GEJE EUSTAQUIO EARNS ONE INTERIM FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER KAIRAT AKHMETOV
26 January 2018 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), sent the Mall of Asia Arena crowd into a frenzy last Friday night in Manila, with another thrilling evening of authentic martial arts action. The absolute best in local and international martial arts talent took to the ONE Championship cage at ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES to showcase their incredible skills. In the main event, Geje Eustaquio walked out of the arena to a roar of adulation and with the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship around his waist, defeating former world champion Kairat Akhmetov.
Visit the official ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES photo gallery by clicking: http://bit.ly/onephotos
In the main event of ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of Baguio City, Philippines clinched the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship, edging Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov by unanimous decision in an exhilarating five-round title tilt. Although Akhmetov managed to showcase his wrestling, it was largely ineffective against Eustaquio, who was far superior in the striking department for the majority of the bout. Eustaquio repeatedly connected on Akhmetov with crisp, clean combinations throughout the championship contest. In the end, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Eustaquio to win by unanimous decision.
Geje Eustaquio, ONE Interim Flyweight World Champion, stated: “I don’t know what to say. This belt is not mine to take, it’s ours. Thank you to my family who was always there from the start, coach Mark Sangiao, and the entire Team Lakay who never doubted me and always believed that one day I would stand here holding this belt. I am proud to represent this flag all throughout the world. Here is your world champion from the Philippines. Adriano [Moraes] I know you’re there. I got a belt! Give me one more try and I hope to give you a better challenge this time.”
In the co-main event of the evening, 22-year-old Joshua “The Passion” Pacio unveiled an improved grappling game, submitting China’s Lan Ming Qiang via rear naked choke in the very first round. Pacio started off with his world-class wushu, operating from range with fast and powerful kicks. After taking the action to the mat, Pacio effortlessly took mount and pounded on his foe who soon gave up the back. With the body triangle locked in, Pacio sunk his forearm underneath Lan’s neck and secured the bout-ending maneuver.
Rafael “Indio” Nunes of Brazil made a triumphant return to the ONE Championship cage after two years away from competition to defeat Filipino featherweight veteran Eric “The Natural” Kelly by second-round submission. The 30-year-old Muay Thai specialist kept Kelly on the defensive with his striking before taking matters to the ground and sinking in a deep d’arce choke to score the finish.
In the first ever traditional Muay Thai bout inside the ONE Championship cage, multi-division Lumpinee World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao emerged triumphant against WBC Muay Thai Super Bantamweight World Champion Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri. Gaiyanghadao showcased his trademark power to dominate from start to finish, winning by technical knockout.
A grueling flyweight showdown between “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin of China and Sotir Kichukov of Bulgaria transpired inside the ONE Championship cage. Neither of the two would give each other any quarter for three whole rounds, as they traded their best offense all throughout. Although Kichukov would have his moments on the feet, most of the action took place on the ground where Ma enjoyed a tremendous advantage. In the end, Ma turned in another well-rounded performance to claim victory via unanimous decision.
Japanese grappling prodigy Hayato Suzuki placed himself back on the winning track, pulling off a first-round submission victory over former world title contender Yago Bryan of Brazil. With 57 seconds remaining in the opening period of the strawweight contest, Suzuki latched onto a wrenching rear naked choke to force the tap, notching his eighth submission win as a professional.
Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia of the United States continued his impressive run in ONE Championship, knocking out Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Bruno Pucci in the first round. Urrutia stifled Pucci with crisp boxing combinations, making it difficult for the Brazilian to bring the action to the mat. Urrutia secured the statement-making finish by connecting on a sensational left hook past the midway point, sending Pucci crashing to the canvas.
Filipino featherweight standout Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly delivered a sensational first-round knockout of opponent Meas Meul, dropping the Cambodian with a high kick merely seconds into the bout. At the opening bell, Kelly engaged Meul at the center of the cage and connected on a quick three-punch combination before delivering the final blow that sent Meul face first into the canvas.
Jomary Torres of Manila, Philippines scored the most impressive win of her young career, authoring a swift knockout finish over Team Lakay atomweight ace April Osenio. Torres left a lasting impression in her third trip to the ONE Championship cage, driving Osenio to the mat with a high-impact slam before putting the final touches with follow-up ground strikes to claim the knockout.
Rajinder Singh Meena of India captured his first victory inside the ONE Championship cage, defeating highly-touted Chinese lightweight prospect Zhang Ze Hao by way of first-round submission. Determined to break into the winner’s column, Meena needed just 42 seconds in the opening round to put Zhang to sleep with a guillotine choke.
Kicking off ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES was a riveting strawweight encounter as Indonesian dynamo Adrian Matheis squared off against the debuting Eddey Kalai of Malaysia. Matheis weathered a gutsy opening sequence from Eddey, who effortlessly pummeled the ONE Strawweight Indonesia Tournament Champion with his superb boxing. The complexion of the contest took a drastic turn when Matheis gained leverage on the mat, catching Kalai with a rear naked choke to force the tap.
Official results for ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES
ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship bout: Geje Eustaquio defeats Kairat Akhmetov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 5 rounds
Strawweight bout: Joshua Pacio defeats Lan Ming Qiang by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:01 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Rafael Nunes defeats Eric Kelly by Submission (D’Arce Choke) at 1:31 minutes of round 2
Muay Thai bout: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao defeats Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri by TKO (Strikes) at 2:30 minutes of round 2
Flyweight bout: Ma Hao Bin defeats Sotir Kichukov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Strawweight bout: Hayato Suzuki defeats Yago Bryan by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:03 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Emilio Urrutia defeats Bruno Pucci by Knockout (KO) at 3:33 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly defeats Meas Meul by Knockout (KO) at 0:21 minutes of round 1
Women’s strawweight bout: Jomary Torres defeats April Osenio by Knockout (KO) at 0:40 minutes of round 1
Lightweight bout: Rajinder Singh Meena defeats Zhang Ze Hao by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:42 minutes of round 1
Strawweight bout: Adrian Matheis defeats Eddey Kalai by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:15 minutes of round 1
In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.
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.
About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 128+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.
Rebello, uncut: Heavyweight dishes on 2018 return
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 25th, 2018) — Greg Rebello gave himself an ultimatum when he flew out to Vegas in July to compete on the inaugural episode of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
“I told myself, if I get outclassed and I get destroyed, then that’s it for me,” Rebello said. “There’s no need for me to continue and fight again.”
Rebello fought tooth and nail with heavyweight Azunna Anyanwu, establishing a comfortable pace until Anyanwu caught him with an overhand right that sent Rebello crashing to the canvas, ending the fight 3 minutes and 4 seconds into the second rough. A tough loss, yes, but by no means the type of overwhelming defeat that would’ve forced the 35-year-old Providence, R.I., to rethink his future in mixed martial arts.
