Mousasi vs Philippou, Lim vs Magny added to UFC Fight Night Manila.

Oh yes, two more fights have been added to the much anticipated, first-ever UFC event in the Philippines!

Announced earlier today, Gegard Mousasi and Costas Philippou will meet in a middleweight matchup as the co-main event while in the welterweight division, Neil Magny will face-off against Hyun Gyu Lim.

Co-main event!

Mousasi, currently ranked at #7, is fresh off from a victory last January, where he punched out Dan Henderson in just 70 seconds. Philippou (ranked #12), on the other hand, is coming off a KO of Lorenz Larkin that ended his two-fight losing skid.

Lim vs Magny.

Neil Magny, who holds the longest current winning streak in the welterweight division, is aiming for his seventh consecutive victory. His current run includes wins over Tim Means, William Macario and, most recently, Kiichi Kunimoto, whom Magny submitted last February 14.

South Korean star Lim has a 3-1 Octagon record in his two years with the UFC, with all three of those wins coming by way of knockout. His most recent victory was last September, where he elbowed the lights out of Takenori Sato last September in just 78 seconds.

Stay tuned for more UFC Fight Night Manila updates! :)

Urijah Faber vs Frankie Edgar to headline UFC Fight Night Manila!

It's gonna be another thrilla in Manila as the UFC's first visit to the Philippines will feature a main event fight between two mixed martial arts superstars and former champions.

Here we go!

Former UFC world lightweight champion Frankie Edgar takes on former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber in a five-round featherweight main event which will air live on FOX Sports 1 from the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The event is set for May 16.

Frankie Edgar, who was the king of the lightweight division from 2010 to 2012, is now seeking gold at featherweight, where he has won three straight over Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn and Cub Swanson after a razor-thin decision loss to current champion Jose Aldo in February of 2013.

On the other hand, Faber, also known as the 'California Kid', ruled the featherweights in the WEC from 2006 to 2008. He went on to become an elite bantamweight since coming to the UFC in 2011. Winner of six of his last seven, Faber has never lost a non-title fight, an impressive record that could be tainted as he faces Edgar in the Philippines.

Five more match-ups have also been announced for the main card.
In the lightweight division, Tae Hyun Bang will be up against Jon Tuck while Zhang Lipeng takes on Kajan Johnson. At 125 pounds, Yao Zhikui squares off against Nolan Ticman and the Philippines' own Roldan Sangcha-an meets Jon Delos Reyes. In the welterweight division, Li Jingliang battles Roger Zapata.

Tickets will go on sale in March, launched in conjunction with SM Tickets at www.smtickets.com.
Stay tuned for more info and updates! :)

The Wait is Over | UFC Fight Night in Manila!

Finally. Finally. Finally! :)
Having been a fan of mixed martial arts for years now, it has long been my dream to watch UFC fighters battle it out in Philippine soil. My wish has finally been granted as today, the UFC announced its much-awaited, first-ever Fight Night event in Manila.

UFC Fight Night Manila!

Scheduled on the evening of May 16, UFC Fight Night Manila will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Its international broadcast will be through UFC Fight Pass, and will air on the morning of May 15 in North America,

Ken Berger, Executive Vice President and General Manager of UFC Asia said, “We are thrilled to be kicking off our Asia event calendar in Manila this year. The UFC has a loyal and passionate fan base in the Philippines and we’re looking forward to bringing the very best of mixed martial arts to Manila for the first time. We have found a great event partner in SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc. and are excited that the SM Mall of Asia Arena will be home to a historic UFC event that fans will remember for years to come.” 

Berger also noted that this will be the first and only South East Asian card for the year.

No fights have been officially announced as of this writing, but it's most likely that homegrown talents Mark Eddiva and Roldan Sangcha-an will be in the line-up. Fighters will Filipino roots such as Mark Munoz, Chris Cariaso, and John Dodson could also be included in the fight card, as well as notable Asian fighters such as Kang Kyung Ho and Hyun Gyu Lim.

Tickets will go on sale in March, launched in conjunction with SM Tickets.

ONE FC: Warrior's Way | Wins, Losses, and all the Action!

'Twas another night of hard-hitting, world class mixed martial arts action as ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) returned to Manila last night for ONE FC 23: Warrior's Way. Here's a recap of all the action that happened at the Mall of Asia Arena.

