Face Off: Yoshitaka Naito and Joshua Pacio At ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES Media Open Workout

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held a Media Open Workout on September 20 at the Jakarta Muaythai & MMA Gym in Jakarta. Reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan faced off with challenger Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines for the first time ahead of their epic rematch scheduled for the main event of ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES this Saturday, 22 September at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Yoshita Naito, ONE Strawweight World Champion, stated:

“I have a lot of respect for Joshua Pacio, he is a very talented kid and a great martial artist. I have no doubt that one day, he will be champion. But that day hasn’t arrived yet. Right now, it’s my time. He will have his chance, but I am in the best condition of my career and I fully expect to walk out of the arena this Saturday the winner, with title fully intact. He has improved immensely in the two years since we last met in the cage, but so have I. I am a much more complete martial artist now than ever before. This will be an exciting bout for sure, but  one that I will come out of still champion.”

Joshua Pacio, ONE World Title challenger, stated:

“I have waited two long years for this, working on my skills every single day and improving with every bout. This is no doubt the biggest fight of my professional career. I am a completely different fighter now compared to before when we first met. I think I will surprise him a lot with how much I have changed. I have worked extremely hard with my team, with my coach, on developing a fight-winning strategy for this Saturday night. All that’s left is for me to execute. Winning the world title means a lot to me. It will give me a chance to provide a better life for myself and for my family. I have only victory on my mind in this bout.”

Reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Naito is one of the most successful martial artists to ever emerge from Japan. In just four short years since debuting in 2012, Naito conquered the notoriously competitive Japanese martial arts scene, capturing the Shooto Flyweight Title. Since making his ONE Championship debut in 2016, Naito has captured the ONE Strawweight World Championship on two occasions, defeating former champions Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and Alex Silva. Naito is now set to defend his title against former opponent Joshua Pacio in an epic rematch.

Former ONE World Title challenger Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of Baguio City, Philippines was inspired to take up martial arts ever since he was 12 years old. After an undefeated amateur career, Pacio soon made his professional debut, where he went 6-0 before making it to the global stage of ONE Championship. In 2016, he got his chance against reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito, falling just short of victory. Now riding a three-bout winning streak, Pacio has earned a rematch against the champion, and will now face Naito for his second shot at the ONE Strawweight World Championship.

May the best fighter win!

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.

Taiwan Excellence Hoops Camp Fuels Pinoy Skills on the Court

Combining the Filipino passion for basketball and the Taiwanese drive for innovation, the first-ever Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp recently filled the Mall of Asia Music Hall with an intense 3-on-3 Hoop Challenge, top-notch innovations from Taiwan Excellence, and PBA stars.

A partnership between Taiwan Excellence and legendary PBA star Coach Eric Altamirano, the two-day Camp aimed to promote sportsmanship as it brought together some of the Metro’s most promising basketball players while highlighting the incredible products awarded with the Taiwan Excellence Seal.

“Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp is an exemplary showcase of excellence from both countries: the fighting spirit of the Filipinos further empowered by the products of Taiwan,” said Alfred Wang, Director of the Economic Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).
With its aim of promoting the leading products, Taiwan Excellence shares to the world a variety of truly innovative brands. Initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Taiwan, R.O.C., in 1992, the symbol of Taiwan Excellence is continuously recognized by 102 countries.

The symbol of Taiwan Excellence, according to Wang, honors Taiwan’s most innovative products “that provide tremendous value to users worldwide.” Each product has been selected for a specific Taiwan Excellence Award based on their excellence in the following categories: design, quality, marketing, Taiwanese R&D, and manufacturing.

Boasting participation of 192 amateur Pinoy ballers, the Camp put their skills to the test in a rigorous 3-on-3 matches while 3 PBA stars are on the sidelines showing support.

Alongside Coach E of Alaska Aces, local court heroes JC Intal and Doug Kramer of Phoenix Fuel Masters also gave their support to the budding ballers.

