Geje Eustaquio earns ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship with unanimous decision over Kairat Akhtemov

PRESS RELEASE

ALSO: Joshua Pacio electrifies crowd with submission finish over Lan Ming Qiang

PLUS: Rafael Nunes finishes Eric Kelly with D'Arce choke

Mark Sangiao, Geje Eustaquio

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 Pasay City, Metro 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.

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.

ONE Championship Global Citizen ambassadors visit youth in Tondo, Manila

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Angela Lee, Eduard Folayang, Wei Soo, Brandon Vera with Tondo kids

26 January 2018 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held an athlete outreach activity that saw ONE Championship athletes visit youth living in metropolitan Manila. Global Citizen Athlete Ambassadors Angela Lee, Brandon Vera, and Eduard Folayang, in conjunction with Young Focus, spent time with children from Smokey Mountain Area, while spreading a message of hope and the importance of access to education.

Young Focus is a local NGO in the Philippines that provides underprivileged youth in the Tondo, or “Smokey Mountain” Area of Manila the chance to develop themselves intellectually, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. Through education, Young Focus addresses poverty directly by giving the next generation the best possible opportunities in life.

Athletes toured the area, met community members and visited Young Focus centers which cater to children from infancy, preschool, all the way up to the tertiary educational level. Young Focus founders Paul and Ann Wijgerden have over 1,500 children from the area participating in the program. Athletes not only helped children of all ages in their various classes, from English to Mathematics, to Music and Dance, but also inspired them by sharing their own personal stories and reinforcing the importance of education. The day finished with a martial arts demonstration.

ONE Championship also invited 100 Young Focus students and staff to attend the ONE: GLOBAL SUPERHEROES event on Friday night, 26 January at the Mall of Asia Arena.

As part of the partnership with Global Citizen to encourage fans to become Global Citizens and take action, ONE athletes will continue to play their part in driving this social movement as well as supporting local initiatives that provide access to education to tackle extreme poverty.

To learn more about the ONE Championship and Global Citizen partnership, visit www.globalcitizen.org/one. For more information on Young Focus, please visit www.youngfocus.org.

Brandon Vera, Wei Soo, Ann Wijgerden, Paul Wijgerden, Angela Lee, Eduard Folayang

Wei Soo, Co-Founder of Global Citizen, stated: “Young Focus and its students are a great example of what we can achieve when a community is able to prioritize education for all. It was exciting to see their work firsthand today, and hear directly from students whose lives have been changed by the power of education. At Global Citizen, we're thrilled to team up with ONE Championship and its fans throughout Asia, and encourage world leaders to invest in education and give millions of people around the world the tools they need for a better future.”

Angela Lee, Global Citizen Athlete Ambassador, stated: “Today was an experience unlike any other. I am truly humbled and honored to have walked these streets, laughed with these people and shared so many smiles with everyone on Smokey Mountain. For me and my fellow Global Citizen Ambassadors, Brandon and Eduard, this is truly the most rewarding thing. We love giving back to our communities! Thank you ONE Championship, Global Citizen and Young Focus for having us here today. We can’t wait to be back!”

Brandon Vera, Global Citizen Athlete Ambassador, stated: “Hanging out with the children was an awesome privilege. It made me appreciate everything a lot more and has motivated me to give back even more when I can. If I am able to help these kids it means the world to me. I have been fortunate enough to be raised in an environment where I never had to face what these kids have to deal with on a daily basis. If only to inspire them to work hard and study hard so they can chase their dreams, then I’m all for it. Hope is important because even just a little bit of it goes a long way. Thank you to ONE Championship and Global Citizen for allowing us this opportunity.”

Eduard Folayang, Global Citizen Athlete Ambassador, stated: “It was such an amazing experience, of course. You really feel for the hardship my countrymen are experiencing now, especially the youth. As a ONE Championship athlete, it is my honor to be able to give back to the Filipino people. I’m sure the entire world would also love to be a part of this movement, so I encourage everyone to check out Global Citizen and how each of us can help in our own little ways.”

