Anthony Engelen prefers step-by-step process in securing title shot

Mixed martial arts standout Anthony Engelen (5-2) acknowledges that there will be no shortcuts to achieving his dream of becoming a world titleholder in ONE Championship.

Engelen stressed that he is not in a hurry and would rather take the long road to a championship crack than prematurely contend for the gold-plated strap.

According to Engelen, there are certain aspects of his overall game that he has to improve and keep an eye on before getting an opportunity to vie for the coveted ONE Featherweight World Championship belt.

“I would like to remind myself to keep growing as a fighter. I always try to watch all my fights and constantly evaluate myself. I want to improve in the things that I was not happy about and work harder on it every time,” he said.

The 31-year-old Dutch Indonesian fighter believes that he has to prove himself worthy of a title shot as ONE Championship’s featherweight bracket has a long list of contender.

ONE Championship has a stacked featherweight division, which has been often described as a shark tank.

The aforementioned weight class houses ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov, Eric Kelly, Ev Ting, Jadambaa Narantungalag, Rob Lisita. Martin Nguyen and Christian Lee.

“I think that I still have to prove myself in this division. There’s a long line of contenders in ONE Championship’s featherweight division,” Engelen stated.

After pulling off a sensational victory over Egyptian journeyman Sami Amin five months ago, Engelen is set to return to action as he squares off with Malaysian stalwart AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor (2-3) on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR POWER in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January.

Engelen sees his three-round featherweight encounter with Mansor as a chance to raise his stock as a featherweight competitor in ONE Championship.

“AJ might be a veteran of the sport, but I don’t think I will get a title shot if I win. But it will definitely appreciate my value in ONE Championship’s featherweight division,” he disclosed.

Engelen prides himself in being an exciting combatant, who is willing to please the crowd by always seeking the highlight-reel finish.

“For sure, it’s going to be a good fight. It will not go into the three judges’ hands for a decision. It will have a decisive finish,” he claimed.

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For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

​​Eagerness to win keeps Vaughn Donayre motivated in upcoming fight

When Vaughn Donayre directed his career path to ONE Championship nearly three years ago, he was once touted as a promising Filipino talent from the beautiful province of Cebu.

However, the luster of his billing as a top-notch prospect slowly faded when a string of setbacks came his way.

The 37-year-old Cebu native suffered a first-round submission defeat at the hands of Emirati combatant Mohammed Walidin in his August 2014 promotional debut.

Donayre encountered the same fate in his second ONE Championship outing as he tasted a first-round stoppage loss to Malaysian superstar Peter Davis in October 2014.

It was followed by falling short in a thrilling lightweight showcase against former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario last April.

A victory under the ONE Championship umbrella remained elusive for Donayre as he yielded to Singaporean sensation Amir Khan via third-round submission this past November.

Determined to break his four-fight losing skid in Asia's largest mixed martial arts organization, Donayre chose not to wallow over his recent defeat as he jumps right back into action by squaring off with Dutch-Indonesian kickboxer Vincent Latoel.

Both men are set to collide on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR POWER, which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January.

With the ambition to insert his name into the winner's column and regain his reputation as one of the Philippines’ best lightweight fighters, Donaire revealed that he asked ONE Championship’s top brass for an immediate return to the cage.

“It's not surprising that I have this fight. I asked for another fight immediately right after the bout against Amir Khan in November. Even if I win or lose, I will fight again anytime,” he said.

Donayre stressed that he finds himself in a must-win situation against Latoel, who seeks to break his two-fight losing skid at the expense of his Filipino foe.

“I need this win. I can’t lose forever. It feels like I’ve been losing forever already. But this is my chance to prove that there is a light at the end of tunnel. No one stays on the losing side,” he stated.

According to Donayre, losing is part of the sport. Even though winning has shied away from him in his last four fights in ONE Championship, he explained that his love for MMA keeps on luring him back.