Also integral to the whole Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp set up is the Taiwan Excellence Experience Zone which exhibits the top-of-the-line products of Taiwan.

With products from tech giant Asus, fitness company Johnson, and bike manufacturer Tern, among others, the Taiwan Excellence Zone got everyone up close and personal with impressive products championed by Taiwan.

Wang hopes these superior products from Taiwan will boost the way of life and strengthen the love of Filipinos for basketball and sports in general.

“They did a great job in showcasing the best products that Taiwan can offer. The quality can go head to head with other global brands,” said Christian Ramos, one of the players for the Camp.

Meanwhile, the two celebrity players look forward to using the products themselves.

“I am really excited about the bikes from Tern. They make biking and going around the city a much more fun experience,” said Intal.

As for Kramer, he has his sights on the Paper Shoot, compact digital cameras with cases made out of eco-friendly paper.

“I really feel that the whole family will fall in love with it. It is so simple and sophisticated, I know my kids will love using Paper Shoot.” Kramer said.

For updates about Taiwan Excellence, visit their website https://www.taiwanexcellence.org/ph and follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph.

 

ONE Warrior Series With Rich Franklin Debuts March 31

Can’t wait to finally see this, Rich! Good luck and Congratulations! ☺♥☺

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the inaugural event of Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series, which will be held in Singapore on 31 March. The live spectacle features prospects signed on during the show who will compete in professional bouts to earn a contract with ONE Championship exceeding US $100,000+ based on performance.

Rich Franklin, Vice President of ONE Championship and CEO of ONE Warrior Series, stated: “It is my honor to announce the first ONE Warrior Series event to be held in Singapore. We’ve visited many great Asian nations over the past few months and now have a solid group of competitors ready to earn their time in the spotlight. Asia is the hotbed of the industry’s top martial arts prospects. I have enjoyed taking in all that Asia has to offer, while discovering some of the most promising young talent on this side of the world. ONE Championship and ONE Warrior Series will continue to search for the region’s best martial artists and give them a platform to showcase their skills to the world.”

Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series is a new travel series talent search which runs in 30-minute episodes. The show aims to discover new martial arts talent across Asia, providing promising young athletes with the platform to unleash their martial arts greatness. Franklin, who serves as the show’s host, travels across the Asian continent with co-host Jonathan Fong, searching for talent, experiencing local cultures and testing their boundaries.

The screening and tryouts process consists of pad sessions, grappling demonstrations, conditioning exams, and an interview process, among others. Once selected, athletes will compete in professional bouts with a chance at earning a contract with ONE Championship exceeding US $100,000+ based on performance. The episodes of Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series are available on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel athttps://www.youtube.com/ user/OneFCMMA

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/ON EChampionship.

Marathon Relay Anyone? Make It Asics!

Around 750 teams are expected to participate in the first Asics Relay Philippines slated on May 26 at the SM By The Bay in Pasay City.

The race offers a different experience as it will be held at night.

Distances on tap are the 21K half marathon and 42K full marathon, with participants can join in the male, female and mixed events.

Succeeding from last year’s version, the ASICS Relay 2018 will feature the additional of Philippines in its five countries relay series, among participating countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.

Each team member is required to complete two legs of 5.25 kilometers for the full marathon and one leg of 5.25km for half marathon to meet the total distance.

The preceding member of the team will need to hand the relay token to the next runner within the designated transition zone to delineate the changeover of runners.

Winners in both the full and half marathon categories will be rewarded with a finisher’s medal, as well as cash and product prizes.

“Our goal is to expand this concept in key cities, and [Manila] is one of those key cities,” said Asics Asia Sports Marketing Manager Andy Neo.

“We know that the Philippines is a country [where] everybody loves sports,” he added.

The champion team of the Full Marathon race categories will also be walking away with team slots to any one of the ASICS Relay race held in another country, inclusive of flight tickets and accommodation.

Olympian and SEA Games gold medal runner Mary Joy Tabal believes the “unique” race will be beneficial for the nation’s running scene.

