National Artist Napoleon Abueva receives award at DPC-PLDT visual arts competition

Arturo Diago, Fred Amat, Dr. Sergia Abueva, Robert Sarte, Amihan Abueva

PRESS RELEASE

The late National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva was honored with a special tribute by Directories Philippines Corporation (DPC) and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) during the awarding ceremony of the DPC-PLDT Visual Arts Competition 32 (VAC 32). The event was recently held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

DPC and PLDT presented a special plaque of appreciation for the late national artist to Dr. Sergia Abueva, the National Artist’s widow and his daughter, Amihan Abueva. Dean Abueva, who passed away on February 16, 2018, helped establish the foundation for the VAC, along with deans of other Fine Arts schools in the Philippines.

As part of the tribute, replicas of the original trophy designed by Dean Abueva in 1990 were given to the schools of the top three winners of VAC 32. DPC Chief Operating Officer Arturo Diago, founding VAC Project Director Fred Amat and long-time VAC Coordinator of PLDT Robert Sarte presented the award to Dr. Sergia Abueva and Amihan Abueva.

Fittingly, too, the unique ceramic trophies for each of the VAC 32 major prize winners had been designed by Lanelle Abueva-Fernando, niece of the late National Artist.

Pacquiao plays host to Matthysse in prelude to Kuala Lumpur battle

Manny Pacquiao, Lucas Matthysse, Eric Gomez, Mario Arano

PRESS RELEASE

MANILA–Filipino sports icon Manny Pacquiao rolled out the red carpet to Lucas Martin Matthysse at the start of the two-city press tour and challenged the Argentine for his World Boxing Association welterweight title at the City of Dreams Grand Ballroom Wednesday here.

As a new boxing promoter, Pacquiao welcomed first-time Manila visitors Matthysse and his team led by Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez and Matthysse’s manager Mario Arano in a lavish and eventful press conference.

From being a promoter, Pacquiao transformed into Matthysse’s challenger that will headline the battle dubbed “Fight of Champions.”The glitzy 16,000-seat Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur will be the venue for the fight on July 15 (July 14 in the US), which will also feature three other world championship title fights.

Pacquiao was all business in bidding to win an unprecedented 11th world title and vowed to give it all for his boxing fans around the world. The 39-year-old fighter from Sarangani province broke all records by becoming the only boxer in history to have won titles in eight different weight divisions from 112 lbs. to 152 lbs.

Pacquiao and his MP Promotions company is hoping to equal if not surpass the expectations leading to the epic Muhammad Ali-Joe Bugnerre match which was also held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 43 years ago.

The press tour shifts to Kuala Lumpur on April 20.

“We are excited to showcase to our Malaysian brothers a roadshow that hopes to match the excitement of the Ali-Bugner fight in 1975,” added Pacquiao.

Matthysse is a 35-year-old champion nicknamed “La Maquina,” who has displayed machine-like precision in beating 39 opponents, 36 of whom he knocked out–an amazing 92.3 percent demolition rate. He has lost four times only.

Not present is trainer Joel Diaz who is preparing training camp. Diaz has trained Timothy Bradley, whom Pacquiao has faced thrice in the past.

“This is the fight I have always wanted. The opportunity to fight a future Hall of Famer such as Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao inspires me to work harder than ever to earn a victory for my fans. I know that it will not be easy. But I will defend my title with honor and represent my country Argentina with pride,” said Matthysse.

Pacquiao was with his long-time trainer Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez. Watch the “Fight of Champions: Manny Pacquiao vs Lucas Matthysse” press conference here:

ONE Championship rises as largest stand-up organization in the world

Giorgio Petrosyan, Jo Nattawut

PRESS RELEASE

ONE Championship is fresh off the debut of its highly-anticipated ONE Super Series on April 20, 2018 at “ONE: Heroes of Honor” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The organization offered fans a taste of what is to expect with its latest innovation, an all-striking league showcasing the best of the world’s striking martial arts.

The premise is simple. ONE Championship wants to provide a proving ground for the world’s best strikers to face each other under a single banner, a prestigious global platform to showcase the beauty of striking arts such as Muay Thai, kickboxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Wushu, Sanda, Silat and Lethwei, among others.