ONE FC Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes retained his title with a submission win over Korea’s Dae Hwan Kim. Kim proved to be a live challenger as he tested Fernandes’ championship mettle in the first round with a display of lightning quick strikes that found their mark. In the second round, Fernandes turned to grappling as he quickly worked to secure Kim’s back after the Korean missed a punch. Moments later, Fernandes locked in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing Kim to tap out.

And still the ONE FC Bantamweight Champion!

In the co-main event of the evening, international mixed martial arts superstar Brandon “The Truth” Vera of the Philippines defeated URCC champion Igor Subora of the Ukraine via spectacular knockout, sending the MOA Arena crowd into a frenzy. The fight started off with both fighters trading heavy blows. Vera caught Subora in a Muay Thai clinch and unleashed a couple of knees to the head. Towards the end of the round, Vera slipped a punch by Subora and countered with a straight left, dropping his opponent and throwing in two more kicks for good measure. The referee stepped in to stop the fight, awarding Vera with the victory.

Brandon Vera comes home - and takes the win!

Timofey Nastyukhin of Russia defeated hometown hero Eduard Folayang after connecting with a combination of devastating strikes to win by knockout. After a solid exchange of power shots at the center of the cage, Nastyukhin landed a flying knee to the chin of Folayang, sending the Filipino to the canvas in the first round. Two quick kicks finished things off as the referee stepped in, awarding Nastyukhin the victory.

Flying knee to the chin of Folayang.

Roger Gracie of the renowned Gracie fighting family made a successful ONE FC debut against the hard-hitting James McSweeney. In a feeling out round, the two light heavyweights spent the majority outside of each other’s range until McSweeney connected with a roundhouse kick. In the second round, a cut opened up on McSweeney’s right eye courtesy of a Gracie left hand. Gracie went to work on the eye for the remainder of the round. In the third, things got worse for McSweeney as he hurt his foot after missing with a kick. Gracie immediately capitalized on the situation and pounced on McSweeney with downward strikes, causing the referee to call a halt to the contest.

Roger Gracie's first ONE FC match, and he takes the win!

In a bantamweight matchup, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon impressed with a strong performance against the highly touted Koetsu Okazaki of Japan. After a slow start, it was Belingon who was able to land the damaging blows as he dropped Okazaki to the mat with a thudding right hook towards the end of the round. In round two, Belingon continued his dazzling display of elite striking with a wide array of kicks, punctuated by a flashy spinning side-kick that knocked Okazaki back. In the third, Belingon scored on a pair of kicks and finished the round with a series of sharp elbows from top position. All judges were in favor of Belingon, who won by unanimous decision.

Herbert Burns needed just a few minutes to take care of Honorio Banario, working and securing a Rear Naked Choke to end the fight in round one. As soon as the opening bell sounded, Burns took Banario’s back with lightning quick efficiency, sinking in the hooks almost immediately as both fighters hit the ground. For the rest of the round Banario tried desperately to defend from the choke but it was inevitable. Once the choke was locked in, Banario had no choice but to tap out, giving Burns the submission victory.

In a battle of light heavyweights, former NCAA Division I wrestler Jake Butler dominated Sylvain Potard in a much anticipated rematch. In round one, Butler controlled most of the action, keeping Potard ineffective against the cage. Butler used his wrestling again in round two, this time to gain mount, letting his hands go with a combination of damaging left hands. Butler continued his dominance to the end of the third and final round, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Former Lumpinee champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke of Evolve MMA showed fans just how dangerous his world-class Muay Thai can be by taking care of Rene Catalan of the Philippines in a clash of ferocious flyweights. In round one, Sor Amnuaysirichoke worked masterfully in the clinch, blasting a plethora of vicious knees to Catalan’s midsection, one of which sent the Filipino to the canvas writhing in pain. With his opponent unable to continue, Sor Amnuaysirichoke nabbed the win by knockout.

Ana Julaton wins via unanimous decision.

Former boxing world champion Ana Julaton showcased her newfound grappling skills against opponent Walaa Abas, winning a unanimous decision. In the first round, both fighters traded strikes in the clinch but it was Julaton who was able to score on a takedown. In the second, Julaton’s boxing shone through as she landed a series of solid blows. The third round saw much of the same action as Abas tried her best to keep the distance and avoid Julaton’s power punching.

Amazing ground and pound by Jujeath Nagaowa.