“I was doing good. I felt like I was starting to get into a groove and felt like I was going to win that fight. It was an awesome experience until I decided to take a left step right into a right hand,” Rebello deadpanned.
The 31-fight vet stayed true to his promise and made a triumphant to the cage four months later, closing out 2017 with a convincing win over Derrick Brown. Now Rebello (23-8, 14 KOs) has his sights set on perhaps his toughest to date, a five-round championship showdown against former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) and Bellator mainstay Travis Wiuff in the main event of “CES MMA 48” live from Twin River Casino on Friday, Feb. 2nd, 2018.
The Rebello-Wiuff fight, which will be contested for the vacant CES MMA World Heavyweight Title live on AXS TV Fights, replaces the originally-scheduled Matt Bessette-Jamall Emmers fight after Bessette withdrew from the card to compete at UFC 220 last weekend in Boston.
Wiuff (75-21, 24 KOs) boasts a wealth of experience, 96 fights to be exact, over the course of 16 years in professional MMA. In addition to the UFC and Bellator, the well-traveled Wiuff also fought for PRIDE Fighting Championships and World Victory Road in Japan and enjoyed a brief stint with the short-lived International Fight League in 2006.
Among his most notable achievements, Wiuff won three titles on the independent circuit between 2005 and 2011, outlasted seven other heavyweights with three victories in one night to capture the YAMMA Eight-Man Heavyweight Tournament Championship in 2008, and advanced to the finals of the Bellator 2012 Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament.
Rebello had other options for his Feb. 2nd return — some with less experience than Wiuff — but chose the toughest path in hopes of earning the type of signature victory that could put his name back in the spotlight.
“Arguably, Travis is the most well-experienced and has the most big-show experience of anyone who’s fought for CES. That’s a fact,” Rebello said.
“Travis has fought for world titles, he’s fought [12] times for the UFC and Bellator, he’s fought for PRIDE – he’s fought everywhere. He’s been around the block. A win over him is definitely something that will open eyes.”
Rebello almost didn’t make it this far. Following the birth of his first child, Mya, in 2012, Rebello admittedly struggled with balancing fighting and fatherhood. Eight months later, Rebello announced his retirement after a sluggish performance in a loss to Lewis Rumsey at “CES MMA 17” with a tearful goodbye to the Twin River crowd. By the end of the year, he had reversed course and returned with a vengeance, winning seven of his next nine fights to set up his date with destiny in Nevada last summer.
Life outside of the cage is a little less hectic, even with a two-year-old son, Cameron, added to the mix. Rebello is now moonlighting as a personal trainer at his wife Nicole Costa’s gym, Body Rock Fitness & Nutrition in Lincoln, which recently expanded to two floors in order to accommodate its growing clientele. The balancing act has become much easier, and Rebello is flexible with his clients, whether it’s teaching women’s self-defense boxing classes or weight-training.
The best part? He’s in the gym more than ever before, beginning a process he calls “un-fattening” himself as he wraps up his training camp for next week’s fight.
“I’ve got no excuse,” Rebello said.
“A lot of people ask, ‘Doesn’t this take time away from training?’ No, because I’ll get there first thing in the morning, train four to five people, then I work out myself, get home, eat, take care of my son and then I drop him off to the babysitter and go back to the gym to train. I actually get more training sessions in.”
His dedication is unmatched. At 35, Rebello’s aware he probably only has one more run left in him before the last grain of sand slips through the hourglass. He continues to draw motivation from anywhere he can get it. After beating Rebello in July, Anyanwu went on to face undefeated heavyweight Justin Ledet at UFC Fight Night 116, losing a controversial split decision.
“I thought [Anyanwu] won, but they gave the other guy the decision,” Rebello said. “That just tells me I can get in there and compete.”
There’s also irony in the fact Bessette got the call to compete at UFC 220 even though he, too, lost in Nevada in July after dislocating his thumb in the opening round the same night Rebello faced Anyanwu. Bessette made his UFC debut against Enrique Barzola, replacing Allen Arnold, who was forced to withdraw due to visa issues.
“If you look throughout my career, how many times have I been right on the fence? I either lost a really tough fight, or I’ve gotten on a really good win streak and the fight I needed to win, I just came up short,” Rebello said. “That’s kind of how it’s always been. It is what it is. But I’ve never been one of those guys to say, ‘I’m not good enough,’ and quit. I know I’m good enough.
“Sometimes, it’s a crazy sport. If you give one inch, it can be the end of the night for you. It was tough, it was frustrating, but I was happy for Matt. Whatever. It just means I have to step up and fight, because I don’t want to sit on the shelf.”
Wiuff is as well-rounded as it gets; in addition to his 24 knockout wins, he’s won an additional 25 fights by submission and 26 by decision. Rebello compares him to Mike Stewart, whom he faced in 2012. Rebello lost that fight by third-round submission, overwhelmed by Stewart’s size and strength, but considers himself better-equipped for that type of fight now that he’s had extensive wrestling training under at Tri-Force MMA in Pawtucket.
“When I fought Mike I wasn’t really wrestling,” Rebello said. “I wasn’t training at Tri-Force. We have a lot more wrestlers and a lot more grapplers there, so I definitely got exposed with the wrestling. I thought my wrestling was decent, but it obviously wasn’t. Since then, I’ve filled that gap training with guys like Brennan Ward, Pete Jeffrey and all of them wrestlers at Tri-Force.
“[Wiuff] kind of has that style where he puts you on defense and tries to grind you and beat you up. I’m a lot better now than I was then, so it’ll be a different story.”
Feb. 2nd is also Rebello’s second shot at the CES MMA title. He lost to Ashley Gooch with the belt on the line at “CES MMA 37.” Gooch ultimately lost his first title defense to Juliano Coutinho, who promptly retired to vacate the belt a second time. More importantly, it’s an opportunity to earn a signature and put himself back on the map.
“This is the fight we were looking for,” Rebello said. “I’m 35. It’s now or never. I’ve got to go out and get my name out there, and a win over Travis is going to do that.”
Tickets for “CES MMA 48” are priced at $47.00, $57.00, $102.00 and $127.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.cagetix.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
The preliminary card begins at 7 p.m. ET with the televised main card following at 9.
In addition to the Rebello-Wiuff headliner, the “CES MMA 48” main card features the return of top prospects Dinis Paiva Jr. (10-6, 6 KOs) of East Providence, R.I., and Peabody, Mass., bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (8-1, 3 KOs).
