is to make the sport a part of the daily fabric of society in the continent.

ONE Championship has taken martial arts in Asia into greater heights, broadcasting to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world.

Due to the incredible groundwork by ONE Championship, the number of martial arts fans from all across Asia has multiplied exponentially, especially over the past four years.

In line with this, ONE Championship has seen incredible growth rates in both television viewership and social media engagement, which are a testament to the rapid rise of the promotion in worldwide households and the sport of martial arts as a whole.

“ONE Championship is popular because we built this organization with the Asian people in mind. Asia is the birthplace of martial arts, and we felt it was right to showcase all the local talent here to the rest of the world,” said Chatri Sityodtong, who is the Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.

Based on the September 2018 results annualized by Nielsen, ONE Championship’s peak TV ratings share improved 58 times in 2018 as the Singapore-based organization had a busy 24-card calendar this year, holding events in different iconic cities across Asia.

Furthermore, the promotion’s broadcast hours increased from 12-18 hours in 2014 to 100-2800 hours in 2018.

For years now, ONE Championship has been developing fruitful collaborations with leading broadcasting companies around the globe, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp ad OSN.

Also a large part of ONE Championship’s success worldwide comes down to its aggressive social media strategy, with platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube aiding its mainstream development.

With innovative content and marketing initiatives, ONE Championship has been able to bring world-class martial arts action much closer to diehard and loyal fans.

According to the data released by Facebook, the total impression of ONE Championship’s official page raised the bar up high in 2018. From 352 million impressions in 2014, 2018 had astonishing figures of 30 billion.

On the other hand, ONE Championship gained 4 billion views in total, significantly growing from 312,000 in 2014.

From short profile infographics, interesting interviews, to thrilling teaser videos, ONE Championship fans have followed the brand and conveniently made the organization’s social media one of the leaders of online sports content.

ONE Championship followers found touch-points that enabled them to connect with their favorite stars and even interact with their heroes behind the scenes through their posted stories.

Its relevance among the target market have furthered ONE Championship’s growth and led its way to become the largest global sports media property in Asian history.

“We’re absolutely packing stadiums. We are filling thousand-seater arenas with passionate martial arts fans. We have the support of local governments, most importantly, the support of our fans. We have the most fantastic sponsors and partners on board that believe in what we’re doing, that believe in our vision,” Sityodtong stated.

At the time of publication of this article, ONE Championship’s official Facebook page has 10,240,098 likes.

2019 promises to be even better in terms of viewership and popularity as ONE Championship lays out plans for new markets such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam next year.

The post Return Event in Yangon Is Positioned To Be Another Record-setting Event For ONE Championship appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The martial arts scene in Asia today is synonymous with ONE Championship as one of the company’s missions is to make the sport a part of the daily fabric of society in the continent.

ONE Championship has taken martial arts in Asia into greater heights, broadcasting to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 138 countries around the world.

Due to the incredible groundwork by ONE Championship, the number of martial arts fans from all across Asia has multiplied exponentially, especially over the past four years.

In line with this, ONE Championship has seen incredible growth rates in both television viewership and social media engagement, which are a testament to the rapid rise of the promotion in worldwide households and the sport of martial arts as a whole.

“ONE Championship is popular because we built this organization with the Asian people in mind. Asia is the birthplace of martial arts, and we felt it was right to showcase all the local talent here to the rest of the world,” said Chatri Sityodtong, who is the Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.

Based on the September 2018 results annualized by Nielsen, ONE Championship’s peak TV ratings share improved 58 times in 2018 as the Singapore-based organization had a busy 24-card calendar this year, holding events in different iconic cities across Asia.

Furthermore, the promotion’s broadcast hours increased from 12-18 hours in 2014 to 100-2800 hours in 2018.

For years now, ONE Championship has been developing fruitful collaborations with leading broadcasting companies around the globe, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp ad OSN.

Moreover, a large part of ONE Championship’s success worldwide comes down to its aggressive social media strategy, with platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube aiding its mainstream development.

With innovative content and marketing initiatives, ONE Championship has been able to bring world-class martial arts action much closer to diehard and loyal fans.

According to the data released by Facebook, the total impression of ONE Championship’s official page raised the bar up high in 2018. From 352 million impressions in 2014, 2018 had astonishing figures of 30 billion.

On the other hand, ONE Championship gained 4 billion views in total, significantly growing from 312,000 in 2014.