The Philippines’ Jujeath Nagaowa and Cambodia’s Tharoth Sam kicked off the action for ONE FC: Warrior's Way in an entertaining women’s atomweight contest. The former pro-boxer Nagaowa dominated the fight with impressive boxing in the clinch and some solid ground work. In the second round, Nagaowa caught Sam out of position and swiftly worked to get full mount, unleashing ground and pound to win by referee stoppage.

Official results for ONE FC: Warrior's Way

ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship bout:
Bibiano Fernandes defeats Dae Hwan Kim by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:16 minutes of round 2
Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera defeats Igor Subora by Knockout at 3:54 minutes of round 1 Lightweight bout: Timofey Nastyukhin defeats Eduard Folayang by Knockout at 3:11 minutes of round 1
Light Heavyweight bout: Roger Gracie defeats James McSweeney by TKO (Strikes) at 3:15 minutes of round 3
Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Koetsu Okazaki by Unanimous Decision
Catchweight bout: Herbert Burns defeats Honorio Banario by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:59 minutes of round 1
Light Heavyweight bout: Jake Butler defeats Sylvain Potard by Unanimous Decision
Flyweight bout: Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke defeats Rene Catalan by Knockout at 2:30 minutes of round 1
Flyweight bout: Ana Julaton defeats Walaa Abas by Unanimous Decision
Atomweight bout: Jujeath Nagaowa defeats Tharoth Sam by TKO (Strikes) at 3:34 minutes of round 2

And 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.

One FC: Warrior's Way | Gearing Up for Fight Week!

One FC, Asia's largest mixed martial arts organization, has prepared a series of engaging pre-fight events for the public to witness and enjoy. Fans, partners, and media will get an opportunity to spend some time with the world-class stars billed on the December 5 event.

December 1 activities.

Tuesday (December 2) will provide the media the opportunity to witness three of the country’s best in action. Eduard Folayang, Honorio Banario, Kevin Belingon, Ana Julaton, and Brandon Vera will conduct an open workout session, where they will showcase their skills as well as share with the country their mindset ahead of the upcoming clashes at One FC: Warrior's Way. The event will be at Fight Factory at Karport, Bonifacio Global City at 1 p.m.

Selected gym partners will also be in for a treat as one of the greatest minds in the sport today, One FC Vice President of Operations, Matt Hume will be imparting his skills in an MMA seminar. Several of Hume’s students have gone on to win world championships and he will share his knowledge with a few lucky gym partners. There will also a summit for some of the martial arts leaders in the country on that day.

December 2 and 3 activities.

Fans looking to experience the training regime of these highly trained athletes now also get the opportunity to do so, with free trials at several gyms that are part of the One FC network. These gyms have produced talented mixed martial artists, several of whom have eventually gone on to compete against world-class stars at One FC.

The events will then culminate with the weigh-ins at the Mall Of Asia Atrium. This will be the last chance to catch the stars of One FC as they make their final public appearance and face off with their opponent ahead of their anticipated bouts the following day.

December 4 and 5 activities.

Finally, on 5 December, Manila will become the epicentre for world-class mixed martial arts action. One FC: Warrior's Way will happen live at MOA Arena and will be broadcast all around the world as the best mixed martial artists in the world do battle inside the One FC cage!

One FC: Warrior's Way | Roger Gracie returns to MMA action.

When you think about fighting families in the world of  mixed martial arts, only one name comes to mind. That is the legendary Gracie family, who were the inventors of the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. They will now send one of their greatest descendants to do battle in the world-renowned One FC cage. The representative is multiple-time world grappling champion, Roger Gracie.

Roger Gracie gearing up for his One FC debut.

Roger Gracie is set to make his long-awaited debut for One FC on 5 December in Manila when he takes on knockout artist James McSweeney. McSweeney has professional kickboxing experience and will look to demonstrate his striking prowess against the grappler Gracie. Since coming to One FC, McSweeney has destroyed both light heavyweight and heavyweight opponents via knockout. This is a clash of two high profile athletes in the sport today.

Roger Gracie is an icon of the grappling world. He is the grandson of Carlos Gracie, the creator of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In 2005, he won both the heavyweight and absolute division tournaments at the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. He also won all of his bouts at the 2009 Mundials and have never been submitted in competition in more than ten years. He also has an impressive mixed martial arts record, notching up six victories thus far.

After his last bout a year ago, he was prepared to walk away from mixed martial arts. However, after speaking with a few close friends and One FC executives, he decided the itch for competition remains and decided that now was the time to come out to Asia to create a legacy.