At “ONE: Heroes of Honor,” ONE Championship showed fans a glimpse of the sort of action that they can look forward to with ONE Super Series, and it was legendary. Gracing the promotion’s all-new five-rope ring was kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, who put on an absolute clinic against opponent Jo Nattawut of Thailand.

Petrosyan and Gaiyanghadao are two of the most famous legends in the world of striking martial arts. If ONE Championship’s aim is to introduce these striking legends to the world, it has certainly achieved its goal early on.

Both Petrosyan and Gaiyanghadao lived up to their billing and turned in inspiring performances. For the first time in history, an audience with the magnitude of ONE Championship’s 1.7 billion potential viewers in over 136 countries worldwide was able to witness the greatness of these athletes.

Also in action was Muay Thai legend and four-time Lumpinee Stadium champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao. He defeated France’s Fabio Pinca in a three-round Muay Thai bout.

After the ONE Super Series debut at “ONE: Heroes of Honor,” there is much more to come. Names such as Lerdsila, Yodsaenklai Fairtex, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, and Singtongnoi Por Telakun have also been announced as having joined ONE Super Series.

By having these monumental figures of striking martial arts and encompassing multiple styles of martial arts, ONE Championship has effectively become the largest stand-up organization in the world. Other organizations such as Glory Kickboxing or K-1 offer a similar product.

But by having more than one flavor of martial arts on its menu, ONE Championship emerges as the undisputed pack leader. With bigger names to boot, ONE Super Series will continue to draw massive audiences.

The next event to feature ONE Super Series bouts will be “ONE: Grit and Glory,” which will take place in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 12, 2018. A week later, this will be followed by “ONE: Unstoppable Dreams” in Singapore.

Both “ONE: Grit and Glory” and “ONE: Unstoppable Dreams” cards offer a handful of compelling ONE Super Series contests. In particular, Singapore will see the first ONE Super Series world champion crowned when Sam-A Gaiyanghadao takes on Sergio “Little One” Wielzen of the Netherlands for the inaugural ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship.

ONE Championship aims to gradually assimilate ONE Super Series bouts into its cards, and athletes will be able to select from a series of ring and cage rule sets where they wish to compete. This means that kickboxers could move into Muay Thai, Lethwei or Sanda if they wanted to.

The flexibility opens up a myriad of possible combinations that should have martial arts enthusiasts salivating. The invitation is also open to its current roster of mixed martial artists. So it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think of maybe someone like ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera competing under Muay Thai rules against one of these striking legends.

It is a bold step forward in the right direction for ONE Championship, who prides itself in being the home of martial arts. With ONE Super Series, the promotion certainly lives up to its reputation.

Eventually, the promotion envisions staging standalone ONE Super Series cards in the future. It is an ambitious project that will take the combined efforts of ONE Championship’s elite team of professionals working behind the scenes to make sure each event is a smashing success.

At its core, ONE Super Series is a celebration of the purity of striking. For fans who crave the sort of classic action and excitement that will leave them on the edge of their seats, they need look no further than the new league of ONE Championship.

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.

Filipino MMA fighter Kevin Belingon beats American opponent Andrew Leone at SM Mall of Asia Arena

PLUS: Giorgio Petrosyan outclasses Jo Nattawut to win by unanimous decision

ALSO: Honorio Banario continues winning ways at expense of Adrian Pang

Kevin Belingon, Andrew Leone

PRESS RELEASE

20 April 2018 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), delivered another amazing spectacle at the Mall of Asia Arena, delighting the packed crowd with a display of world-class martial arts action. Manila played host to ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, featuring the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent. Also making its highly-anticipated debut is the all-new five rope ring, which served as the proving ground for both ONE Super Series and ONE Championship bouts. In the main event, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of Baguio City, Philippines defeated American Andrew Leone by technical knockout. In the co-main event of the blockbuster card, Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan earned a unanimous decision victory over Jo Nattawut.