“This will encourage a lot of runners to improve teamwork,” said Tabal. “Running is an individual sport, so it is unique. It [would] be my first time to be running with a team.”

Pinoy MMA Belingon Eyes Another KO Win

For the past three outings of Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon inside the ONE Championship cage, the Filipino mixed martial artist has proven himself as the next worthy contender for the coveted ONE Bantamweight World Championship.

Ever since unsuccessfully challenging Bibiano Fernandes for the gold-plated strap in January 2016, Belingon has run through his recent opposition by piling up three-straight stellar victories.

Following his submission setback to Fernandes, Belingon took several months off before re-emerging in October 2016 by handing top Tajik prospect Muin Gafurov his second professional loss via unanimous decision.

Belingon followed it up with an astounding knockout conquest of Finnish dynamo and former title contender Toni Tauru last April in front of a sold-out crowd at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

In his most recent bout, Belingon showcased another epic performance by notching a first-round knockout win over fellow ex-title challenger Reece “Lightning” McLaren last August.

After picking up an emphatic victory over McLaren, it appeared that Belingon was on his way to a second encounter with Fernandes.

However, Belingon is having a slight detour towards his goal to meet Fernandes again as he has been booked to face Korean-American standout Kevin “Old Boy” Chung in a three-round affair on the undercard of ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD, which takes place at the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 10 November.

For Belingon, his cage showdown with Chung is an opportunity to make a truly impressive statement as his objective is to score a rematch with Fernandes for the organization’s bantamweight title.

“Make no mistake about it, my performances in the cage as of late are a message to the organization and to the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion. I am coming for that belt, and no one can stop me. Whoever they put in front of me, I will be looking to destroy. I am a man on a mission,” he stated.

According to Belingon, defeating Chung in decisive fashion may strengthen his bid to get a rematch with Fernandes.

“My mindset remains to showcase my skills and remain focused on executing the game plan. My team and I have devised a tremendous strategy in dealing with my next opponent. Even though I have scored some recent knockouts, I am not going in there recklessly,” he explained.

“If at any point I sense my opponent is ready to go, and the knockout presents itself, I am like a shark in a fish tank. There is no doubt I will go for the finish, and I will end matters quickly. I will strike my opponent until the referee pulls me off him,” Belingon added.

Despite running at breakneck speed to 9-0 at the start of his professional career, the Team Lakay bantamweight was not a renowned knockout artist.

But since signing with ONE Championship in 2012 and focusing on his training regime in the mountain region of the Philippines, five of his seven victories have come by way of knockout.

“I have bolstered my training, working on all areas of my game from striking to grappling,” Belingon shared.

With his Wushu background honed under Mark Sangiao, Belingon is as lethal as the nickname suggest as he is fast, destructive and goes for the clean shot.

Belingon is literally punching his way to a second title opportunity against division kingpin Fernandes, having recently knocked out two former world title challengers in the very first round.

“I want to show everybody that I am the real title challenger-in-waiting. I have realized my mistakes in my first encounter with Bibiano, and I have worked hard to erase those flaws. He is a great world champion, but I feel things will go differently if we ever meet again. The time will come when I will be able to showcase my improvements,” he stressed.

Although vying for the ONE Bantamweight World Championship title remains as his top priority, Belingon clarified that his current focus is fixed on his date with Chung at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD.

“My opponent is not easy, and I am not taking him for granted, which is why I am completely focused on my upcoming bout this November 10. This is a dangerous game we play, and we cannot underestimate anybody. I need to be at my absolute best so I can turn in another great performance for the fans. Competing in front of my hometown crowd, the pressure is on to score another huge victory,” he declared.

The stakes are incredibly high for Belingon, unveiling that he is preparing himself to be in the best shape of his life.

Belingon knows that each win from here on out is another step closer to the ONE Bantamweight World Championship belt.