“I am continuing my career as an MMA fighter because I love this sport. It keeps me alive. Moreover, this is what I live for. Setbacks don’t matter because I love what I do. That’s why I do it,” he shared.

As he faces a 36-fight veteran like Latoel, Donayre remains optimistic that he will have his raised in triumph for the first time on 14 January.

“I am motivated to win this fight. I want to secure my first win in ONE Championship. That’s my goal. It keeps me focused and driven for this fight,” he ended.

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For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in 

Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars cheer up kids at Philippine Heart Center

Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars Jarrell Lim (2011) and Tyler Tio (2013) dropped in at the Pediatric Ward of the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) to distribute stuffed toys and lunch boxes to young heart patients in an NBA Cares activity. The two All-Stars were accompanied by Jr. NBA Coach Ruben Lanot and staff of Larc&Asset PR.

The three Jr. NBA personalities went from ward to ward to talk to the kids and spread Christmas cheer. Besides giving gifts, the basketball personalities encouraged the kids to continue their battle against their various conditions.  

 PHC Chief Nurse Raquel Tejada said the Jr. NBA visit did a lot to raise the morale of the children and their parents and inspired parents of previous patients to also engage in charitable works for the kids during the Holiday season. This is an on-going activity of the Jr. NBA players and Larc&Asset PR.

Jarrell Lim, who is playing for the UP Fighting Maroons, and Tyler Tio, who will soon suit up for the Ateneo Blue Eagles said the Christmas activity was truly heart-warming and gratifying. “We will definitely be back next year and would like to involve more Jr. NBA players in this simple but meaningful endeavor. The Jr. NBA is all about inspiring kids and reaching out to children who need cheering up the most is definitely part of our definition as NBA goodwill ambassadors,” said Jarrell Lim.

Jr. NBA Philippines, the grassroots program of the National Basketball Association, will be back in action on January 2017. Boys and girls aged 10-14 years old are encouraged to join the program which is now on its 10^th year in the Philippines.

Alaska Milk Celebrates Active, Healthy Lifestyle through 21st Alaska Football Cup

Alaska believes that sports play an important role in instilling the value of discipline, hard work, teamwork and determination among young people; thus, its continued focus on team sports outside basketball.
Since 1995, Alaska Power Camp partnered with former professional international football player Tomas Lozano to create the 1st Alaska Football Cup. Through the Football Cup, Alaska leads the growth of amateur football in the country and has been going on for quite some time. In fact last November 26 and 27 marks their 21st year of doing so.

The Alaska Football Cup is held every November at the Ayala Alabang Country Club fields. This year have 320 teams and a total of 4,800 football players together in one venue, all united by their love for football from different parts of the country. These young football enthusiasts come together to compete in various age divisions. School teams and football clubs from all over the Philippines, inluding Masbate, Baguio, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Legaspi, Laguna, Batangas, Bukidnon, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Ilocos, Bicol, Romblon, Davao Sur, Compestela Valley, Quezon, Cavite, Albay, Pangasinan, Bacolod, Iloilo, Mindoro, and Metro Manila participated. To date, the Company believes that it is the biggest amateur football tournament in the country.

Alaska Milk teaches children discipline, hard work, determination, teamwork and sportsmanship by encouraging them to join sports activities.

The development of the youth’s skills in football is just one of Alaska's commitment to nation building through nutrition and sports.

For more information about Alaska Milk and its Nutrition. Action. Champion. Program, visit www.alaskamilk.com. To know more about the 21st Alaska Football Cup visit http://www.alaskapowercamp.com/. Check out Alaska Milk's sports channel www.playph.com and like @PlayPH in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for inspiring stories on Filipino sports fans of all ages nad skill levels

Bibiano Fernandes says he loves Manila like home

Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes may have been born and raised in Brazil, but the ONE Championship titleholder feels deep in his heart that Manila is his home away from home.