ONE Championship recently announced a partnership with Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization with the goal of ending extreme poverty across the world by 2030. The partnership will harness the power of ONE’s platform to engage millions of martial arts fans around the world to support initiatives and find solutions to the issues associated with extreme poverty. Global Citizen and ONE will collaborate across 24 live ONE events scheduled in 2018, and various outreach activations throughout Asia. Fans will have the opportunity to take action and engage with specific policy areas including, education, food security, hunger and nutrition, global health, and gender equality and empowerment.

The first action ONE fans can take will be centered on global education. Fans will be able to call on donor countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and India, to attend the Global Partnership for Education’s (GPE) replenishment conference in Dakar, Senegal on 2 February 2018, and make a commitment to GPE to support better education for all. Currently, 264 million children around the world are missing out on an education. Over half are girls, and over 75 million have had their schooling disrupted by conflict or natural disasters. At the replenishment conference, the GPE will raise much needed funds that will allow it to continue to support quality, inclusive education to hundreds of millions of children around the world.

Headquartered in New York, United States with offices in Canada, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom, Global Citizen was founded in 2012 with the goal of building the largest platform where people can learn about issues, take action on what matters most, and join a global movement working to end extreme poverty by 2030. Since then, millions of Global Citizens around the world have taken over ten million actions, which includes millions of emails, tweets, petition signatures, and phone calls targeting world leaders to end extreme poverty by 2030. To date, the actions by Global Citizen’s global community, along with its high-level advocacy efforts and various partners, have resulted in 130 commitments and policy announcements from leaders, including financial aid valued at over US $35-billion, that is set to affect the lives of over 1.3 billion people.

ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global sports media property, is a celebration of Asia’s greatest cultural treasure, martial arts. The promotion engages millions of people across Asia by building local martial arts superheroes, telling their inspirational stories of perseverance and triumph through martial arts, which has been home in Asia for the past 5,000 years.

 Brandon Vera

  Brandon Vera

 Eduard Folayang

 Eduard Folayang, Wei Soo, Angela Lee, Brandon Vera

 Eduard Folayang

Angela Lee

Angela Lee

Eduard Folayang

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.

PLDT SME Nation powers PFA with cashless transactions by PayMaya

PRESS RELEASE

Vic Tria, Mitch Locsin, Dr. Alan Escalona, Richard Sanz, Raymund Villanueva, Aldous Brigino

Leading digital solutions and telecommunications provider PLDT Enterprise, through its Small and Medium Business Group PLDT SME Nation, is making cashless transactions available to more Filipino consumers, recently sealing a partnership with the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) for the adoption of its PayMaya QR Code facility.

PFA is the country’s largest franchise association that boasts of some of the most recognizable local and international brands from various industries; PFA members include industry giants Bibingkinitan, Fruit Magic, Goldilocks, Potato Corner, 7-11 and Toby’s. PFA champions sustainable franchising for economic development and nation-building.

With the implementation of the PayMaya QR Code facility for cashless and seamless transactions in some of PFA’s members, PLDT Enterprise continues its vision of empowering Filipino entrepreneurs by providing them the most advanced and tailor-fit technologies. The partnership with PFA also marks another milestone in PLDT’s journey towards a fully digitized customer experience.

Representatives from PLDT Enterprise and PFA seal their newly-forged collaboration in the implementation of the PayMaya QR Code with a signature group handshake at the contract signing in Ibiza Beach Club, Bonifactio Global City, Taguig. Among them were FVP & Head at PLDT ALPHA Vic Tria; FVP & Head at PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin; Chairman at PFA Dr. Alan Escalona; President at PFA Richard Sanz; VP & Head of Issuing at PayMaya Philippines Raymund Villanueva and Head of Channel Sales at PayMaya Business Aldous Brigino.