“I know I will meet Bibiano again in that cage, and when that day comes, I need to be prepared. There is not a day that has passed that I have not thought about that first bout. But for now, my objective is to win against Kevin Chung on November 10,” 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.

Nguyen’s Latest Win For Late Dad

Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen completed his climb to the top of ONE Championship’s competitive 70.3-kilogram weight class by clinching a prestigious martial arts gold against a fierce Russian rival.

The 28-year-old Australian standout knocked out the previously unbeaten Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in their rematch and laid claim to the featherweight crown in the main event of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS last Friday, 18 August at the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Recognizing an opening, Nguyen countered Gafurov’s low kick with an overhand right that knocked out the Dagestani grappler at the center of the ONE Championship cage.

The newly-minted ONE Featherweight World Champion achieved one of his dreams by becoming a world champion in astounding fashion.

However, the sweet victory was about more than just the belt for Nguyen, instead it was all for his family.

Nguyen may have been a menace during his adolescence, but he never had to look far to find inspiration and set himself on the right path. For him, it was right at home and came in the form of the man he called “dad.”

“My dad worked hard just for us to get by. We were not the richest family, and we were not as poor as other people out here, but we got by. He was my sole inspiration to work hard, just the way he was able to provide for his family,” he said.

While Nguyen’s father was not particularly fond of his son stepping into the cage, he watched with a keen eye and supported him nonetheless.

In July 2012, Nguyen made his professional debut and proved to be quite the talent as soon as the bell rang.

Nguyen was flawless, winning every bout en route to capturing the BRACE featherweight championship belt in November 2013. Like a good son, he brought the belt to his father shortly after winning it.

“My dad looked at it. He was all happy and taking pictures with it. It was awesome,” he recalled. “And then he said, ‘Alright, you got the belt now. Enough. Just call it quits.’ No parent likes to see their child getting injured in a match or anything like that, so he said, ‘Enough now. No more.’”

Sadly, it was the last thing Nguyen’s father said to him with regard to his professional martial arts career as his dad tragically passed away just a few weeks later.

His father had undergone a bone marrow transplant so he could get more white blood cells into his body. The procedure was initially a success, but the healing process taking longer than usual.

As doctors were preparing to do more testing, Nguyen’s father contracted the flu, and that eventually turned into pneumonia and took his life.

“I never experienced any hardship or heartbreak until then, and I will never forget that day. He was in Melbourne at that time, so I flew into Melbourne to see him. Everything was happening so fast, and then he was gone. I did not even get to speak to him, and there are a lot of things I wish I could have said to him. It was heartbreaking,” Nguyen shared.

Nearly four years later, Nguyen still carries the loss of his father like an anchor around his neck.

Even though Nguyen is constantly reminded of his dad, he knows that his world-title winning performance was a fitting way to pay tribute to him.

With tears streaming from his eyes, Nguyen kneeled at the center of the ONE Championship cage, basking in the adulation poured upon him.

“This is for my dad. He was my inspiration for the whole camp when I mentally broke. (He and) the boys kept me together,” he stated.

Two days after accomplishing the monumental victory and claiming the No. 1 status in ONE Championship’s stacked featherweight division, Nguyen visited his grave with the belt.

“I am doing this all for him. One big title to put the icing on the cake,” he said. “It’s the only thing I wanted to do once I got home. I hope he is so proud right now.”

 

​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/ONECh ampionship.

An Exciting & Challenging 1st Sun Life Aquathlon 9/17/17

 

For the love of sport and a healthy lifestyle, SunLife Philippines have come up with their first ever Sun Life Aquathlon event happening on September 17, 2017 at the Makati Aqua Swim Arena (MASA) and University of Makati (UMAK). 

This event is open to everyone who are into improving their aquathlon experience and does it as a form of cross training. 

The media launch was led by Sun Life’s Chief Marketing Ms. Mylene Lopa, Bullrunner and SunLife Fitness Marketing Ms. Jaymie Pizarro and Bike King’s Ms. Ting Joson who also encouraged all guests to try this out!