Fernandes (19-3) is the promotion’s top bantamweight talent and is one of the best fighters in the world. He will take on Filipino-Australian sensation Reece “Lightning” McLaren (9-3) in the co-main event of ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION which takes place Friday, 2 Decemberat the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Fernandes has competed four times so far in Manila. His stint this upcoming ONE Fight Night will be his fifth. The Brazilian says making his ONE Championship debut in Manila was a special moment in his career.

“First time I went to Manila I thought about Muhammad Ali, the boxer, and that I fought in the same arena he fought,” said Fernandes, who debut for ONE at the Araneta Coliseum. “For me that was a big thing. Ali fought there and I fought the same place as him. So for that reason, fighting in Manila is very special for me.”

Fernandes began his tenure with ONE Championship back in 2012 at the event dubbed “Pride of a Nation”. It was ONE’s fifth show overall since establishing the promotion in 2011. Fernandes at the time was being positioned as a superstar in Manila.

Since then, Fernandes has strung together eight straight victories including four exciting finishes. He hasn’t lost since dropping a unanimous decision to Japanese fighter Hiroyuki Takaya in 2010, making him ONE’s longest reigning champion.

Yet victory hasn’t come easy he says. Fernandes believes that the key to his success is the work he puts into training.

“I believe in myself. I believe if I train right and do everything right I’m going to do my best and when I do my best the outcome is victory,” said Fernandes. “I always have confidence with my training, I always try to be healthy. What happens in the fight is in the fight. Be sharp, be strong, be smart, be quick.”

Out of his 19 total victories, nine have come by finish. The proud champion is hoping to put on a good showing against McLaren, who is 11 years his junior. At 36-years old, Fernandes has not shown any signs of slowing down. In fact, he gives fans a slight hint at what’s to come on fight night.

“[Reece McLaren] is a young guy. He wants to fight. He’s going to bring the fight,” said Fernandes. “But they call me ‘The Flash’ because I finish guys quick. Until today I still have that nickname.”

Next Friday night Fernandes returns to Manila. He defends his ONE Bantamweight World Championship belt for the fifth time.

“I like everything about Manila. Manila is a very nice, warm place. I love the people,” said Fernandes.

*This is Press Release

SBP-Passerelle Luzon finals got Berkeley and ISBB

photo credit: sun star baguio

Now on its 31st year, SBP-Passarelle is the longest running and most prestigious interschool basketball competition for children where students ages 9-11 compete in the SBP tournament, while students ages 12-14 compete in the Passarelle tournament

Berkeley School and International School for Better Beginnings (ISBB) bagged the championship title for the Luzon finals of SBP (Small Basketeers of the Philippines) – Passerelle, the largest twin tournament in the country, held at the Easter College Gym in Baguio City.

Berkeley School of Baguio easily won the SBP tournament against Wonderland School of Dagupan and earned their 4th consecutive regional championship title, 69-36. 3rd place went to Sacred Heart University after winning the battle against St. Scholastica’s Academy, 56-50.

Meanwhile, it was a hard feat for ISBB to beat St. Louis University during the Passerelle tournament until they finally took the lead halfway through the last quarter, ending the intense battle with 67-64 score. Holy Angel University came in 3 rd in a match against Urdaneta City National High School, 50-47.

ISBB also received the much-coveted Sportsmanship award for the Passerelle tournament while for the SBP tournament, the award was given to St. Scholastica’s Academy. Organized by the multi-awarded school for basketball and volleyball, BEST Center, sponsored by Milo, and supported by Chris Sports and Rain or Shine, SBP- Passerelle emphasizes the importance of fair play not just among players but also among coaches and parents. BEST center does not only aim to build future basketball champions, but also helps athletes develop values and discipline and team work and sportsmanship.

