Candidates Face Toughest Physical Task Yet on Episode 8 of ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

Episode 8 of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” airs tonight on AXN, and the competition comes down to the wire. With only eight candidates remaining, the drama turns fierce as alliances take shape and conflicts begin to heat up.

[Ep 8 Teaser: https://youtu.be/gaksEVHXXR8]

This week, candidates are tested by mixed martial arts legend and ONE Championship Vice President, Rich “Ace” Franklin in arguably the toughest physical task of the season so far: survive a simulated open water helicopter crash. Needless to say, some candidates were left gasping for air.

In the business challenge, candidates face a sales challenge for the first time this season, offering upcycled products to B2B and B2C customers.

Catch the action on One Sports on Monday, May 10, at 9PM. For more information and How to Watch, check out the official site at https://www.onefc.com/theapprentice/

Meanwhile, watch Filipino MMA superstar and The Apprentice judge Brandon “The Truth” Vera as he takes on challenger, Indian wrestling champion Arjan “Singh” Bhullar in the main event for the ONE Heavyweight World Title. Entitled “ONE: DANGAL,” this tape-delayed event airs on Saturday, 15 May, and is designed to showcase the very best of Indian MMA.

About “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition”

“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” invites 16 contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game of business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.

Athletes appearing on the show include former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan, among others.

“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes.

Louie Sangalang Shines in The Apprentice, Carries Team Valor in Mental and Boardroom Challenges

CONFIDENCE is one thing. Execution is another.

For Louie Sangalang, though, he didn't just have the former but also aced the latter as he steered Team Valor to another win in the business task and kept them fighting for another day in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.

From the get-go, the Filipino candidate did not hesitate stepping up to the role of the project manager as the teams were tasked to create a travel advertisement for Everise, a leading customer experience solutions and technology company, with Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal challenging them to revolutionize customer experiences in the travel industry.

"The travel industry is actually something I'm quite familiar with in my role as the head of procurement. My company actually was in charge of putting in corporate travel," Sangalang testified, which was a no brainer for Team Valor to elect him as the captain of the ship.

But this isn't like any challenge, especially with Agarwal emphasizing how difficult the situation is for the travel industry today and all the more in the post-pandemic world.

"More than 50-percent of our business is actually healthcare in the US. What you can look at is which are the industries that have still not adapted technology and disrupt it," he said. "We will make your customer experience better -- that is the main pitch. You got to bring it out of the box, it should be practical, and most importantly, it should be profitable."

Even Team Valor teammate Monica Millington noted how difficult this task was, saying, "This business challenge is very complex. We're talking about the future of the travel industry, which nobody knows what that is right now."

On top of creating their pitch deck, Sangalang also faced another hurdle: keeping Eugene Chung in check as the 23-year-old digital marketer from the United States seemed to be at a loss many times in the planning stages.

"When it came to concept development, the four of us were on the same page and Eugene was a little bit derailing from our direction," admitted Irina Chadsey inside the Boardroom.

Millington added, "Those disagreements were [Chung] trying to understand the product, I felt like it was a lot of having to explain and manage those conversations instead of just moving forward with our time constraints."

And even Sangalang would profess: "It's been difficult to manage Eugene."

"I think Eugene cannot seem to see the perspective of team effort," he continued. "When you stand down and not really understand the product, I think there is something deliberately wrong there. So what I would have appreciated if he took the time to actually educate himself regarding the subject matter."

The situation, as calm as Team Valor was in their war room, even left ONE Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy Niharika Singh with her own set of reservations.

"Louie seems to be pretty much in control, but the proof of the pudding is in the execution. And a lot transpires during the night, when people are under those stressful conditions," she said.

Still, Sangalang found a way to maximize Chung to the benefit of the rest of the team, tapping on his technological strengths in Team Valor's travel insurance proposal Xpedition.

"I think he did well. He kept the team organized," Chadsey said of Sangalang.

It turned out to be a stroke of genius as the pitch garnered praises from the judges, with Sangalang's effective dissection of the numbers in costing and pricing earning adulation from ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong himself.

"One thing that I was very impressed with the whole team worked very cohesively, how you married granular numbers down to the detail, every assumption and applying the value proposition, you nailed it," he said.

Sangalang also earned fans in his own team, with Millington quipping, "I'm really seeing Louie come to light. He's proven himself invaluable. He has such a strong understanding of the numbers and the sales could break down and how to price such a complicated business model."

Team Valor's Xpedition pitch truly knocked the ball out of the park that Agarwal was considering on truly utilizing it for Everise.

"I must say it was a really good job done with a lot of clarity of thought. I asked you to think out of the box and come up with a practical innovative solution, and I think you have done that," he said. "If I put myself in the shoes of a customer, I will definitely evaluate this product."

So strong was Team Valor's pitch deck Xpedition that Agarwal eventually did.

"Sudhir wants to take your pitch to travel companies and insurance companies. He said, 'I didn't expect it, but I'm going to use their pitch as I go out.' So great job, Team Valor," Sityodtong shared, which was another feather to the cap of Sangalang.

