TRADE CHIEF COMMENDS OFWS-TURNED-ENTREPRENEURS, ACKNOWLEDGES CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PASAY CITY—Trade Secretary Fred Pascual together with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who thrived as entrepreneurs during the KABAYAN 2022: Go Negosyo’s 17th Anniversary Special held on 3 December 2022 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

“Investing our hard-earned money here in the country is good business. As businesses in the country grow, the effects spillover to our economy and people", Pascual said.

The KABAYAN 2022 aims to provide business opportunities and investment matches for the hard-earned resources of OFWs and their families. Further, the event awarded the Most Inspiring OFWs for their remarkable contributions to the Philippine economy. There were also business-related curated booths, money and market discussions, and general mentorship from successful OFWs-turned-entrepreneurs during the event.

DTI continues to promote inclusive growth and prosperity for our MSMEs through access to money, market, and mentorship. The Department also aids OFWs and their families through entrepreneurial trainings, business advisory services, business name registration assistance, and skills trainings and seminars, among others.

The Department currently implements projects and programs such as Helping the Economy to Recover Through OFW Enterprise Startups (HEROES) program and the Rise Up Multipurpose Loan, which provide loans to repatriated and returning OFWs, Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) and Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) that aim to boost the entrepreneurial capacity of Filipinos, and online Business Name Registration System Next Generation (BNRS Next Gen) and DTI chatbot TIA (Trade and Industry Assistant) that provide digital assistance to OFWs who are planning to start a business.

Further, the Trade Chief emphasized the critical role played by OFWs in contributing to the country’s economic growth and development even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Despite the global economic downturn due to the pandemic, OFW remittances last year hit a record-breaking USD34.88 billion. This huge amount, together with the Filipinos’ madiskarte entrepreneurial spirit, tell us that our OFWs and their families can grow earnings beyond their monthly paycheck—that is, invest and make things happen in the Philippines", the Trade Chief added.

Also gracing the event were Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan V. Ople and representatives from various business chambers.

Evolve MMA Launches Free Online Workouts Starting March 30

As the world copes with the challenge of the Covid-19 crisis, Evolve MMA is giving the Martial Arts community a massive boost, offering a full-schedule of daily online sessions that everyone can avail of, free of charge.

Evolve MMA closed its doors for the first time ever on March 27th as the Singapore government ordered ‘all center-based classes’ stopped and gatherings of 10 or more banned.

With Four locations across The Lion City, the award-winning franchise has become a haven for combat sports students and fitness enthusiasts across the globe, providing world-class training for global superstars and beginners alike. With the global pandemic creating a massive void in people’s lives, Evolve sought a way to fill it.

Looking to hit the ground running, the Evolve online classes start from Monday evening March 30th and participants from around the world are invited to learn from some of the most elite coaches in the game.

Evolve MMA founder Chatri Sityodtong announced the news via his Facebook page earlier on Monday;

Everyone is welcome to train together with us from the safety and comfort of your home. Simply join us on the EVOLVE Facebook page or EVOLVE YouTube channel!

The full daily class schedule will be posted tomorrow with livestream classes all day from 900am to 915pm (Singapore Standard Time), 7 days a week across Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Wrestling, Warrior Fit, and more! Every class will be a structured lesson (and workout) with interactive Q&A with our World Champions answering your live questions. LET'S GOOOOO! OSS!!!

As Asia’s premier brand for Martial Arts training, Evolve MMA boasts more World Champions than any other gym on the planet. Needless to say, memberships are highly sought-after, so this news will provide a golden opportunity for students wishing to enhance their skills under the tutelage of some true Martial Arts masters.

With over 1,000 years of championship experience, Evolve MMA’s instructors should help make days of isolation a positive experience.

Constantly looking to share immense Martial Arts and fitness knowledge with the world, Evolve MMA’s latest Facebook posts offer a glimpse into the incredible wealth of information available. With World Champions in every major discipline, Evolve MMA is the perfect source with which to either start or continue one’s Martial Arts and fitness journey.

Inspired by Manny Pacquiao, Lito Adiwang Is Following in the Footsteps of His Hero

Filipino rising star Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is one of the most explosive action heroes on the ONE Championship roster today. A ONE Warrior Series top product, Adiwang has captivated audiences each time he’s stepped through the ropes or entered the Circle.