The last to host its regional finals is the Visayas, to be held in Roxas City on November 19-20, 2016. Other representatives for each region are La Salle Greenhills for SBP and Adamson University for Passerelle from NCR; and Xavier University for SBP and Holy Child of Davao for Passerelle from Mindanao, Winners for each regional finals will battle it out on the national championship to be held in Bacolod City.
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For more information about BEST Center’s classes and tournaments, call the hotlines 411-6260, 3723066 and 372-3065, email bestcentersports@gmail.com or follow its official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BEST-Center- Sports-Inc/66172039922

NBA Store Philippines Marks NBA Cares 10th Anniversary with Donation to Knowledge Channel Foundation

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and NBA Store Philippines, managed by International Athletic Trading Company, Inc. (IATC), donated Php 235,000 to Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) for the benefit of students of Yapak, Talaga, and Roman Tantiangco Elementary Schools, mountain communities in Morong, Rizal. NBA Store Philippines staged a retail promotion that donates a portion of NBA Name and Number T-shirt sales proceeds from Aug. 10 to Sept. 13 to KCFI to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of NBA Cares. The donation will fund multimedia learning resources and teacher workshops for the three public schools.  Last Nov. 11, NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson and IATC Vice President of Marketing Bea Lim presented the cheque donation to KCFI Head of Access Doris Nuval at the NBA Store in Glorietta 3.

NBA Brings the Game Closer to Its Fans in Asia-Pacific

With the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, basketball fans across Asia-Pacific will have more access to the NBA than ever before through a variety of touchpoints spanning television, internet and mobile distribution of NBA games and programming, localized content on digital destinations and social media accounts, merchandising, and on-ground events.  With more than 65 partners in the region and the myriad ways to access the NBA, there has never been a better time to be an NBA fan.

The range of experiences from the NBA and its partners include:  

GAMES & PROGRAMMING *excluding Greater China and India

·         Fans can access NBA games and programming via the following television, mobile and digital partners:

• Australia – ESPN
• Japan – Fuji TV, NHK, WOWOW, DAZN
• Korea – SpoTV, NAVER
• Malaysia – Astro
• Mongolia – SPS
• New Zealand – ESPN, TVNZ
• Philippines – ABS-CBN, Fox Sports, Globe Telecom, BTV, NBA Premium 
• Singapore – ELEVEN SPORTS NETWORK
• Thailand – True Visions
• Vietnam – VT Cable

LEAGUE PASS

·         NBA games and programming is accessible through NBA LEAGUE PASS, available in all countries across Asia-Pacific.

·         NBA LEAGUE PASS, the league’s live games subscription service which allows fans to watch every NBA game live and on-demand, tips off the 2016-17 NBA season with new features designed for basketball fans.  From a variety of game packages to multi-screen views of the action, NBA LEAGUE PASS will deliver more ways to experience the NBA. This year’s features include:

o   AROUND THE LEAGUE RECAPS: This new series wraps up the day’s action with the best content from around the league.

o   ON-DEMAND CHOICES: Fans have the ability to download replays of full-length games or condensed games for convenient on-the-go viewing.

o   NBA RAPID REPLAY: A new highlights feature providing fans with in-the-moment updates on great NBA action from around the league. NBA RAPID REPLAY can be accessed as part of the live game experience from the NBA App on iOS and Android.

o   NBA MOBILE VIEW: A completely new way to watch basketball on mobile devices and tablets, the new NBA Mobile View meets the needs of today’s sports fans and their desire to consume content on the best screen available by providing a zoomed-in, tighter shot of the action that it optimized for the smaller screen size of mobile devices.

o   VIDEO ARCHIVES: NBA LEAGUE PASS opens up the NBA vaults providing fans with more access than ever before to classic games, interviews, highlights and documentaries, including 60 hours of new content.  Throughout the season, new NBA content will be added to the Video Archives.

o   VIRTUAL REALITY: The NBA and NextVR, the leader in broadcasting live events in virtual reality, will live stream at least one NBA LEAGUE PASS game per week in virtual reality during the 2016-17 season.  Fans with a Samsung Gear VR headset and a compatible Samsung smartphone can experience the free preview by accessing the NBA Channel within the NextVR app. Later this season, the offering will be expanded to support additional VR headset options. 