Paiva Jr. faces Minneapolis veteran Kevin Barberena (5-3) in a featherweight bout. The two boast matching three-fight win streaks; Paiva’s recent run includes back-to-back wins on AXS TV, while Barberena has won three in a row — all by submission — dating back to April of 2016. DiSciullo steps up to face Jaime Hernandez (2-1) of Colorado. DiSciullo makes his eighth appearance with CES MMA and enters his bout against Hernandez on a two-fight win streak.
The “CES MMA 48” main card also features the Rhode Island and Twin River debut of three-time Bellator vet Tim Caron (8-1, 4 KOs) of Manchester, N.H., in a middleweight bout against Maryland’s Timothy Woods (7-5, 4 KOs), plus a featherweight showdown between unbeaten Dylan Lockard (3-0, 1 KO) of Hollis, N.H., and Cortland, N.Y., vet Shane Manley (3-3).
Woods also boasts an appearance with Bellator in 2014 on the preliminary card of Bellator 118, defeating Eugene Fadiora by unanimous decision, his most noteworthy win to date. Lockard returns to CES MMA for the first time since November of 2016 when he defeated Russell Campbell by first-round submission. Manley won his only bout with the promotion at “CES MMA 31” in 2015 before facing veteran former CES MMA title-challenger Chris Foster at Bellator 178.
The return of North Attleboro, Mass., native Brian Marino (5-1, 3 KOs), a former U.S. Army Sergeant, highlights the preliminary card. Marino hasn’t fought since 2010 due to his military service, but ends his layoff at “CES MMA 48” in a three-round welterweight bout against Jerome Mickle (2-3, 1 KO) of the Bronx. Marino currently boasts a three-fight win streak dating back to June of 2010.
Also on the preliminary card, light heavyweight Yorgan De Castro (1-0, 1 KO) faces JD Tyrrell of Cortland, who makes his professional debut. De Castro earned his first career win in his pro debut at “CES MMA 47” in November with a 39-second knockout against James Dysard.
Female strawweight Hilarie Rose of Norfolk, Mass., is one of five additional fighters debuting on the preliminary card. Rose faces Linsey Williams (0-2) of Coon Rapids, Mich. Middleweights Tommy Davis of Marblehead, Mass., and Armus Guyton of Ithaca, N.Y., debut against one another while light heavyweight Fabio Cherant of Wrentham, Mass., makes his pro debut against the Plattsburgh, N.Y., native Dysard (0-3). Brandon Morrotte of Hampstead, N.H., debuts in a three-round featherweight bout against Elmira, N.Y., native Quentin Gaskins (1-4).
Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, or follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA.
Video: UFC 220: Post-fight Press Conference
Video: UFC 220 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 6
XIONG JING NAN CROWNED INAUGURAL ONE WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION WITH TKO OF TIFFANY TEO
20 January 2018 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), electrified the Jakarta Convention Center once again last Saturday night at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE. The first ONE Championship live event in 2018 kicked the year off in style, as the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent took to the ONE Championship cage. In the main event, “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of China was crowned the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion with a technical knockout victory over Singapore’s Tiffany Teo.
Visit the official ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE photo gallery by clicking: http://bit.ly/onephotos
In the main event of the evening, a riveting striking battle took place between two outstanding female martial artists. “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan etched her name in the pages of history as the first ever ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, defeating Singaporean martial arts ace Tiffany Teo by referee stoppage in the fourth round. Relying on her accurate striking, Xiong tagged Teo repeatedly with her patented overhand rights and stinging left hooks that presented a difficult problem to solve for the tough Singaporean. Through sheer power and determination, Xiong overwhelmed her opponent and secured the finish by dropping Teo with a volley of crisp punches, prompting veteran referee Olivier Coste to call a halt to the contest.
Xiong Jing Nan, newly-crowned ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, stated: “I want to thank ONE Championship for this chance to show what China, and what women can do. I am happy to represent China and take a lot of pride in that. I feel great and I’m overwhelmed. This is a message to all the women across the world, you can achieve anything. This win is dedicated to my grandmother and grandfather who passed away recently.”
In the co-main event of the evening, Indonesian flyweight prodigy Stefer Rahardian drew the loudest cheers from the hometown crowd at the packed Jakarta Convention Center as he turned in another stellar performance, dominating Pakistan’s Muhammad Imran over three rounds to keep his unblemished professional record intact. Rahardian fully utilized his grinding ground-and-pound to pummel Imran repeatedly while threatening to end matters with various submission attempts. All three judges scored the bout in favor of Rahardian, who had his arm raised via unanimous decision.
In an entertaining display of grappling mastery between two submission wizards, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki emerged triumphant against former ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra Gafurov in the card’s highly-anticipated Grappling Super-Match. Tearing a page out of his opponent’s playbook, Aoki took Gafurov’s back and submitted the Russian with a tight rear-naked choke to earn a much-needed victory.
Indonesian martial arts standout “The Terminator” Sunoto returned to action, needing only two rounds to pull off a crafty submission finish against Cambodia’s Rin Saroth. Facing an opponent who has extensive experience in the striking discipline of khun khmer, Sunoto turned the bout to his advantage by taking Saroth down to the canvas and wearing him out with stifling ground strikes. On the mat, Sunoto caught his Cambodian counterpart with a deep americana to force the tap, claiming the third submission win of his professional career.
32-year-old Russian bantamweight standout Yusup “Maestro” Saadulaev spoiled the ONE Championship return of Japanese veteran martial artist Masakazu Imanari, stifling his opponent with his high-level grappling game. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt kept the action focused primarily on the mat, where he controlled the pace in various dominant positions while constantly threatening with submission attempts. All three judges scored in favor of Saadulaev to win by unanimous decision.
36-year-old Indonesian martial arts proponent Victorio Senduk made a successful return to the ONE Championship cage after a four-year break to defeat countryman Yohan Mulia Legowo via thrilling technical knockout. After overcoming Legowo’s offensive advances early in the bout, Senduk came back with a dramatic display of willpower to turn the tables on Legowo, blasting him with a devastating combination against the fence just moments into the second round.
Filipino martial arts veteran Rene Catalan of Manila, Philippines turned in one of his most dominant performances to date against China’s Peng Xue Wen, winning by technical knockout to score his fourth straight victory inside the ONE Championship cage. Catalan, 18 years Peng’s senior, dominated the striking exchanges and matched Peng, a Greco Roman wrestling champion, in the grappling department. In the second round, Catalan dropped Peng with a liver shot and swarmed him on the ground.
Local female martial artist Priscilla Hertati Lumbangaol made easy work of Malaysia’s Audreylaura Boniface with a spectacular showcase of offense. A wushu and sanda practitioner, Lumbangaol peppered Boniface with strikes for the duration of the bout, ending matters against the cage with a torrent of impactful combinations.