In the main event of the evening, Team Lakay’s Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon dazzled once again with another ferocious display of striking, obliterating opponent Andrew Leone of the United States within two rounds. Action was fierce and relentless from start to finish, and began with Belingon swarming Leone from the sound of the opening bell. As the American tried desperately to stave off attacks which came from all directions, Belingon continued to put on the pressure. In the second round, Belingon connected on a thunderous spinning side kick that sent Leone to the canvas, where he followed and unloaded an unending volley of strikes to earn the technical knockout victory and the GoDaddy KO of the Night.

In the co-main event of ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, international kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan made a spectacular ONE Championship debut, outworking former Lion Fight World Champion “Smokin’” Jo Nattawut of Thailand. In an offensive clinic against Nattawut, Petrosyan tore apart his opponent with the surgical precision he has become known for, putting together dynamic punch combinations in addition to his pinpoint accurate kicks. Answering every strike that Nattawut unleashed, Petrosyan outworked his opponent to pick up a unanimous decision win in his first bout for ONE Super Series.

The stunning career resurgence of former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario as a lightweight division mainstay continued at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, where he edged out perennial contender Adrian Pang after three rounds. Banario showcased his pinpoint striking early on, peppering Pang with his patented left hook and razor-sharp kicks. Although Pang boldly traded strikes with his Filipino foe and found success in landing hard body shots, Banario showed superiority in ring generalship, creating spaces to clobber his opponent with long jabs and snapping kicks to the body. As Pang stepped on the gas pedal and pressed the action in the third round, Banario’s intelligent movement notched him a split decision.

Making his ONE Super Series debut, legendary Nong-O Gaiyanghadao of Thailand took on former two-time WBC Muay Thai World Champion Fabio Pinca of Lyon, France in a spirited Muay Thai contest featuring plenty of action and excitement. The two traded their best shots in three solid rounds of action, but it was Gaiyanghadao who showcased superior technique, plastering Pinca with thudding left kicks to the midsection and scoring with his patented sweeps. In the end, all three judges ruled the bout in favor of Gaiyanghadao, earning the former four-time Lumpinee Stadium champion a unanimous decision victory.

Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov made quick work of up-and-coming American featherweight contender Emilio Urrutia, winning by way of first-round submission, placing himself back on the winning track. Returning to his stellar and fearsome form as a highly-touted competitor, Gafurov showcased his world-class grappling once again, effortlessly putting Urrutia to sleep courtesy of a wrenching arm triangle choke.

Rekindling the intense rivalry between South Korea and Japan, former world title challenger Dae Hwan Kim came out on top against Japanese legend Masakazu Imanari, winning by unanimous decision. Driven to victory against a grappling wizard like Imanari, Kim intelligently avoided putting himself at risk in his opponent’s submission wheelhouse and exerted his best effort to dictate the action from the stand-up. Although Imanari found a way to bring matters to the ground, Kim made sure that he had sturdy top control, with the leverage to rain down quick but solid ground-and-pound. After three gruelling rounds, all judges at ringside saw the bout in favor of Kim.

Cosmo Alexandre left a lasting impression in his ONE Super Series debut, defeating Elliot Compton in their Muay Thai clash by way of second round knockout. The long-limbed Brazilian dynamo aced his maiden ONE Super Series assignment with flying colors, bringing down Compton with a shattering uppercut and a follow-up knee strike to the body. Reeling in excruciating pain, Compton failed to answer the count of ten, compelling the referee to wave off the bout, declaring Alexandre the victor via knockout in the second round.

In a bout that lasted just under two minutes, ONE Championship debutants Akihiro “Superjap” Fujisawa and Kaji “Alpha” Ebin walked out to the ring looking to engage. At the opening bell, Ebin marched forward wanting to trade strikes, but it was Fujisawa who would score on a single-leg takedown. Not long after, Ebin began complaining about a dislocated shoulder. At that point, referee Yuji Shimada called a halt to the contest after Ebin could no longer continue due to injury, which awarded Fujisawa with the submission victory.

The first ONE Super Series bout of the evening was between Regian Eersel of the Netherlands and Brad Riddell of New Zealand. Their three-round kickboxing contest ended in a unanimous decision in favor of the Dutch fighter.