As the project manager, the 43-year-old Filipino is now 2-0 when taking the lead in the business tasks, quite a feat especially in this high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges -- all for the prize of a US$250,000 job offer as Sityodtong's protégé, chief of staff, and head of a business development unit at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore for a year.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sport.

One Step Back, Two Steps Forward: Louie Sangalang survives Episode 5 despite passive team role

LOUIE Sangalang's voice was hardly heard in Episode 5 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition

But his supposed passiveness for Team Valor in the business challenge shouldn't be looked at as a shortcoming on his part.

After all, Sangalang did his best in the role given to him -- one which kept him in the thick of the fight in this high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges -- all for the prize of a US$250,000 job offer to work as ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong's protégé at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore for a year.

Because you're not seen, you're at the backend, there's a tendency for people to disregard your contributions," Sangalang testified inside the Boardroom.

It may not be that evident right from the start, but Sangalang's presence was truly underrated for Team Valor's success.

From the dragon boat challenge, the 43-year-old procurement consultant gave it his all despite the apparent fatigue that led teammate Eugene Chung to stop paddling, leaving it to Sangalang, Monica Millington, and Irina Chadsey to compete with the heftier Team Conquest.

Given those circumstances, it's understandable that Team Valor, which had ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera on its side, lost the challenge and was pressured to redeem themselves in the business task.

Like any good follower, Sangalang was a handy tool for Team Valor in the ensuing task while also allowing the leaders to excel in their jobs.

He and Chung did a good job gathering crucial information and inspirations for their pitch and conveyed those ideas to the tea leaders.

The collaborative work allowed Team Valor to shine as they tried to create a fusion product out of The Shirt Bar and Bengawan Solo, retailer brands from Changi Airport.

The result was Esensi, a line of scented candles inspired by the five distinct flavors from Begawan Solo restaurant and customer-made designs from The Shirt Bar. Sityodtong called the product "outstanding" and lauded Team Valor for "an outstanding job." The packaging, Sityodtong added, was a “complete disaster” though.

Valor project manager Millington took responsibility for the oversight, and when asked by Chatri who she would take with her to the Boardroom if, theoretically, they lost the challenge, she mentioned Chung and Sangalang.

Lucky for Team Valor, they won the product challenge task and avoided the chopping block.

"I will no longer tolerate mediocrity. I will no longer tolerate floaters. I will no longer tolerate anything less than excellence," Sityodtong declared ahead of the business challenge. "This competition has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with you and your commitment, your passion, your desire to unleash your greatness in life. I'm willing to invest all my knowledge, all my ideas, all my experiences, my failures, my successes, into you so that you can become great. I want to see how badly you want it."

It’s now up to Sangalang to prove how hungry he is to win it all and get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to become Sityodtong’s chief of staff.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sport.

‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ Premieres in Asia on AXN

18 March 2021 – Singapore: “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” premiered across Southeast Asia, China, and India with its inaugural episode Thursday evening. The show debuted on AXN, its official Asia broadcast partner, with additional free-to-air broadcasts to follow.

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, his Advisor Niharika Singh, ONE’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy, and Task Captain Dom Lau, ONE’s Circle and Ring Announcer, were all introduced in Episode 1 of the toughest “Apprentice” in history, which was shot in Singapore.

Meet the Candidates

The premiere also introduced the show’s 16 candidates from around the world: Alvin Ang, Clinton Tudor, Eugene Chung, Irina Chadsey, Jessica Ramella, Joy Koh, Kexin Ye, Lara Pearl Alvarez, Louie Sangalang, Monica Millington, Nazee Sajedi, Niraj Puran Rao, Paulina Purnomowati, Roman Wilson, Sho Takei, and Teirra Kamolvattanavith.

These global candidates are competing for a one-year, US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chatri as his protege at ONE Championship.

First Physical Challenge: Relay Race

For the first time ever on “The Apprentice,” physical challenges have been included, which Chatri described as being designed to push candidates beyond their limits not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Chatri grouped the candidates into two teams. Roman, Paulina, Niraj, Alvin, Joy, Eugene, Lara, and Nazee made up the blue team, which became known as Team Conquest. Clinton, Kexin, Jessica, Teirra, Irina, Sho, Monica, and Louie made up the red team, which became known as Team Valor.

The teams competed in a relay race that featured escalating degrees of toughness, with Louie propelling Team Valor to victory.

First Business Challenge: “ONE at Home” Fan Experience

The drama shifted to the boardroom, where the candidates competed in their first business challenge. Nazee of Team Conquest and Clinton of Team Valor were chosen as Project Managers to lead strategy and implementation.

The teams were tasked with curating a “ONE at Home” essentials kit, featuring a bundle of ONE Championship merchandise for fans. Each team was also asked to create a marketing plan that would be pitched to Chatri and Niharika.

Clashing personalities dominated the cutting-room floor, as each team scrambled to piece together its final product.

Saved from the Chopping Block

In the end, Team Valor took home another victory. With Team Conquest losing the challenge, Nazee, Alvin, and Lara were sent to the chopping block, where they were grilled by Chatri on their performances.