Ms. Jaymie also shared that Sun Life Philippines also has Go Well fitness program that is open to the public. With the onset of several health-based sporting events, there is no reason we can’t maintain being healthy and energetic.

For the race details, Ms. Ting requested registrants to register thru Bike King’s website. Deadline for doing so is on August 15th. She likewise explained that regarding race logistics, it was a challenge holding this event at the MASA swimming pool all the way to the University of Makati run track and a pretty exciting route to date.

Read more and click on the Registration on how to go about your application. See you on race day!

DISTANCE
Aqua Full: 400 Meter Swim – 5Km Run
Aqua Lite: 200 Meter Swim – 3Km Run

ENTRY FEE

INDIVIDUAL	Early Bird June 1 to 30, 2017	Regular Rate July 1 to 31, 2017	Late Entry August 1 to 15, 2017
Regisration fee Online processing fee Total Reg Fee	2,000.00     100.00 2,100.00	2,500.00     125.00 2,625.00	3,000.00     150.00 3,150.00

 

RELAY	Early Bird June 1 to 30, 2017	Regular Rate July 1 to 31, 2017	Late Entry August 1 to 15, 2017
Regisration fee Online processing fee Total Reg Fee	3,500.00     175.00 3,675.00	4,000.00     200.00 4,200.00	4,500.00     225.00 4,725.00

REGISTRATION REMINDERS

• Deadline for registration is August 15, 2017 or until slots last.

• Registration fees are non-transferable. Your race bib cannot be transferred or sold to any other individual. Both athletes caught competing under someone else’s registration / or allowing the use of his/her race bib will be banned from joining any Bike King races for a minimum period of two (2) years, at the sole discretion of Bike King.
• If you are unable to participate, you will not receive a refund for your race entry fee, but you may claim your race give aways.
• Refund Policy:
  • Athletes confirmed in the race who wish to withdraw, must do so in writing to the race office, email: registration@bikekingphilippines.com
  • It is the athlete’s responsibility to ensure the race office has received any communication. Upon confirmation of this request, athletes are eligible for a partial refund as follows:
    • Any requests received on or before June 30, 2017 will be eligible for a 80% refund.
    • Any requests received on or before July 15, 2017 will be eligible for a 50% refund.
    • Any requests received after July 15, 2017 will not be eligible for a refund under any circumstances
  • If you do not receive a response from the race office within 5 calendar days from request, it should be assumed that it has not been received and you should contact us again by sending another email to registration@bikekingphilippines.com.
    SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

    Saturday, September 16, 2017
    10:00 AM – 6:00 PM	Pick up of Race Kits Personal Appearance and a Valid ID is Required	Venue: TBA
    Sunday, September 17, 2017 MASA, Makati City
    TIME	ACTIVITY	VENUE
    5:30 AM – 8:30 AM	Pick up of Race Kit Personal Appearance and a Valid ID is Required	Swimming Pool (MASA)
    5:30 AM – 8:30 AM	Check in of Race Equipment	Transition Area (MASA)
    6:00 AM – 11:00 AM	Race Expo	Track Oval (UMAK)
    6:30 AM	Start of Race (1ST Wave)	Swimming Pool
    10:00 AM	Awarding	Track Oval (UMAK)

    
    RACE INCLUSIONS

    • Sun Life Aquathlon Event Shirt
    • Sun Life Race Belt
    • Sun Life sling bag
    • Sun Life Personal Accident Insurance*
    • Swimming Cap
    • Timing Chip
    • Race Bib
    • Finisher’s Medal
    • Post Race Meal

    *worth P25,000.00 valid for one year from September 17, 2017 to September 16, 2018

    REGISTRATION is ongoing until August 15 only. Please click here http://bikekingphilippines.com/

    I miss running with these sporty friends. Great seeing you during the media lunch, Ms. Mylene, Ms Ting, Gelay and Ms. Jaymie. Thank you much for having us! Appreciate the cool photo, Gelay ☺