After falling short in her last outing, Gina Iniong of Team Lakay redeemed herself in front of a passionate hometown crowd, claiming a unanimous decision victory over former world title contender Jenny Huang. Iniong savored every strike that she threw at Huang as the latter gallantly traded shots with the highly-decorated Filipina wushu practitioner. Huang tried to change the complexion of the contest in the second round as she resorted to her grappling expertise, but Iniong surprisingly overpowered the submission specialist on the mat. In the final round, Iniong continued to wear out Huang on the ground, working her way towards a hard-earned decision victory.

Kicking off ONE: HEROES OF HONOR was a riveting three-round strawweight showdown between Indonesian standout Adrian Mattheis and China’s Lan Ming Qiang. Setting up a promising tone for the evening, both men went back-and-forth from bell to bell, exchanging thunderous strikes in the stand-up department while shooting for powerful takedowns. In the end, Mattheis dominated his opponent, emerging triumphant via unanimous decision.

Official results for ONE: HEROES OF HONOR

Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Andrew Leone by TKO (Strikes) at 1:27 minutes of round 2

ONE Super Series Kickboxing catchweight bout (70.0kg): Giorgio Petrosyan defeats Jo Nattawut by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Lightweight bout: Honorio Banario defeats Adrian Pang by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds

ONE Super Series Muay Thai catchweight bout (67.0kg): Nong-O Gaiyanghadao defeats Fabio Pinca by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Featherweight bout: Marat Gafurov defeats Emilio Urrutia by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 2:34 minutes of round 1

Bantamweight bout: Dae Hwan Kim defeats Masakazu Imanari by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

ONE Super Series Muay Thai lightweight bout: Cosmo Alexandre defeats Elliot Compton by Knockout (KO) at 2:41 minutes of round 2

Catchweight bout (63.0kg): Akihiro Fujisawa defeats Kaji Ebin by Submission (Verbal) at 1:48 minutes of round 1

ONE Super Series Kickboxing catchweight bout (78.0kg): Regian Eersel defeats Brad Riddell by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Women’s atomweight bout: Gina Iniong defeats Jenny Huang by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Strawweight bout: Adrian Mattheis defeats Lan Ming Qiang by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

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.

PH Ice Hockey Team concludes their first match of the year at SM Skating Mall of Asia

The Philippine Ice Hockey Team, together with their family and friends, celebrate at the close of the Challenge Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Skating Rink.

PRESS RELEASE

Manila, Philippines - The Philippine Ice Hockey team finished their first game of the year by taking home the bronze medal at the Challenge Cup of Asia (CCOA). The International Ice Hockey Foundation (IIHF)-sanctioned competition was held at the SM Mall of Asia Ice Skating Rink and marks the country’s first time to host the regional event. 

Team captain, Steven Fuglister, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament with his split 14.5-second goal hit in the Philippines’ last game against Singapore.

“We want to thank everyone for their great show of support at this year’s Challenge Cup. Our families, friends, and fans gave us an incredible source of strength and motivation during this run, testament to our podium finish,” said Jonathan de Castro, the Philippine Ice Hockey Team’s new coach.

The national team will next play at the Philippine Ice Hockey Tournament in June. Although this will not have any direct impact to their IIHF standing, it will further promote the sport as some of the competing teams will come from neighboring countries.

The 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will play a big role towards the team’s overall direction as they look to defend their gold title and advance to the IIHF World Championships. With the Philippines as SEA Games host, the team also looks forward to having the home crowd cheer them on.

“We are currently starting preparations for the men’s and potentially the women’s teams for next year. Riding on our motivation from CCOA, the coaching staff is currently breaking down film from our last game to move forward and create the roster for the upcoming 2019 SEA Games,” de Castro added. 

Future ice hockey games of the national team will be held at SM Skating Mall of Asia, which boasts an Olympic-sized ice skating rink that was unveiled last October 2017. SM Lifestyle Entertainment’s support for figure skating and speed skating alongside ice hockey goes hand-in-hand with SM Group’s vision to help and build homegrown talents.

For more updates and announcements on tournaments and events of the Philippine Ice Hockey team, visit SM Skating’s website at www.smskating.com or follow the official social media accounts at @smskating.