In a rousing one-round striking affair to kick off ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, Riska Umar of Indonesia overcame a spirited effort from countryman Egi Rozten to win via technical knockout. Rozten came out of the gates looking to end matters early with a relentless barrage of strikes, but Umar kept his composure and weathered the storm to win with ground-and-pound at the 4:20 mark of round one.
Official results for ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE
ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship bout: Xiong Jing Nan defeats Tiffany Teo by TKO (Strikes) at 2:17 minutes of round 4
Flyweight bout: Stefer Rahardian defeats Muhammad Imran by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Grappling Super-Match: Shinya Aoki defeats Marat Gafurov by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 12:22 minutes
Bantamweight bout: Sunoto defeats Rin Saroth by Submission (Americana) at 2:07 minutes of round 2
Bantamweight bout: Yusup Saadulaev defeats Masakazu Imanari by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Catchweight bout: Victorio Senduk defeats Yohan Mulia Legowo by TKO (Strikes) at 0:57 minutes of round 2
Strawweight bout: Rene Catalan defeats Peng Xue Wen by TKO (Strikes) at 4:22 minutes of round 2
Atomweight bout: Priscilla Hertati Lumbangaol defeats Audreylaura Boniface by TKO (Strikes) at 3:23 minutes of round 1
Flyweight bout: Riski Umar defeats Egi Rozten by TKO (Strikes) at 4:20 minutes of round 1
In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.
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.
About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 128+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.
Former UFC fighter Steve “The Boss” Bossé To make his professional boxing debut
MONTREAL (January 20, 2018) – popular fighter Steve “The Boss” Bossé will make his professional boxing debut as part of the third installment of the 2017-2018 “CHRONO AVIATION Boxing Series 2017-2018”, February 15th at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal.
A former pugilist on skates, as well as an ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) MMA fighter, Bossé will face tough Bolivian heavyweight Julio “Conceali” Cuellar Cabrera (12-6-0, 11 KOs), in a six-round bout.
“CHRONO AVIATION Boxing Series” is presented by Mise-O-Jeu, in association with Videotron, at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal.
Bossé will attempt the Tour de force in terms of achieving popularity and success in his third contact sport. He was a great senior hockey star in Quebec, known as “The King of Fight on Ice”, followed by an MMA career that peaked when he was signed by UFC in 2014.
Cabrera, who started his career in 2009, has power in both hands with 11 knockouts in his 12 victories to date.
A native of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, Bossé clearly needs boxing experience before he steps up to face elite opponents in 10 or 12-round fights, but Michel Hamelin and the R.A.C.J. demanded that the former UFC star make his boxing debut in a six-round match, rather than the more traditional four-rounder for a debut fight.
“Don’t look for finesse, she won’t be at the rendezvous! ‘The Boss’ wants and must quickly face a brawler. said the vice president of operations and recruiting at Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Bernard Barré.
The 36-year-old, Bossé had 14 pro MMA fights, compiling an impressive 12-2-0 (9 KOs) record, including 2-1-0 (1 KO) in the UFC.
His violent knockout of Australian James Te Huna (16-8-0) on March 19, 2016 in Brisbane, Australia before 9552 fans, as well as his victory in a spectacular clash against the American Sean O’Connell (17-7-0), on June 18, 2016 in Ottawa, in front of 10,490 fans, earned him performance bonuses.
He also won the Ringside MMA light heavyweight (205 lbs.) title belt, needing only 2:45 to stop Ontario’s Craig Brown (6-1-0), September 19, 2009, at the Claude-Robillard sports Complex.
Prior to his MMA fighting, Bossé was recognized as the “champion skater” in the North American Hockey League (LNAH), when he was a fan favorite who has more than 300 entertaining fights.
He got his nickname, “The Boss” after a brief career in amateur boxing as a heavyweight, in which he faced the tournament champion of the Battle of the Hockey Enforcers, Dean “The Machine” Mayrand, pro MMA fighter Jacques Dubé, in addition to officers on skates, Justin Leinhos and Louis Bédard.
Marie Eve-Dicaire in NABF title fight
In the co-featured event, charismatic Marie Eve Dicaire (10-0) continues her march towards a world title Katia “La Leona” Alvarino (8-4-1, 3 KOs), of Uruguay, for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) junior middleweight title. The winner will be better positioned for a future world title fight.
“Marie-Eve can climb one step closer to the heights of women’s boxing. This fight represents a rendezvous with glory,” Barré added.
DiCaire, a former karate world champion, is undefeated in pro boxing, coming off a unanimous eight-round decision over Mexican invader Patty Ramirez (11-4) this past December 7 at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal.
Alvarino’s last two appearances were in world title fights. In her last outing, back on October 21 in Montevideo, she lost as hard fought 10-round unanimous decision to International Boxing Federation Junior Middleweight World Champion Chris Namus (24-4, 8 KOs).
Mikael Zewski also fighting on loaded Feb. 15th card
World-class junior middleweight/welterweight Mikael Zewski (29-1, 22 KOs) will also be in action Feb 15 versus battle-tested Mexican Jose “El Changuito” de Jesus Macias (23-7-2, 12 KOs) in a potentially explosive eight-round fight. The latter notably lost a 10-round unanimous decision to American hopeful Erickson Lubin (13-0-0, 9 KOs) a year ago in Florida.
Zewski, who will be on his third outing under the GYM banner, won his last confrontation by knockout of Argentinian Enrique Martin Escobar (17-3, 14 KOs) last December 7 at the Casino de Montréal. With an impressive win over Macias, Zewski will be in line a North American championship title shot.
A protégé of former world champion Lucian Bute, welterweight Bruno Bredicean (9-0, 3 KOs), as well as the spectacular welterweight prospect Jessica “The Cobra” Camara (3-0) will also see action.
Bredicean will face an opponent to be determined, while Camara will be opposed by Guadalupe “Pantera” Lincer Ortiz (2-5-0, 1 KO), of Mexico.
The beginning for “Wild Thing” Pellerin
In the evening’s opening fight, Steve Bossé’s training partner and experienced mixed martial arts fighter, Yan “Wild Thing” Pellerin de Granby, will also make his pro boxing debut. He’s had 24 MMA fights (11-13-0) and will be facing an opponent to be determined.
Pellerin, who never feared adversity, has faced the best pugilists of his time, including former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, in addition to UFC veterans from Quebec, Jonathan Goulet and Patrick Côté, as well as his current training partner, Bossé.
Tickets can be purchased via by going on line to https://www.admission.com/event/gala-de-boxe-gym-billets/893715.