Another Gracie in One FC!

"I am happy to sign with One FC. I had given up in fighting MMA, decided to go back to jiu-jitsu, but I got this offer and it changed my mind," Gracie said. "I’m going to do a few more MMA fights, and I still want to compete in jiu-jitsu."

He now teaches and owns an academy in London, England. Gracie has seen his cousins Igor, Gregor and Rolles Jr. all achieve mixed results in the One FC cage and is determined to do the legendary family proud by letting the world witness a Gracie become world champion once again. He has announced plans to compete at two weight classes and want to reign supreme at both classes.

Tickets for One FC: WARRIOR’S WAY on 5 December in Manila are on sale now at SM Tickets (http://www.smtickets.com). Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at PHP 6,360 followed by Patron PHP 3,180, Lower Box PHP 1,280, Upper Box PHP 640 and General Admission PHP 220. Prices include ticketing fee. Pre-sale packages are currently available.

One FC: Warrior's Way | Brandon Vera leads pack of seven Filipino fighters.

On December 5, 2014, 7 Filipinos will show their warrior skills inside the cage in front of the Filipino audience at the SM Arena. The pack of 7 will be led by none less, Brandon Vera, international MMA superstar who is set to have his debut fight for One FC that night.

One FC: Warrior's Way is set to be the organization’s fifth stop in the country, and the star-studded card will feature seven Filipino superstars taking on foreign opponents. Jujeath Nagaowa, Ana Julaton, Rene Catalan, Honorio Banario, Kevin Belingon, Eduard Folayang and MMA superstar Brandon Vera are the seven Filipino stars set to feature on the card and the group form an impressive representation of the martial arts prowess of the Philippines. Both Jujeath Nagaowa and Ana Julaton have boxing pedigrees, with Julaton a former WBO and IBA Super Bantamweight Champion. Catalan, Banario, Belingon and Folayang all have a long list of accolades in Wushu and Brandon Vera is a kickboxing champion and one of the most highly touted fighters in recent history. A win for any of the Filipino stars could put them up for title contention in a future event.

One FC: Warrior's Way Fight Card.

Jujeath Nagaowa is taking on Tharoth Sam, a female mixed martial arts pioneer from Cambodia. Ana Julaton, who arguably had the loudest ovation at the last Manila event, will be back in action once again to take on Egyptian kickboxing champion Walaa Abbas. Julaton has been training with some of the top wrestling coaches in the states and is eager to showcase her new grappling chops in this bout. 

Former ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario will look to make the climb back into title contention, but he faces a stern test in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Herbert Burns. Belingon will be disappointed that he is not in the main event, considering he was dominating in a #1 contender bout against Dae Hwan Kim before succumbing to a submission. Dae now gets to compete in the main event and Belingon will be determined to gain a headlining spot.

Eduard Folayang has another stern test in Russia’s Timofey Nastyukhin. Folayang has staked his claim for a title opportunity by defeating Vincent Latoel and former ONE FC Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku, and a win over Nastyukhin will make it hard for the matchmakers to overlook his claims.

The event will also see the debut of MMA superstar Brandon Vera in the Philipines. Fans in the country have been clamouring for an opportunity to see him live in action for more than a decade and will now get the chance at One FC: Warrior's Way. He will take on Igor Subora, a Ukrainian who has destroyed the regional scene in the Philippines. The clash of heavyweights is one of the most heavily-anticipated bouts of the year and will cap off the Filipino participation at this momentous event.

Tickets for One FC: Warriors Way on 5 December in Manila are on sale now at SM Tickets (http://www.smtickets.com). Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at PHP 6,360 followed by Patron PHP 3,180, Lower Box PHP 1,280, Upper Box PHP 640 and General Admission PHP 220. Prices include ticketing fee. Pre-sale packages are currently available.

One FC: Warrior's Way | New Fights Announced!

One FC: Warrior's Way, which happens on December 5, promises to be the biggest MMA event the Philippines' has ever witnessed. And from the way things are going - with four new exciting bouts added to the fight card - this event is sure living up to its promise.

Headlining this event is Bibiano Fernandes' title fight against Korean contender Dae Hwan Kim. There's also the co-main event which every Filipino MMA fan is looking forward to - Brandon Vera's debut fight against the undefeated Igor Subora.