Globe calls for collaborations to create ripples of impact through volunteerism

PRESS RELEASE

Globe Telecom is calling on private organizations and non-government agencies to collaborate and join the company’s volunteerism program by providing opportunities to volunteer or fielding volunteers to create a Globe of Good.

Yoly Crisanto, Senior Vice President for Globe Corporate Communications, divulged that the company aims to share its unique culture of volunteerism to more Filipinos by partnering with like-minded organizations who are open to engage volunteers within their operations. Crisanto added that GLobe will help connect interested volunteers to activities nationwide so that more people can spread and share acts of kindness to those in need.

“Globe recognizes the Filipino’s innate caring for others and rekindle the ‘bayanihan’ spirit. This partnership allows us to expand volunteer opportunities to as many organizations as possible while encouraging more Filipinos to participate, share their time, and be agents of positive societal change,” Crisanto said.

In 2017, the company registered over 52% participation rate for Globe employees as volunteers, benefitting 110 schools and 93 LGUs and NGOs nationwide. Globe also gives its employees the opportunity to volunteer internationally. In an effort to rebuild communities devastated by natural disasters, Globe supports the Singtel Group “Better Together” Overseas Volunteering Program (OVP). Since 2011, Globe has been bringing in volunteers from Singtel and Optus to support various local communities in the Philippines. Last year, other Singtel affiliates participated led by Advanced Info Service (AIS) in Thailand, Bharti Airtel and Bharti Foundation in India, expanding volunteering opportunities region-wide and making the volunteer experience richer.

The nationwide volunteering program intends to use the iVolunteer Philippines platform, which matches Filipinos to various civil-society organizations (CSO) with available volunteering opportunities. iVolunteer Philippines was one of the top five winners of the Global Future Makers (GFM), a social innovation program that seeks to address the various causes of poverty in the country through information and communications technology (ICT).

Interested parties who want to enroll their organization for volunteering opportunities may go to facebook.com/GlobeBridgeCom.

ONE Super Series to exhibit striking martial arts at Mall of Asia Arena

Giorgio Petrosyan, Chatri Sityodtong, Jo Nattawut, Kevin Benning

PRESS RELEASE

Making its highly-anticipated premiere at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR is the recently announced ONE Super Series. Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong, broke the news about the new striking super-league a little over a month ago, promising to bring together the greatest talents in the world of striking under one umbrella.

The new league will be unveiled this Friday, 20 April, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

ONE Super Series aims to provide the world's best martial artists a prestigious global platform to showcase the beauty of Asia's striking arts such as Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, Kung Fu, wushu, sanda, silat, lethwei, and more.

This means that martial artists of varying striking backgrounds now have the chance to pit their skills against one another in a regulated, safe environment conducive to action and excitement.

Among the first to give fans a taste of all the action is global kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan. Considered a true elite striker in the world of kickboxing, Petrosyan is known in circles as the ‘Michael Jordan of kickboxing’. The 32-year-old from Italy is one of the finest offensive talents in the sport, nicknamed “The Doctor” for his surgical precision and near-flawless technique.

With a professional kickboxing record of 85-2-2, 2NC, Petrosyan is known for his incredible 42-bout win streak which lasted for six long years. He is universally recognized as one of the most dominant world champions in middleweight history.

Standing across from Petrosyan in the ring will be Atlanta, Georgia-based Thai kickboxer ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut.

Nattawut is a former Lion Fight Super Welterweight Champion and WMC Champion known for his powerful elbow and knee strikes. The 25-year-old is a rising star who holds a professional record of 60-11-2. Against Petrosyan however, Nattawut will have his work cut out for him in dealing with a true legend in the sport.

Apart from the premise of bringing together the world’s greatest strikers, ONE Championship is also set to unveil a brand new five-rope ring designed specifically for ONE Super Series but will also be used in its standard Global Rule Set contests.

While the ONE Championship cage has remained the staple playing field for the promotion since its establishment in 2011, bouts will slowly transition into a ring-only format in the future, an homage to great Asian martial arts promotions of yesteryear.

Main event combatants Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines and Andrew Leone of Cortland, New York, USA, along with other martial artists on the card, will be also competing in the brand new stage, marking the first time in the promotion’s history that Global Rule Set bouts will be held inside the ring.