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Groupeyvonmichel
@groupeyvonmichel
@yvonmichelGYM
#GYMchrono
#GroupeYM
ABOUT GROUPE YVON MICHEL (GYM):
Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel and his associates. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers by a support to the coaching and especially by the management in competition. In order to achieve its objectives, GYM is active in recruiting talent and organizing events, has developed major partnerships with bet-O-game, Videotron, Chrono Aviation, TVA Sports, the Centre Videotron, Loto-Québec, the Casinos of Montreal and Lac Leamy, RNC Media and the 91.9 Sports, & CO, Bel Printing and Dental center Lapointe, beauty and beef, Rival in addition to cooperating closely with Rixa Promotions. The entire GYM team is actively collaborating with the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. GYM President Yvon Michel was inducted into the Canada Boxing Hall of Fame in April 20
Video: UFC 220: Official Weigh-in
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LIVE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS TO STREAM ON TWITTER BEGINNING 20 JANUARY
18 January 2018 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently announced a collaboration with Twitter to live stream ONE Championship bouts on the platform, starting with five matches from ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, set for 20 January at the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia.
Twitter will be the exclusive live stream platform for two matches from the main card (Victorio Senduk vs Yohan Mulia Legowo, and Yusup Saadulaev vs Masakazu Imanari), and will also broadcast all three preliminary matches live. The bouts will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users on Twitter and on connected devices globally through @ONEChampionship.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am thrilled to announce ONE Championship’s partnership with social media platform, Twitter. This will allow us to further showcase the beauty of martial arts to a global audience. This partnership signifies the two companies’ commitment to developing martial arts in Asia and extend the reach of our exciting live and digital content. Martial arts fans, particularly those on the Twitter platform, will be able to enjoy free ONE Championship bouts while engaging in real-time conversation.”
Maurizio Barbieri, Head of Sports Partnerships for Southeast Asia at Twitter, stated: “ONE Championship is a true sports media powerhouse. We are excited to team up with them to increase their reach to millions of fans around Asia and the rest of the world. More than ever before, if you can’t make it ringside, Twitter will be the best place to follow the action live, right when it is happening.”
ONE Championship posted statistical increases in social media and television reach at the tail end of 2017, as well as new partnerships with global brands. ONE’s annualized run rate hit 14-billion social media impressions this year from just 352-million in 2014, marking a more than 39x increase. Social media video views are also slated to breach the 2.6-billion mark across multiple platforms compared to 312 thousand just three years ago. Peak TV ratings is rising at 11-36%, marking up to 36x growth, including an increase in annual TV broadcast per core country, rising to 100-2800 hours which is a spike greater than 230x.
ONE Championship has already announced its 2018 calendar featuring 24 live events taking place in various cities across Asia, with multiple stops in Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Shanghai. The partnership with Twitter encompasses all 24 ONE Championship live events in 2018.
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.
About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 128+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.
About Twitter
Twitter is what’s happening in the world and what people are talking about right now. From breaking news and entertainment to sports, politics, and everyday interests, see every side of the story. Join the open conversation. Watch live streaming events. Available in more than 40 languages around the world, the service can be accessed via twitter.com, an array of mobile devices, and SMS. For more information, please visit about.twitter.com, follow @TwitterSG, and download both the Twitter and Periscope apps at twitter.com/download and periscope.tv.
Video: UFC 220 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 3
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Video: UFC Embedded Episodes 1 and 2
Stephens stops Choi in 2

Jeremy Stephens scored an explosive 2nd round stoppage over Doohoo Choi in a featherweight bout at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Stephens dropped Choi in round two, and then landed three hard shots with Choi on the ground, and the bout was stopped at 2:36.
Stephens, 145.5 lbs of San Diego is 27-14. Choi, 146 lbs of Busan, SK is 15-3.
Jessica Rose Calrk won a unanimous decision over fan favorite Paige CanZant in a flyweight bout.
Clark, 125.5 lbs of Innisfal, AUS won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice, and is now 9-4-1. VanZant, 125.5 lbs of Portland, OR is now 7-4.
Kamaru Usman won a unanimous decision over Emil meek in a welterweight bout.
Usman was bleeding from the right eye from from short elbows in round one. Meek was cut in the back of his head in round two. Later in the round he was cut on the forehead.
Usman dominated as he out-landed Meek 104-69, and had the control advantage by a 12-minute margin.
Usman, 169.5 lbs of Boca Raton, FL won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 12-1. Meek, 170.5 lbs of Trondheim, NOR is 9-3-1-1.
This was Usman’s 11th straight win.
Darren Elkins submitted Michael Johnson in round two of their featherweight bout.
Elkins won by rear naked choke at 2:22.
Elkins, 145.5 lbs of Portange, IN is 24-5. Johnson, 146 lbs of Boca Raton, FL is 17-13.
Elkins won his 6th consecutive bout.
Live Audio: UFC 220: Miocic vs Ngannou – Media Conference Call
ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES SET FOR 26 JANUARY IN MANILA
10 January 2018 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced its return to the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, 26 January. ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES is set to showcase the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent. In the main event, Team Lakay’s Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio will take on Kairat Akhmetov for the interim ONE Flyweight World Championship.
Ticket information for ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES is available at www.onefc.com.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “This is the first in four blockbuster events in Manila in 2018, and ONE Championship is looking to kick things off with a spectacular show. Fans of martial arts in the Philippines are among the most passionate in the world, and it is our honor to present the best in local and global martial arts talent. The Mall of Asia Arena will be pulsating with excitement as hometown hero Geje Eustaquio takes on Kairat Akhmetov in a highly-anticipated main event rematch. This time, it’s for the interim ONE Flyweight World Championship.”
Top flyweight contender and former world title challenger Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of Baguio City, Philippines, is one of the most skilled martial artists in Asia, and a highly-decorated wushu practitioner. His solid striking and grappling skill set has led to huge victories over the course of a seven-year professional career. Training in the high altitudes of the Philippines’ Summer capital, Eustaquio hones his craft alongside world-class teammates at the fabled Team Lakay. Known for his incredible ability to keep calm in the face of adversity, Eustaquio is set to headline ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES opposite former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat Akhmetov.
Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat Akhmetov is a veteran martial artist from Almaty, Kazakhstan. The 30-year-old boasts a solid 24-1 professional record amassed during a stellar martial arts career which has seen him dominate his opponents with tenacious wrestling and powerful striking. In his most recent appearance inside the ONE Championship cage, Akhmetov defeated Geje Eustaquio via closely-contested three-round split decision. Now he faces Eustaquio in a rematch, this time for the interim ONE Flyweight World Championship.
22-year-old Joshua Pacio of Baguio City is one of the fastest rising martial arts stars from the Philippines. He is one of the promotion’s most talented strawweights and a proud member of the famed Team Lakay. Pacio is a wushu practitioner with a solid grappling repertoire. All but one of his 10 career victories have come by spectacular finish, which includes five wins by submission and four by devastating knockout. In his most recent bout, Pacio knocked out veteran Roy Doliguez with a second-round spinning back fist. A former ONE Strawweight World Championship Title Challenger, Pacio is looking to bring himself back to title contention with another victory. A tough task is ahead of Pacio, however, as he is slated to lock horns with Pongsiri Mitsatit.