The PayMaya QR code gives consumers the capability to make cashless payments by simply scanning the QR code at the establishment using the PayMaya app. On the other hand, merchants do not need payment hardware in order receive PayMaya-enabled cashless payments. Additionally, for merchants, PayMaya significantly decreases the risks associated with handling cash payments.

“Today, a pressing consumer demand is for an efficient, accessible and authentic engagement retail experience. Driven by a fast-paced digital time, this demand is growing even more and businesses have to respond and even go beyond these expectations in real-time,” said Franklin Go, Chairman at PFA.

“The introduction of PLDT’s PayMaya QR code is a significant step for local enterprises to be able to keep up with this demand, and set a whole new standard in seamless and digitally-driven customer experience.”

“We at the PLDT group have one goal—for all consumers to stay connected and to enjoy safe, secure and convenient seamless payment transactions in their favorite stores or outlets, making shopping especially this holiday season easier and safer,” shared PayMaya Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director Paolo Azzola.

FVP and Head of PLDT SME Nation, Mitch Locsin, expressed his excitement for the significance of this partnership: “PLDT has always recognized and supported PFA’s mission and vision for Filipino products and franchises to grow into local and even global giants. With the forging of this new deal, we underscore our support for our valued partners at PFA and their objectives through the continuous development and implementation of breakthrough digital solutions such as the PayMaya QR code.”

To know more about PLDT Enterprise and its products and services, visit www.pldtenterprise.com.

PayMaya Philippines, the country’s pioneer and leader in cashless payments, is the digital financial services arm of PLDT’s Voyager Innovations. To know more about PayMaya QR, visit qr.paymaya.com. 

Ayala Land pioneers healthy, active living with Vermosa Sports Hub

PRESS RELEASE

MANILA, Philippines — January 2018. Ayala Land continues to redefine suburban living through Vermosa — a master planned community that thrives in fueling one’s passion for a healthy and active lifestyle.

                                                 

With over 700-hectares, Vermosa is currently the fourth largest mixed-use estate of Ayala Land Inc. It will be home to 6,000 households that highlight the diverse living options with the presence of four of ALI’s residential brands – Ayala Land Premier, Alveo, Avida and Amaia.

To complement the diverse lifestyles each brand offers, Vermosa is also set to debut the Vermosa Sports Hub.

Vermosa Sports Hub, the premier destination for sports enthusiasts

The Vermosa Sports Hub is set to rise as a premier destination for triathletes, sports enthusiasts, and individuals who want to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle.  Designed specifically to offer a seamless integration of facilities and sports-related lifestyle elements, it’s meant to be a complete destination designed specifically to provide an effective and complete training experience for athletes.  Aside from the sports facilities, other components are also designed to promote healthy and active living.  The mall will highlight health and sports merchants for retail, while bike lanes, jogging, and biking trails will be available all over Vermosa. 

To back this up, the Vermosa Sports Hub will feature several groundbreaking firsts. It will be home to an Olympic-sized pool and an Oval Track follows International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) standards. To complete the development is a Sports Science Laboratory. “The Vermosa Sports Hub will be a perfect venue for professional triathletes and ordinary athletes who want to professionalize their training,” shares Jay Teodoro, Estate Head of Vermosa.

The Sante Fitness Lab

In partnership with Sante International, known as one of the fastest growing global providers of organic health and wellness products and services, Vermosa Sports Hub will be home to the a 800-square meter Sante Fitness Lab.

This partnership is geared towards creating an environment where people can hone their athletic skills, with a long-term objective of nurturing athletes who can be trained for international competitions, and in the future, bring home more medals and recognition for the country.

“Sante is a company with a very strong involvement in wellness and sports.  They are of course renowned for their health and wellness products and services, however, their dedication to health and wellness extends beyond their products.  Sante supports its own triathlon team and operates a fitness center dedicated to enhance fitness and athletic performance. Their CEO Joey Marcelo is an avid triathlete himself, and we believe that his personal experience and drive is where the company’s passion for health and fitness emanates from.