By design, ONE Super Series will provide fans with a dazzling carnival of martial arts disciplines, with the purpose of providing pure martial arts that favors action and excitement above all.

It’s an amazing new development from ONE Championship, who are leading the pack globally in terms of innovation and the development of martial arts as not just a sport, but also as a growing entertainment spectacle.

ONE Championship to unveil new battlefield in 13th trip to Manila on April 20

PRESS RELEASE

If it can be said of the ultimate proving grounds of combat sports, there is nothing more closely associated with a roped platform famously referred to as “The Squared Circle.”

Many martial artists invested blood, sweat and tears within the four corners of the ring just to have their hand raised and become legends in their respective fields.

ONE Championship will be paying homage to the athletes who elevated combat sports to where it is today by having all bouts in its 13th venture on Philippine shores inside the promotion’s brand new five-rope ring.

Aside from the marquee talents that will be featured at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR in Manila, Philippines on April 20, ONE Championship will likewise introduce its new battlefield.

All 11 bouts at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR are expected to be held inside the new ring, including bouts that are officiated under the organization’s Global Rule Set.

For the first time in ONE Championship’s seven-year history, mixed martial arts contests will be held in the ring instead of in the cage.

Former world title contender Kevin Belingon, who is slated to face Andrew Leone in the main event of ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, welcomes the promotion’s transition from cage to ring for its live event in Manila with open arms because during the early part of his career, he started out competing inside the ring.

“I was surprised when I found out that my next bout would take place inside the ring. It brings a lot of memories because my first few fights were held inside the ring. I have no problem of competing inside the ring again. I am always ready,” Belingon stated.

According to Belingon, he has bigger chance to brandish a stand-up battle in his upcoming bout with Leone under such condition.

“Fighting inside the ring or cage is the same for me. But for sure, I will use my experience inside the ring this coming April 20th. I will make sure that the action stays at the center of the ring. If it stays there, it will be easier for me to dictate the pace of the bout,” the 30-year-old Baguio City resident explained.

Meanwhile, Belingon’s teammate Honorio Banario shared that some grappling techniques will be limited inside the ring.

“There are some things that you can’t do inside the ring, especially in the grappling aspect of the fight. The angles inside the ring are hugely different as you're fighting within a square because the ropes bend more and the corners are harder to elude. It’s challenging, but I like a challenge,” the ex-ONE Featherweight World Champion pointed out.

Banario, who is booked to square off with Australia’s Adrian Pang at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, bared that he made a few adjustments upon learning that his next assignment will be held inside the ring.

“The ring offers a whole slew of different variables that a cage concept cannot offer. We made slight adjustments because since 2012, my bouts were held inside the cage. But it’s fine with me. The ring will allow me to strike more,” Banario said.

Also making its debut at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR is the highly-anticipated ONE Super Series, a new iteration in ONE Championship’s efforts to bring martial arts to the forefront in mainstream culture.

The premiere offering for Manila’s ONE Super Series is a three-round kickboxing encounter, featuring international superstar Giorgio Petrosyan of Italy who takes on “Smokin’” Jo Nattawut of Thailand.

In other ONE Super Series match-ups, celebrated Thai kickboxer Nong-O Gaiyanghadao is scheduled to duke it out with French-Italian dynamo Fabio Pinca in a three-round Muay Thai tussle.

Elliot Compton shares the ring with Cosmo Alexandre in a Muay Thai clash, while Brad Riddell locks horns with Regian Eersel in a kickboxing bout.

ONE Super Series competitors will either use ten-ounce or eight-ounce boxing gloves depending on the weight of the athletes.

Unlike its mixed martial arts counterpart, Muay Thai and kickboxing matches in ONE Super Series will be scored in a ten-point must system and will be contested in three three-minute rounds.

ONE: HEROES OF HONOR takes place at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on April 20.

​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. ​

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao sees ONE Super Series bout against France's Fabio Pinca in Manila a new beginning

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, Sagetdao Petpayathai (Facebook/Evolve Fight Gear)

PRESS RELEASE

Revered by many for the incredible speed, power and precision behind all his strikes, celebrated Thai kickboxer Nong-O Gaiyanghadao will venture into new territory to reignite his illustrious career.