21-year-old Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit is an undefeated martial artist from Chiang Mai, Thailand, and was previously a North Thailand Muay Thai champion with a 72-17 record, which included 49 KOs. Since making his professional debut in the cage, the strawweight has amassed an unblemished record of 9-0 with seven knockout triumphs and one submission victory, and made an immediate impact in ONE Championship with first-round finishes over Ye Thway Ne and Rabin Catalan. In his next outing, Mitsatit will share the ONE Championship cage with Joshua Pacio of the Philippines in a three-round strawweight contest.
Featherweight standout Eric “The Natural” Kelly of Baguio City is widely considered one of the best homegrown martial arts athletes to come out of the Philippines. The wushu practitioner combines solid striking techniques with high-level grappling skills, which has resulted in nine impressive submissions and one knockout out of 12 total victories. Kelly’s most impressive showing to date came in a submission win over Rob Lisita in 2014, a performance which earned him the US$50,000 ONE Warrior Bonus. In his next bout, Kelly will face Rafael Nunes.
20-year-old Rafael Nunes is a martial artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil with a 10-1 record. He is the former Premier FC Lightweight Champion and has steamrolled through the competition in his home country with a knack for winning by exciting finish. All but one of Nunes’ 10 wins have ended within the distance. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, Nunes is equally comfortable finishing his opponents by submission or by strikes. He looks to showcase his multifaceted skill set in his next bout, and will face a tough challenge when he takes on veteran Eric Kelly.
27-year-old Bulgarian martial artist Sotir Kichukov is a ONE Championship flyweight contender and former Max Bantamweight Champion. Representing Saigon Sports Club, Kichukov made his promotional debut in December of 2016 at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION against Mark Striegl. Kichukov, who lives and trains out of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is set to return to the ONE Championship cage to take on China’s Ma Hao Bin.
24-year-old Chinese national freestyle wrestling champion “The Southern Eagle” Ma Hao Bin is unbeaten inside the ONE Championship cage. Making his professional debut in 2016, Ma took home the ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS (CHANGSHA) Flyweight Tournament Championship, defeating Wu Ting Shen and Bu Huo You Ga in a single evening of action. Since then, Ma has strung together an impressive 7-1 professional record which includes four wins by submission and one by knockout. In his last bout, Ma needed just one round to force Eugene Toquero to tap from an armbar. He takes on Sotir Kichukov next.
25-year-old Yago Bryan of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a former Shooto South American Strawweight Champion who took on former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his promotional debut. A Muay Thai practitioner and wrestler, Bryan features both striking and grappling skills in his arsenal. Making his way back to the ONE Championship cage, Bryan is set to take on Hayato Suzuki.
31-year-old Hayato Suzuki of Saitama, Japan, is a veteran martial artist with an impressive professional record of 17-1 with two draws. Spending the majority of his career competing in his native Japan, Suzuki is known as a highly-skilled competitor with the ability to finish his foes with heavy knockout power and technical grappling skills. Out of 17 wins, Suzuki has finished 12 of his opponents, including seven by submission and five by knockout. He will face Yago Bryan in his next contest.
27-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Bruno “Pucci Bull” Pucci is a No-Gi world champion from Brazil who is based out of Singapore. Training at Evolve, Pucci is one of ONE Championship’s most skilled featherweights. With an inherent ability to source high-level submission maneuvers from any position in the cage, Pucci is looking for his second straight victory. Famous for finishing all his bouts via rear naked choke, Pucci will take on Emilio Urrutia in his next contest.
Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia is an American martial arts talent from Miami, Florida. The 31-year old made his professional debut in 2013, and has since produced a solid 10-4 record. He the former SFC Bantamweight Champion. A skilled grappler, four of Urrutia’s 10 total victories have come by submission. In his last bout, Urrutia scored a unanimous decision victory over the highly-regarded Edward Kelly. Training out of the renowned Tiger Muay Thai gym in Thailand, Urrutia will now take on Bruno Pucci.
Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly is a 33-year old Filipino martial arts talent and one of the brightest featherweight prospects to emerge from the Philippines. With a complete striking and grappling skill set, Kelly brings Team Lakay’s world-renowned wushu to centerstage as he looks to showcase his expertise inside the ONE Championship cage. Kelly has won three of his last four bouts, all by spectacular finish. He will take on Meas Meul.
27-year-old Meas Meul of Phnom Penh, Cambodia is an undefeated martial artist with a professional record of 6-0. Meul made his ONE Championship debut in 2014, submitting countryman Chan Heng via rear-naked choke. A former KW 2 Champion, Meul is set to put his highly-regarded khun khmer offensive skills on full display when he takes on Edward Kelly.
Rajinder Singh “Knockout” Meena of India is a martial artist competing in the ONE Championship lightweight division. A former SFL Lightweight Champion, all eight of Meena’s victories have come by exciting finish. With a robust grappling skill set, Meena owns five impressive wins by submission and three by knockout. In his next bout, Meena is set to take on rising Chinese star Zhang Ze Hao.
“The Ghost” Zhang Ze Hao of Shanghai is a martial artist from China and one of the top Chinese lightweight prospects He made his promotional debut at ONE CHAMPIONSHIP: SHANGHAI in early September of 2017, finishing compatriot Li Cheng Chao via technical knockout in the third round. Zhang, a proponent at the AMA Shanghai Gym, is a sanda and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and sanda practitioner. He is set to do battle against Rajinder Singh Meena in a three-round lightweight contest.
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.
About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 128+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.
COMPLETE CARD ANNOUNCED FOR ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE
09 January 2018 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the complete card for ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, which takes place in Indonesia’s bustling capital city of Jakarta. The ONE Championship cage will once again showcase the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent. Set for Saturday, 20 January at the iconic Jakarta Convention Center, the main event features top female strawweight from Singapore, Tiffany “No Chill” Teo who will take on Chinese female martial arts star Xiong Jing Nan for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.
Ticket information for ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE is available at www.onefc.com.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am super excited to announce Tiffany Teo versus Xiong Jing Nan at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE in Jakarta. It is our first global broadcast of 2018 and we are going big. The two women are exemplary martial artists who compete at the highest level of skill. It should be an exciting bout for all the fans watching, and at the end of the night, we will be crowning our first ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion. In addition, our co-main event contest between local hero Stefer Rahardian and Muhammad Imran will see the winner go on to challenge for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.”