From short profile infographics, interesting interviews, to thrilling teaser videos, ONE Championship fans have followed the brand and conveniently made the organization’s social media one of the leaders of online sports content.

ONE Championship followers found touch-points that enabled them to connect with their favorite stars and even interact with their heroes behind the scenes through their posted stories.

Its relevance among the target market have furthered ONE Championship’s growth and led its way to become the largest global sports media property in Asian history.

“We’re absolutely packing stadiums. We are filling thousand-seater arenas with passionate martial arts fans. We have the support of local governments, most importantly, the support of our fans. We have the most fantastic sponsors and partners on board that believe in what we’re doing, that believe in our vision,” Sityodtong stated.

At the time of publication of this article, ONE Championship’s official Facebook page has 10,240,098 likes.

2019 promises to be even better in terms of viewership and popularity as ONE Championship lays out plans for new markets such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam next year.

For its upcoming event, ONE Championship returns to Yangon, Myanmar on 26 October to hold ONE: PURSUIT OF GREATNESS at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium.

The monumental show will feature the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent, accentuating a tremendous headlining bout between ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang and Lebanese challenger Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki.

The post Significant Numbers Show Proof Of ONE Championship’s Growth In Viewership And Social Media Engagement appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Following an impressive performance against Brazilian arch-nemesis Adriano Moraes to unify the ONE Flyweight World Titles this past June, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio puts his rivalry with the former champion behind as he looks for more intriguing matchups in his nascent reign as the division’s kingpin.

The thought of returning to action and defending the gold-plated strap jolts the competitive spirit of the 29-year-old Baguio City native.

“Competing is part of my system. I thrive on challenges because it helps me in my growth as a martial artist. Staying active in the sport is not a burden. In fact, I see it as a blessing,” Eustaquio explained

ONE Championship’s flyweight division has been often described as a shark tank as it houses the best and brightest athletes such as Moraes, Kairat Akhmetov, Reece McLaren and Eustaquio’s teammate Danny Kingad, to name a few.

To prove his worth as the one true ruler of the promotion’s stacked flyweight bracket, Eustaquio is more than willing to give any combatant in the 61.2-kilogram weight class a chance to vie for his intricately-crafted hardware.

“There are a lot of great athletes in our division, and I’m willing to fight them anytime, anywhere,” he quipped.

“I can’t wait to defend my title against anyone in the ONE Championship locker room. If they want a title shot, I am right here. Being the champion didn’t change my challenger’s mindset. I’m still hungry to learn and achieve more,” Eustaquio added.

Even though he comfortably sits on his throne as the lionized champion, Eustaquio does not mind putting his coveted ONE Flyweight World Title on the line against a worthy contender outside his home-turf.

“I don’t see it as a problem. Anytime, anywhere, I will be there to defend my world title. I am not bothered whatsoever. It’s a tough task, but I have to step up and prove that I am a fighting champion. It’s not all the time that I will have the luxury to fight in my own comfort zone,” he stated.

Owning a professional record of 11-6, Eustaquio has a good standing in overseas matches, winning five of his seven out-of-the-country bouts.

“I love to perform in front of the hometown crowd, but if there is an opportunity to defend my title outside the country, it won’t be a problem,” he disclosed.

“It doesn’t really feel competing outside the Philippines when I’m fighting abroad because Filipino fans always attend our events. When they cheer, they do it as loud as possible. It gives me an extra drive to do my best,” Eustaquio expounded further.

Eustaquio admitted that he is a firm believer of the old combat sport adage “You’re not the champion until you defend the belt.”

“After winning the belt earlier this year and unifying it a few months later, I’m already looking forward to the day that I’m going to defend it as the official champion. If you’re the champion, it’s true that you have a large target on your back. But I see it the other way around,” he stressed.

“If they want a shot at my belt, go ahead. Challenges are important in this sport because it gives you experiences, makes you learn, and helps you to become a wiser and stronger martial artist,” Eustaquio continued.

Four months after his scintillating triumph over Moraes, Eustaquio is now in deep training at the famed Team Lakay gym in Baguio City, sharpening his tools while waiting for the details of his first bout as the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Champion.

 

“Being the champion is a dream come true. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my title for a long time. I’ll face all the challenges ahead of me even if it requires me to defend my belt away from home,” he ended.

The post Team Lakay’s Geje Eustaquio Looks To Reign As Flyweight king for a long time appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.