This passion is perfectly aligned with what we wanted to achieve in Vermosa – to create a modern community that promotes healthy and active living.” – Jay Teodoro, Estate Head, Vermosa”

Beyond national recognition and development of potential Olympians, the partnership is a tangible demonstration of two organizations taking a more active role in ensuring a healthy and active lifestyle for an increasingly sedentary generation.

“Sante Fitness Lab is also going to be a major leap in Philippine sports as the upcoming world-class center will feature a first-of-its-kind combination of facilities in the country. We envision it to become a one-stop venue for people who are pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle whether they are into competitive sports or they are common individuals seeking to lead an active life,” Joey Marcelo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sante International, said.

The facility will feature a strength and conditioning fitness facility, sports rehab areas, a dance studio, a spinning class area, bike shop and services, a nutrition and fitness café, VO2 max/lactate testing, plus conference and lecture rooms. All these go hand in hand in creating a space especially primed for the driven and the determined.

“Our new venture with Ayala Land will serve as an inspiration to other organizations to incorporate health and wellness into their course of doing business and contribute to their industry and the community. The direction of Vermosa is to promote healthy and active living, which is very much aligned with Sante’s vision of becoming a global provider of premier wellness products and services and our mission of helping people live better lives,” Marcelo adds.

Verde + Mossa

Vermosa was coined from two Latin words, Verde and Mossa. “Verde”, meaning green, references the lush environment within the healthy, sustainable, and suburban living concept of the estate. “Mossa,” meaning movement, represents the active elements of the project.  Combined, Vermosa represents a modern suburban community that promotes healthy and active living that stays true to its name.

With the goal of providing a premier training venue anchored on international standards, Vermosa Sports Hub is engineered to be a comprehensive one-stop training and lifestyle destination for everyone — whether you’re a casual sports enthusiast seeking to indulge in a more active way of life, or a serious athlete in need of a venue that will support your dream.

“One thing’s for sure – it’s engineered to be the home of those who choose to never settle for anything less,” Teodoro shares.

Watch out for it’s official public opening in the first quarter of 2018.

Nelly to perform live in Manila for the first time

Nelly (Facebook/Cove Manila)

For the first time, rapper Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., who is professionally known as Nelly, is performing live in the Philippines. He will have a special show at Cove Manila, the largest indoor beach club and night club in Metro Manila located in Okada Manila, Atlantic Avenue, Parañaque. 

The show is scheduled on January 12, 2018. Doors will open at 10:30 p.m.

For males, the regular price of the ticket is 2,500 pesos but it is discounted at 1,500 pesos for early birds. For females, the regular price is 2,000 pesos but discounted at 1,000 for early birds.

The ticket is inclusive of entrance and one drink. Reservations can be made via Cove Manila’s website.

No details about Nelly's set list were released. There are no announcements about Filipino artists performing with him, either.

From 2000 to 2013, Nelly released seven studio albums. These are "Country Grammar," "Nellyville," "Sweat," 'Suit," "Brass Knuckles," "5.0" and M.O."

One of Nelly's first hit songs is the collaboration song "Dilemma" featuring Kelly Rowland. His other hit songs are "Hot in Herre," "Heart of a Champion," "Tilt Ya Head Back" featuring Christina Aguilera and "Get Like Me" featuring Nicki Minaj and Pharrell.

As an actor, Nelly played Terrence Davis in the series "CSI: NY" from 2008 to 2009 and E-Ruption in the 2014 drama film "Reach Me." The rapper will play Officer Glen Donner in the upcoming mystery drama film "A Fall From Grace," which will also star David Lynch, Forest Whitaker, Balthazar Getty, Cedric the Entertainer and Paz Vega, among others.

Watch the music video of "Hot in Herre" here:

'ONE: Global Superheroes' set for 26 January in Manila

PRESS RELEASE

Kairat Akhtemov

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.

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