Tiffany Teo, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “First of all, I would like to thank ONE Championship for believing in me. I’ve always kept my head down and let the hard work and my achievements speak for itself. I got the win in my last bout, but I still feel like I could have done better. As a martial artist, I am constantly seeking to improve. This title shot means a lot to me and I am excited to get right back in the cage. I would like to thank Xiong Jing Nan for the opportunity to showcase my skills again. This one is for my fans in Singapore. I will bring the belt home for you guys.”
Xiong Jing Nan, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “I would like to thank ONE Championship for the opportunity. I am so glad to have a title shot against Tiffany [Teo]. This is a great honor for me, and for China. I have been training and dreaming of becoming a world champion for a long time and I am ready to defeat whoever is standing in front of me. My entire career has been about making this dream come true, and now it’s time for me to make that dream a reality.”
Tiffany “No Chill” Teo of Singapore is a rising female martial arts star who competes in ONE Championship’s women’s strawweight division. She holds an unblemished professional record of seven wins and no losses, including three submissions and two knockouts. Teo began training in taekwondo before moving on to compete in boxing and Muay Thai and eventually transitioning to the ONE Championship cage. In her last bout, Teo impressed with a quick submission victory over Puja Tomar. Up next, Teo will take on Xiong Jing Nan for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.
“The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of Shandong is a female strawweight contender in ONE Championship. She is known as one of the top three leading female martial arts talents in China. With a professional record of 13-1, Xiong began her career competing in professional boxing and was inspired by her father, who imparted in her values of courage and integrity. Featuring a wide array of skills, Xiong recently bagged a gold medal at the prestigious China Open Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament in 2017. In her last bout, Xiong made quick work of Filipino wushu specialist April Osenio, finishing her opponent via technical knockout in the first round. Up next, Xiong will take on Tiffany Teo for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.
Top Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian impressed in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear-naked choke to become the tournament winner. Since then, Rahardian has blazed a trail in the ONE Championship cage, winning three additional bouts to cap an amazing run as a professional. In his last outing, Rahardian outperformed Cambodia’s Sim Bunsrun to win by impressive first-round submission. Still unbeaten, Rahardian puts his perfect record on the line against Muhammad Imran in a ONE Flyweight World Championship title eliminator.
Muhammad “The Spider” Imran of Gujar Khan, Pakistan is a martial artist making his ONE Championship debut. He is the former PFC Strawweight Champion who specializes in budokai karate and grappling. The 26-year-old is looking to make a solid impact at flyweight, challenging one of the top talents in the division in his first appearance for the promotion. In his next outing, Imran is set to battle Indonesia’s Stefer Rahardian for the right to challenge for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.
33-year-old Vitaly Bigdash of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, has proven to be one of the most talented martial artists in the world. Making his promotional debut in 2015, Bigdash captured the ONE Middleweight World Championship with a resounding technical knockout victory over Igor Svirid, in one of the most action-packed contests in the ONE history. After succumbing to new champion Aung La N Sang in his last bout, Bigdash returns to the ONE Championship cage seeking redemption. He will take on Leandro Ataides.
Leandro Ataides of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a 31-year-old martial arts veteran who owns a professional record of 10 wins and three losses. A powerful finisher, seven of Ataides’ victories have ended within the distance. In his last bout, Ataides scored his second win in a row, outscoring former world title challenger Michal Pasternak with a complete showcase of skill. Prior to that bout, Ataides also stopped Mohamed Ali with a highlight-reel flying knee that was named ONE’s Knockout of the Year 2016. The hard-charging Ataides remains a force to be reckoned with at middleweight and will look to excite the crowd when he takes on his next opponent, former champion Vitaly Bigdash.
33-year-old Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Dagestan, Russia, is the former ONE Featherweight World Champion. Boasting a professional record 15 wins and only one defeat, Gafurov is a high-level grappler with 11 of his wins coming by impressive submission over top-caliber opponents. Gafurov captured the featherweight title in 2015 with a gutsy victory over former champion Narantungalag Jadambaa in an epic battle. In his last bout however, Gafurov succumbed to Martin Nguyen via devastating one-punch knockout. Gafurov is now on the comeback trail, looking to get back into title contention. He will take on Shinya Aoki in a Grappling Super-Match.
Global martial arts veteran Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki of Shizuoka, Japan, is one of the world’s most decorated athletes. He is the DREAM Lightweight Champion, former Shooto Welterweight Champion, and the former ONE Lightweight World Champion. The 34-year-old Aoki is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under the famed Yuki Nakai and has won multiple grappling tournaments all over the world. Aoki also holds a black belt in judo and is widely considered one of the best pure grapplers in professional martial arts competition today. In his next bout, Aoki will take on Marat Gafurov in a Grappling Super-Match.
Indonesian martial arts veteran “The Terminator” Sunoto is a ONE Championship bantamweight and a former WKF Indonesia Champion. Representing IndoGym and Team Phantom, Sunoto features a style that combines elements of kickboxing, karate, and jiu-jitsu. With a penchant for scoring spectacular finishes, four of Sunoto’s six victories have ended before the final bell. The 32-year-old is known as an aggressive warrior who never backs down from a challenge. His next bout will be against Rin Saroth.
24-year-old Rin Saroth is a martial artist from Phnom Penh, Cambodia and a former WK 3 Featherweight Tournament Finalist with a khun khmer record of 110-22-0. He made his ONE Championship debut in December of 2015 at ONE: KINGDOM OF KHMER, winning by first-round armbar submission over Mission Ali. Saroth is now ready to return to the ONE Championship cage. He will face Indonesia’s Sunoto in his first bout back.
32-year-old Yusup “Maestro” Saadulaev of Dagestan, Russia, is one of the promotion’s most talented bantamweights. With a 16-4-1 and 1NC professional record, Saadulaev is a Combat Sambo world champion who has won numerous grappling competitions. He is known for high-level grappling game and his submission skills, having won 11 of his total victories by submission finish. Victorious in his last outing inside the ONE Championship cage, Saadulaev is hungry to further his career and will get another opportunity when he takes on Masakazu Imanari.
Japanese martial artist Masakazu Imanari is a ONE Championship bantamweight with years of high-profile experience on the global stage of martial arts. With nearly two decades of experience under his belt, Imanari is a veteran of the sport and one of the most talented competitors to come out of Japan. With a style focused on submission grappling, Imanari is a former 3-time DEEP Champion. Out of Imanari’s 36 total victories, 25 have come by submission finish. “Ashikan Judan” is set to return to the ONE Championship cage against Yusup Saadulaev.
22-year-old Iryna “Delsa” Kyselova is a Europe West Fight Champion and a top-notch grappler. Hailing from Donskoe, Ukraine, she is 11-2 as a professional and will be making her ONE Championship debut. Representing YK Promotion, Kyselova is currently riding a four-bout winning streak. Nine out of her 10 victories have come by scintillating finish, including seven submissions and two knockouts. A new player at women’s strawweight, Kyselova will take on the surging Miao Jie.