Once considered as one of the best pound-for-pound competitors in the world of Muay Thai, Gaiyanghadao will make his debut under the ONE Championship banner on 20 April as part of the much-awaited ONE Super Series.

ONE Super Series is a celebration of the world’s most effective striking arts and invites the very best martial artists from Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, wushu, sanda, and more to showcase their skills on the ONE Championship stage.

Gaiyanghadao is scheduled to duke it out with French-Italian dynamo Fabio Pinca on the undercard of ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, which takes place at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

The 31-year-old native of Sakon Nakhon, Thailand believes that by joining the promotion’s ONE Super Series, it opens a new chapter in his professional kickboxing stint.

“It’s a new beginning for me. You can say that it’s a breath of fresh air for my career as an athlete. I am excited to be in this new journey. I hope everything will turn our great for me as part of the growing ONE Championship roster,” he said.

Gaiyanghadao was last seen in action when he yielded to Chamuaktong Sor Yupinda by decision at Bangkok’s famous Rajadamnern Stadium in April 2015.

Despite sitting on the sidelines for three years, Gaiyanghadao stressed that his best days as a professional kickboxer are not yet over.

“I’m just 31 years old. I still have the drive to compete. What I have here is a good opportunity to start fresh and remind everyone what I am capable of,” he stated.

Gaiyanghadao, who represents Singapore’s Evolve MMA, has reached the apex of Muay Thai, becoming a five-division world champion in the sport.

In his trophy room, Gaiyanghadao has a long list of accolades, including the coveted Lumpinee Muay Thai world championship, the prestigious Rajadamnern Muay Thai title, and the “Fighter of the Year” citation.

“It has been three years since the last time that I fought. I am looking forward to put on a great performance. I have been training hard and going through strategies. I hope to give my 110 percent in Manila. I am coming to win,” Gaiyanghadao guaranteed.

The man standing in Gaiyanghadao’s re-entry to the winner’s column is Pinca, a highly-decorated kickboxer known for his technical and precise offensive style.

Hailing from Saint-Fons, France, Pinca has become one of Europe’s most well-respected Muay Thai practitioners as he is a two-time WBC World Muay Thai champion and even owns a Rajadamnern Stadium world title.

The 33-year-old Frenchman is bringing his talents to ONE Championship, where he will look to defeat a living legend in Gaiyanghadao.

“To tell you honestly, I am in a very tough fight. It’s nerve-wracking in a sense, but I am ready to accept the challenge,” Gaiyanghadao said about the marquee match-up against Pinca.

Although he already had career-defining moments in 310 professional bouts, Gaiyanghadao treats his maiden ONE Championship appearance as the most significant one because it could catapult him back to the kickboxing limelight.

“I am looking for a statement win this time around. This bout could bring me back to the top. I want a big win. Knocking him out will be an accomplishment because he is a good fighter and a tough opponent. You will all see,” he ended.

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. ​

Mariah Carey live in Manila on October 26, 2018

PRESS RELEASE

The one and only Mariah Carey is coming back to Manila for a special one-night concert titled "Mariah Carey: Live in Concert" on October 26, 2018 at the Araneta Coliseum. The pop icon is set to perform her number ones and more, bringing a new and bigger tour for her Filipino fans.

Carey is the best-selling female artiste of all time with more than 200 million records sold worldwide to date and 18 Billboard number one singles, 17 of which were self-penned including "Hero," "Fantasy," "Always Be My Baby," "Honey," "One Sweet Day," "Without You," "Touch My Body," "We Belong Together," "Don’t Forget About Us" and the global smash hit Christmas single "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It was more than any solo artiste has done in history.

With distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific song writing and producing talent, Carey has defined the modern pop performance. As a singer, songwriter and record producer, she has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard's Artist of the Decade award, the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Female Artiste of the Millennium and BMI's Icon Award to name a few.

"Mariah Carey: Live in Concert" is presented by Wilbros Live. Tickets will be on-sale beginning Friday, April 20 via TicketNet.com.ph or call 911-5555 for more details.

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