In the biggest surprise of the episode, Chatri revealed this was a non-elimination challenge, and that no candidate would be sent home.

Episode 1 of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” set the stage for the most unique and exciting iteration of the hit reality franchise to date.

More information on the Apprentice and “How to Watch” can be found at:  
https://www.onefc.com/the-apprentice

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

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition on AXN, TV5 and One Sports

When The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition premieres Thursday, March 18, across Asia, Filipino fans can watch the two Filipino candidates compete on the much-awaited unscripted reality show on various networks.

The 13-episode non-scripted reality show will air on cable and free-to-air channels starting March 18, with AXN airing the premiere on March 18 at 8:40 PM. Succeeding episodes will air every Thursday on AXN at 8:50 PM Singapore time.

TV5 will also air the inaugural episode on Saturday, March 20, at 11 PM. But thereafter, Filipino viewers can cheer on the two Pinoy Bets every Monday starting March 22, at 9PM over One Sports (Channel 41 on free TV, Channel 59 on Sky Cable, and Channel 6 on Cignal TV).

DATE/TIME	NETWORK
March 18, 8:40 PM*	AXN
March 20, 11 PM**	TV5
Thursdays, 8:50 PM	AXN
Mondays starting March 22, 9 PM	One Sports and One Sports +

* Asian Premiere

** Philippine Premiere

Candidates to The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition were handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes competition involving business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.

Among the 16 contestants vying for the position of Sityodtong’s chief of staff are Filipinos Lara Alvarez and Louie Sangalang. Alvarez, who hails from Baguio, is a former athlete of the famed Team Lakay and a single mother. Sangalang is a multi-sport athlete, marathoner, former MMA champion and cancer survivor.

For more in-depth, behind-the-scenes, and exclusive contents, fans may follow the official website and the following social media pages:

●       Official Website: https://www.onefc.com/TheApprentice/

●       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ApprenticeONE

●       Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apprenticeone/

●       Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApprenticeONE

ONE CHAMPIONSHIP TO LAUNCH A UNIQUE FORMAT OF ‘THE APPRENTICE' IN ASIA

20 February 2020 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today has announced the launch of 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ under license from MGM Television. This brand new edition of 'The Apprentice' will feature 16 contestants handpicked from around the world in a high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges where the winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work for a year directly under Chatri Sityodtong as his protege at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore. For more information on The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition, please visit: http://onefc.com/the-apprentice/ In addition, a total of 12 of Asia's top CEOs (1 CEO per episode) will be featured as guest judges alongside Sityodtong. The business competitions will focus on a variety of real-world problems and industries. Meanwhile, the physical challenges will be graced by the World Champions from ONE Championship where contestants will aim to outshine them in feats of athletic ability and cardio endurance. 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' will be produced by ONE Championship’s production arm, ONE Studios, and will run on both streaming and linear platforms across the Pan Asian region in the second half of 2020. Specific market-by-market distribution and launch details will be announced at a later date. The program is slated for distribution on major television networks and digital channels worldwide. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am thrilled to announce 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' as our biggest foray into the non-scripted series genre. This brand new concept brings a completely unique and original dimension to 'The Apprentice' with the high-stakes drama of real-life business competitions, coupled with herculean physical challenges, featuring some of Asia's top CEOs, the world's greatest martial arts world champions, and A-list celebrities from across the continent. In combining our respective IP and assets, ONE Championship will redefine the non-scripted genre in Asia across scale and scope. 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' just might be the toughest in the history of all Apprentice shows!” 'The Apprentice' is one of the world's biggest non-scripted reality TV programs in history that judges the business skills of a group of contestants competing for a job offer with a high-profile CEO. It has aired in over 30 countries. The first season of 'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' will consist of a total of 13 episodes shot in different cities across Asia. 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 (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia's largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. With a focus on both martial arts and esports, ONE Championship is currently the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 150+ countries with some of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Star Sports, Tencent, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Fox Sports, Thairath TV, Turner Sports, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, and more. About Chatri Sityodtong Chatri Sityodtong is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship (ONE), Asia’s largest global sports media property in history with a broadcast to 2.6 billion potential viewers across 150+ countries around the world. ONE is a celebration of Asia's greatest cultural phenomena, martial arts and esports. Through the magic of storytelling and the power of media, ONE is on a mission to unleash real-life superheroes, celebrate values, ignite dreams, inspire nations, and change the world. Sityodtong is a self-made entrepreneur and lifelong martial artist from Thailand. He is also the star of the Asian edition of The Apprentice, the award-winning, global reality TV show. His rags-to-riches life story has inspired millions around the world on BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, and other major media. Forbes recently selected Sityodtong as one of Asia’s next generation tycoons. He was also named “Asia’s King of Martial Arts” by the Financial Times, and Asia's 2nd Most Powerful Person in Sports by FOX Sports. Inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2019, Sityodtong has over 35+ years of martial arts experience. He is a certified senior Muay Thai instructor under the legendary Kru Yodtong Senanan. He also holds a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Renzo Gracie. Chatri Sityodtong holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.