And over the weekend, One FC CEO Victor Cui announced the new bouts that have been added to the Warrior's Way fight card. "ONE Fighting Championship is set to end the year with a blast by making Warrior's Way the biggest and most exciting MMA event of 2014!" said Cui. "We have added some truly massive fights on the already astounding fight card. Team Lakay warriors Kevin Belingon and Honorio Banario seek redemption inside the ONE FC cage while Filipino-American Brandon Vera makes his debut. Fans can definitely expect an unforgettable night of world class and adrenaline-pumping mixed martial arts action!"

Happening on December 5 at the Mall of Asia Arena!

Koetsu Okazaki vs. Kevin Belington

Koetsu Okazaki worked his way up the ranks of Shooto by dominating all opposition and earned the Shooto World Championship belt as a featherweight. He has never been knocked out or stopped with strikes due to his excellent chin and ability to take a punch. Okazaki is looking to continue his win streak by defeating Kevin Belingon to move up the ranks and work his way to another shot at the Bantamweight title.

Kevin Belingon is arguably one of the best bantamweights to hail from the Philippines, renowned for his striking ability while possessing incredible speed and power. He can get in and out of range without being taken down or countered and can inflict serious damage with just a single strike. To top it off, Belingon has some of the most dangerous kicks in the entire division, rounding things out with explosive takedowns and devastating ground-and-pound. Belingon is set to come back stronger this time against Okazaki in front of his home crowd.

Honorio Banario vs. Herbert Burns

Honorio Banario has a record of 8-4 and is hungry for a win, with the ultimate goal of landing another shot at One FC gold down the road. Known for his aggressive yet calculated approach to striking, Banario will need to overcome the toughest challenge of his career against Brazilian featherweight standout Herbert Burns before he can consider himself back in the running for the ONE FC Featherweight world title.

Herbert Burns is one of the top Featherweight prospects in One FC with a penchant for locking in fight-ending submissions. With his strong background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Burns is widely considered the top contender in his division and is on the fast track to getting a shot at the ONE FC Featherweight title. He is extremely driven to win the belt to prove to fans all over the world that no one can get in his way.

Roger Gracie vs. James McSweeney

Yes, folks. It's THE Roger Gracie, and he will make his debut at One FC: Warrior's Way against contender, James McSweeney. Roger is one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners of all time and is part of the world famous Gracie fighting family, the originators of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. He is undeniably one of the most skilled grapplers to transition into mixed martial arts and is looking to showcase his world-class technical acumen when he competes in Asia for the very first time.

Challenging Roger Gracie in this exciting light heavyweight bout is British fighter, James McSweeney, who is coming off a series of wins since his debut in One FC. Nicknamed ‘The Hammer’, McSweeney is menacing in the cage and will look to completely destroy his opponent to prove that he is the top fighter in the ONE FC light heavyweight division.

Jake Butler vs. Sylvain Potard

Since transitioning into mixed martial arts, former collegiate wrestling standout Jake Butler has amassed four victories with only one defeat and has exhibited some of the finest wrestling skills seen in professional mixed martial arts competition. Butler uses his elite wrestling pedigree to control opponents on the ground and in the clinch, where he does most of his damage by assuming dominant position and unleashing powerful strikes. Butler has been waiting for a rematch against Sylvain Potard to avenge the only loss on his otherwise unblemished record. One FC: Warrior's Way is the perfect opportunity for Butler to even the score.

French fighter, Sylvain Potard has a record of 7-4, with one of those victories being a memorable one-punch knockout of Jake Butler at One FC: Total Domination. In a highly-anticipated rematch, Potard will enter the One FC cage with Butler, this time, to prove his first victory was no fluke. A victory here will reinstate that he is the better fighter of the two. Both Potard and Butler have a lot riding on this matchup and fans will not want to miss the action.

Tickets for One FC: Warrior's Way on December 5 in Manila are on sale now at SM Tickets. 
Fans around Asia can catch all the action live on FOX Sports 3. Please check your local listings.

One FC: Warriors Way | Brandon Vera vs. Igor Subora.

Brandon Vera's recent signing to One FC created much hype and excitement among mixed martial enthusiasts, especially to Filipino fans. After all, Brandon Vera is a Filipino-American, who's very proud of his heritage and very excited to fight in Philippine soil.

After the press conference held last September 3, many have speculated as to who Brandon Vera will be fighting against in his debut match. The guesswork finally ended as Victor Cui, CEO of One FC, made the much-awaited announcement this week.

Photo credit; Brandon Vera.