30-year-old “Supermom” Miao Jie of Shanghai, China, is a martial artist with a professional record of 6-1. A talented grappler, Miao recently won a bronze medal at the 2017 IBJJF World Championships in Long Beach, California, USA. In her most recent bout, Miao needed less than a minute to submit Australia’s Amira Hafizovic via armbar to set a record for fastest submission and finish in ONE women’s history. Looking to make a name for herself in Asia’s premier martial arts organization, Miao seeks to showcase her complete skills as she returns to the ONE Championship cage against Iryna Kyselova.
Victorio “Indra” Senduk of Bandung, Indonesia is an unbeaten featherweight contender and former IBC Featherweight Champion. With a background in wushu and kickboxing, Senduk is a hard-hitting striker with an aggressive style. Representing Gorilla Fight Club, Senduk is set to return to the ONE Championship cage against compatriot Yohan Mulia Legowo.
Yohan Mulia Legowo from Solo, Indonesia, has been competing as a martial arts professional for over 15 years. He has a professional standing of 8-6, with five submissions and three knockouts. “The Iceman” is known to be a well-rounded combatant, incorporating various martial arts techniques including wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and kung fu in his offensive arsenal. His highly-regarded skillset will be put on display when he battles Victorio Senduk.
Indonesian striking specialist Riski “Kong” Umar is a 25-year-old ONE Championship flyweight contender. A Muay Thai and taekwondo practitioner, Umar is unbeaten as a professional. In his most recent contest, Umar needed just two minutes to knock out Adi Nugroho with punches. Training out of Bali, Indonesia, Umar is set to return in his second appearance inside the ONE cage, this time against Arnol Batubara.
27-year-old Arnol Batubara of Bandung, Indonesia, is a ONE Championship flyweight and former Garuda Super Fight Bantamweight Champion. With a style based on wushu sanda, Batubara joins a deep flyweight division, ready to make waves with his exciting technique. Representing Livre Brotherman and IndoGym, Batubara is set to make his promotional debut against Riski Umar.
Filipino martial arts veteran Rene Catalan of Manila, Philippines, is a 2006 Asian Games gold medalist in wushu. He made his ONE Championship debut in 2013, showcasing his unwavering tenacity and incredible heart. In September of 2016, Catalan notched his first victory in the promotion with a unanimous decision over Zhang You Liang. After submitting Adrian Matheis by armbar in the second round, Catalan scored his third straight victory with a unanimous decision over Bu Huo You Ga. Now Catalan is looking for his fourth triumph, this time against Peng Xue Wen.
21-year-old Peng Xue Wen of Zhongshan, China is a ONE Championship strawweight and former National Youth Grecco Champion 2014. Representing Nan Yan Fight Club, Peng is a wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. In his most recent contest, Peng made his ONE Championship debut a successful one, defeating Phat Soda by emphatic first-round KO slam. Peng looks to build on his success, but will face veteran Rene Catalan in his next outing.
Female martial artist Priscilla Hertati Lumbangaol of Jakarta, Indonesia, is an Indonesian national wushu champion who has trained in various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and wushu. The 29-year-old made her ONE Championship debut against Singapore’s Tiffany Teo at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in February 2017, joining a growing list of elite female martial artists in Asia. Lumbangaol will look to emerge triumphant in her next appearance inside the ONE Championship cage, when she takes on the Malaysia’s Audreylaura Boniface.
28-year-old Audreylaura Boniface of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia is a martial artist by practice and a medical doctor by trade. She holds a black belt in taekwondo and is a mainstay at Borneo Tribal Squad, training under the guidance of AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor and Malaysian superstar Ann “Athena” Osman. A top women’s atomweight prospect, “Ice Comet” is in search of her first victory inside the ONE Championship cage. Boniface will take on Priscilla Hertati Lumbangaol in her next outing.
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.
About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 128+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.
Video: UFC 219: Khabib Nurmagomedov – Octagon Interview
Video: Stipe Miocic vs Alistair Overeem, UFC 203
Video: UFC 220: Miocic vs Ngannou – Official Trailer
Video: UFC 219: Cris Cyborg – Octagon Interview
Video: UFC 219: Post-fight Press Conference
EARLY UFC 219 RESULTS

Michal Oleksiejczuk won a unanimous decision over Khalil Rountree in a light heavyweight bout.
Both fighters were cut around their right eye’s in round one.
Oleksiejczuk, 203.5 lbs of Leczna, POl won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 13-2. Rountree, 205 lbs of Las Vegas is 6-3.
Myles Jury won a unanimous decision over Rick Glenn in a featherweight bout.
Jury, 146 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards, and is now 17-2. Glenn, 145.5 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 20-5-1.
Marvin Vettori and Omari Akemedov fought to a majority draw in a middleweight bout.
In round two, Akhmedov began to bleed from his nose.
Vettori, 185.5 lbs of Mezzocorona, ITA won on a card 29-28, but that was overruled by two cards that were even at 28-28. Vettori is now 12-3-1. Akhmedov, 185.5 lbs of Mackhackaria, RUS is 17-4-1.
Matheus Nicolau won a unanimous decision over Louis Smolka in a flyweight bout.
In round one, Nicolau dropped Smolka three times with left hooks. Smolka began to bleed heavily over his right eye.
Nicolau, 125.5 lbs of Rio De Janieiro, BRA won by scores of 30-26, 30-26 and 30-25, and is now 13-1-1. Smolka, 126 lbs of Kapolei, HI is now 11-5.
Video: UFC 219 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4
CECILIA BRAEKHUS IN LAS VEGAS FOR UFC 219!!
Las Vegas, NV (December 29, 2017) Consensus Women’s #1 Pound-for-Pound Boxer in the World and Undisputed Welterweight World Champion, CECILIA BRAEKHUS (32-0, 9 KO’s) is in Las Vegas this weekend to support UFC Women’s Featherweight World Champion CRIS CYBORG ahead of her highly anticipated showdown with HOLLY HOLM, tomorrow, Saturday, December 30, 2017 at UFC 219 in the T-Mobile Arena.
Earlier this month Braekhus met with Cyborg for a strategy session at the RVCA Gym in Costa Mesa, California.
“I’m thrilled to be back in Las Vegas supporting Cyborg in this huge fight for her,” said Braekhus who traveled from her home in Norway on Thursday. “If Cyborg wins, I’d love to fight her in a boxing match in the future and this is something she has also expressed interest in.”
“It’s great to see women competing in a main event for UFC in such a tremendous international promotion. It truly reflects well for combat sports and the future for all women whether in boxing or MMA.”
Braekhus is making plans to for her return to the boxing ring in the United States in 2018. She last fought in America in June 2008.
Photo/Team Braekhus
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