·         NBA LEAGUE PASS also returns with two offerings introduced last year – NBA SINGLE GAME and NBA TEAM CHOICE.  NBA SINGLE GAME will once again allow fans to watch individual live games, while NBA TEAM CHOICE, available for all 30 NBA teams, will give them the option to follow one team, so they can watch their favorite player all season long.

·         Globe Telecom, the official wireless and broadband services partner of the NBA in the Philippines, offers day passes to all its subscribers.

·         Fans will be able to enjoy the subscription-based service across computers, tablets and mobile phones, as well as a wide variety of connected devices including the Apple TV and PlayStation®4.

SOCIAL MEDIA

·         Fans can enjoy localized NBA content through a variety of social media platforms:

o   Australia – Facebook, Twitter and LINE

o   Indonesia – Facebook, Twitter and LINE

o   Japan – Facebook, Twitter and LINE

o   New Zealand – Facebook and Twitter

o   Philippines – Facebook, Twitter and LINE

·         “Friend” the NBA’s official account on LINE by adding @nba_global.

DIGITAL DESTINATIONS

·         The League has four official localized digital destinations in Asia-Pacific:

o   Australia – www.sportingnews.com/au/nba

o   Japan – www.nba.co.jp

o   New Zealand – www.sportal.co.nz/nba

o   Philippines – www.nba.com/philippines

EVENTS

·         Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, has reached more than 1.5 million kids, parents and coaches across Southeast Asia.  The program, which completed its third year in Asia-Pacific, returns in January 2017.  Jr. NBA is currently active across six countries:

o   Indonesia

o   Malaysia

o   Philippines

o   Singapore

o   Thailand

o   Vietnam

·         Fans, parents and coaches can visit www.jrnba.asia to learn more about the Jr. NBA program in Asia.

MERCHANDISE

·         Fans can purchase official NBA licensed merchandise through the following retailers across Asia-Pacific:

• Australia – More than 90 Rebel stores
• Japan – 70 Xebio stores
• Korea – 113 NBA shops
• Philippines – 3 NBA Stores:

§  Ayala Center, Glorietta 3

§  Ayala Trinoma

§  SM Megamall, Fashion Hall

• NBA merchandise can also be purchased from the following official online NBA Stores:
• Australia – www.nbastore.com.au
• Indonesia – www.nbastore.co.id  
• New Zealand – www.nbastore.co.nz
• NBA merchandise is also available at select Adidas and Foot Locker stores throughout Asia-Pacific.

*This is Press Release

Bibiano Fernandes to Defend Title Against Reece McLaren

 
 “ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION is shaping up to be one of the most exciting fight cards we have ever put on in Manila. Bibiano Fernandes of Brazil is one of the most humble and honorable champions in the world and he is set to take on rising star Reece McLaren.” stated by Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship

36-year-old Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil is the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion and widely considered one of the best bantamweights in the world. He made his promotional debut back in 2012 and captured the title in 2013, and has since then remained unbeaten inside the ONE Championship cage. A winner of his last 11 bouts, including three submission wins and two knockouts, Fernandes is set to defend his title against rising star, Reece McLaren.

photo credit: sherdog.com

25-year-old Reece “Lightning” McLaren is a Filipino-Australian professional mixed martial artist from Toowoomba, Australia. He made his ONE debut in 2015 with a spectacular submission victory over top bantamweight contender Mark Striegl, and then followed up that win with a unanimous decision over highly-regarded prospect Muin Gafurov. McLaren has showcased a tremendous striking arsenal paired with a robust grappling skill set in his career to date. In his next bout, he takes on the toughest test of his career against Bibiano Fernandes.

Tickets for ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION are available at https://smtickets.com/events/view/5040

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

*This is Press Release