"ONE Fighting Championship will hold nothing back as it returns for another night to remember at the state-of-the-art Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines", said Cui. "Brandon Vera is a global Filipino mixed martial arts superstar, and ONE FC will finally give fans in the Philippines the opportunity to see him in action live for the first time! He’ll be tested against heavyweight standout Igor Subora. Also, bantamweight champ Bibiano Fernandes will have his hands full against the unbeaten and dangerous Dae Hwan Kim. We have some awesome fights lined up for fans in Manila as Warrior’s Way promises to be the biggest fight card of 2014!"

Former URCC heavyweight champion Igor Subora is currently riding a five fight win streak, with all of his wins coming by either submission or TKO/KO. He has never heard the final bell and looks to finish off his opponents within the distance. The Ukrainian is trained in Sambo and aims to demonstrate his elite grappling skills when he steps into the cage against Brandon Vera.

One FC 23: Warrior's Way.

New ONE FC acquisition Brandon “The Truth” Vera will make his promotional debut and promises to wow fans in Manila as he competes in the Philippines for the first time in his career. Vera is an American mixed martial arts superstar with Filipino ancestry. He has an impressive mixed martial arts record of 12 wins and 7 losses. Vera has faced some of the top light heavyweights and heavyweights in the world. He is also a multiple-time grappling champion, a wrestler in the Air Force and high school. He also possesses excellent Muay Thai skills and some of the most powerful kicks in the business.

Tickets for One FC: Warrior's Way on December 5 in Manila are on sale now at SM Tickets (http://www.smtickets.com). Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at Php 6,360 followed by Patron Ph 3,180, Lower Box Php 1,280, Upper Box Php 640 and General Admission Php 220. Prices include ticketing fee. Pre-sale packages are currently available.

Fans around Asia can catch all the action live on FOX Sports 3. Please check your local listings.
Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at http://www.onefc.com/livestream. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99

For more updates visit: 
One FC Official Website / One FC Twitter / One FC Facebook / One FC Instagram

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes | Julaton to Replicate Pacquiao's Feat?

Will Ana Julaton emerge victorious in her first-ever mixed martial arts fight?
After Manny Pacquiao's victory over Timothy Bradley, I bet this question has been looming over Filipino fans, and mixed martial arts fans in general.

Exactly one week from today, we will get the answer as Ana Julaton makes her debut on ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in the card featuring the world bantamweight title fight between Brazilian Bibiano Fernandes and Japanese Masakatsu Ueda.

Julaton, who is of Filipino descent, will be battling former Egyptian kickboxing champion Aya Saeid Saber, who holds an MMA record of 2-3 and has been competing in professional MMA since 2012. Critics say this is considered an added advantage against the Fil-Am.

Photo credit: Ana Julaton.

But what is going in favour of Julaton is her boxing skills and experience being the former WBO and the IBA women's super bantamweight champion. Her deep involvement with martial arts (she's been into it since she was a kid) and black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo Karate are also plus points for Julaton.

These skills, combined with the new ones she has learned as an MMA fighter will be initially on display when Julaton conducts an open workout for the media and interested fans on Tuesday, April 29, at 2 p.m. at World Muay Thai Team USA at 4008 Yague St, cor. Chino Roces, Makati City. 

Julaton’s entry into MMA is generating growing interest as fans are curious if she would be able to duplicate her success in boxing in the ONE FC cage. She admitted that the transition to MMA has been physically tough but she’s enjoying it, adding that she’s used to the pressure of top competition. She is aware that in MMA a fighter has to use the hands and the feet, the elbows and the knees as well as grappling.

“With an opportunity to fight for ONE FC, a stage that reaches 1 billion viewers in Asia, it's important for me to be humble and to continue getting better as a fighter. When I debut on May 2nd, in front of 20,000 ‘kababayans’, I must be focused. There's a lot on the line,” said Julaton in an interview with Rappler.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes.

Other Filipinos on the ONE FC card are Eduard Folayang, Jujeath Nagaowa, Rey Docyogen, and Eugene Toquero.

Folayang (13-4), who won an exciting match just last December against Dutch-Indonesian Vincent Latoel, will face a former champion in Japanese Kotetsu Boku, who is also coming off a TKO win over Arnauld Lepont last March.

Former WBC Asia Atomweight Champion Nagaowa, the first Filipina who will be fighting in the ONE FC cage, will take on seven-time kickboxing champ Jeet Toshi of India.

Former URCC champion Docyogen will be looking to get back into the winners circle against American fighter Joshua Alvarez, while Toquero (4-1) will face undefeated Malaysian-American Gianna Subba (3-0).

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes | Toquero's Skills and Experience will Make the Difference.

Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Eugene Toquero will rely on his experience and skills to beat, even knock out, undefeated American-born Malaysian Gianni Subba on May 2 in the star-studded ONE Fighting Championship card at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

“My experience and skills will make the difference. There will be a knockout and it will be him going down,” Toquero, whose MMA record is four wins and one loss, said.

He guarantees that the fans will enjoy his fight with Subba.“The fans will enjoy our fight. Subba may be good but I’m better because of my experience and skills.”

“I have more fights in my career than Subba. I’m a veteran when it comes to competition. Mas maraming baon ako,” he added.

Before venturing into MMA in 2009, Toquero, a flyweight like Subba, was a member of the Philippine muay thai national team from 2004 to 2009. In his teen, he was a member of a Cebu kickboxing gym and participated in local competitions.

Eugene Toquero at the ONE FC Press Conference.

Toquero, 33, admitted that the competition in ONE FC is tough that’s why he’s not taking his fight with Subba, 22, lightly. “Maraming magagaling sa ONE FC kaya hindi puwede pa-easy easy lang. Laro laro din ako pero nandon pa rin ang game plan (There are lots of good fighters in ONE FC that’s why it’s not advisable to take it easy. I play but I still follow my game plan),” the Cebuano fighter said in an interview.

Toquero, whose day job is gym instructor and coach to some local celebrities on mixed martial arts, said he has learned some lessons during his first MMA loss to Team Lakay fighter Geje Eustaquio in the ONE FC event last December. “Lessons learned? One should not stop from training. One should learn more techniques,” he said. Toquero said this time against Subba, he’s training hard and spending more time in the gym and has enhanced his fight techniques.

Gianni Subba vs Eugene Toquero.

He started training as early as January this year even though he has no opponent yet at that time. He admitted, though, that he has not seen any fight tape on Subba and would not watch it even as the fight nears. “I will be underestimating myself if I watch his fight tapes.”

Toquero may seem like a brash fighter because of his intemperate comments but in reality he’s silent and serious. “I just want to entertain the fans that’s why I seem like arrogant sometimes."

Tickets for ONE FC: RISE OF HEROES are on sale now at SM Tickets.
Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at PHP 6,360, followed by Patron PHP 3,180, Lower Box PHP 1,280, Upper Box PHP 640 and General Admission PHP 220. Prices include ticketing fee.

Spazz Saturday #17 | 2PM Live Tour in Manila!

And that's just two weeks away!
The boys who brought you the hit songs Again and Again, 10 out of 10, Heartbeat, and Hands Up will be coming to Manila for a one-night-only concert!

Dubbed 'What Time is It', the Manila leg of 2PM's Live Tour will happen on March 2, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena.  A special Meet and Greet event will also take place prior to the concert itself. In case you still haven't bought tickets yet, you can purchase them via smtickets.com or at participating SM Cinemas nationwide. Ticket prices are as follows:

VIP 1 (standing)             P11,500

VIP 2 (standing)             P11,500

VIP 3 (standing)             P 9,000

Lower Box A (seated)         P 7,000

Lower Box B (seated)         P 6,000

Upper Box (seated)           P 3,300

General Admission (seated)   P 1,000

This event is made possible by MLive, Hoopla and Big Daddy.

Spazz Saturday #9 | Big Bang Alive Galaxy Tour Manila!

More than a week has passed since this year's ultimate Kpop event took place, but the sound of Taeyang's "Manila, Baby! Manila, Baaaa-by!" still resonates in my ears. This my friends, is what we call the Beautiful Hangover. I'm pretty sure majority, if not all of those present during the Alive Galaxy Tour Manila, feel the same way as I do.

Samsung Galaxy Booth.

My girls and I arrived at the MOA Arena around 5:30 pm. It had been announced via Facebook and Twitter that gates will open at 6pm, and by the time we got there, a huge crowd was already piled up at ONE side of the MOA Arena. We were expecting a smaller crowd and shorter queue by the time we've finished dinner and done taking photos at the Samsung and Jeju Air booths (that was a little before 7pm), but NOOOOO - the crowd became even more ginormous and rambunctious because the gates didn't open as scheduled.

More photos after the jump!