The 26-year-old stalwart brings with him a unique adrenaline rush with his fan-friendly style, whenever he comes to compete. Under the guidance of legendary Filipino martial artist Mark Sangiao, and his brothers-in-arms at the famed Team Lakay, Adiwang is blazing a trail through ONE Championship’s strawweight division.

But he wasn’t always a martial arts action hero. Growing up in Baguio City, Adiwang had a rough upbringing.

“I was born the youngest in a family of seven children. Life was tough and we had to get through a lot of trials. My parents used to plant crops in an open lot so we would have food to eat, but it wasn’t enough,” Adiwang recounted.

“It really taught me a lot about overcoming adversity in life. I wanted to help my family, but I felt powerless. Then I lost my fourth sibling in a mining accident. My parents separated when I was a teenager. I just felt hopeless.”

Just when things were progressively getting tougher for the young Adiwang, he found hope in a Philippine sporting icon.

Like many children growing up in the Philippines, Adiwang was captivated by legendary boxer, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. The young “Thunder Kid” drew strength and inspiration from Pacquiao’s incredible career.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight division world champion, is arguably the greatest boxer of his generation. He’s captured multiple world titles, defeated legends, and achieved worldwide fame and fortune.

It soon became Adiwang’s dream to be just like his idol.

“Growing up watching the rise of Manny Pacquiao, I was motivated to become a boxer just like him. I wanted to represent my country and make my people proud too. I wanted to help bring my family out of hardship and poverty,” said Adiwang.

“There used to be an old church on the streets where I grew up, where I initially started to learn how to box. I was 12 years old at the time. I would shadowbox and imagine I was Manny Pacquiao, fighting against legends like Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. I loved his relentless style. His opponents couldn’t handle him.”

Today, there are similarities in Adiwang’s dynamite-laden strikes and Pacquiao’s ferociousness. Just like Pacquiao, Adiwang features a relentless attack. He throws punches with no caution, and everything he comes forward with is packed with bout-ending power.

The results have been absolutely stunning.

Adiwang is thus far unbeaten in his ONE Championship stint. Gaining his start on the uber popular ONE Warrior Series, Adiwang’s star has truly shined. He won his first three bouts under the watchful eye of mixed martial arts legend Rich Franklin.

Not long after, the 26-year-old earned a six-figure contract with ONE Championship, after Franklin saw immediate potential. He then strung together two incredible finishes as part of ONE’s main roster.

“I knew Lito [Adiwang] was something special the moment I saw him train, and eventually compete. He just has that finishing instinct that not everyone has. With some polish, I knew Lito would make a huge impact in ONE Championship,” said Franklin, ONE Warrior Series CEO.

“He’s a phenomenal athlete and I just see him powering through the division. He still has much to learn, but he’s also developing at such a rapid pace. I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished so far, and very excited for what the future holds for him.”

It’s still early in his career and the possibilities are endless. Whether Adiwang goes down the path of his idol, Manny Pacquiao, remains to be seen. But there’s no denying the “Thunder Kid” is traversing a similar road.

“To be even considered in the same breath as Manny, it’s such an honor. If I can accomplish even a fraction of what he has in his career, I can consider my career a success,” said Adiwang.

“Right now I’m just focused on being the best that I can be. I really want to prove myself against the best opponents, and I feel I am ready.”

How ONE Championship Athletes Are Handling the COVID-19 Lockdown

The world is coping with an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that has infected thousands and disrupted the flow of life and work. Millions across the globe have been told by their governments to stay indoors, limit travel and movement, and practice social distancing to contain the spread of the aggressive virus.

Schools have suspended classes, companies have adopted strict “work from home” guidelines for employees, and restaurants, malls, and bars have temporarily shut down. Life on earth has basically come to a screeching halt.

Interestingly enough, people come up with different ways to deal with this extraordinary situation. Some place paramount importance on staying fit and healthy. Others are rediscovering the joy of staying home and bonding with family. Others are taking the opportunity to learn new things like cooking or painting.

Here’s how ONE Championship athletes are handling the COVID-19 threat and the long lockdown.

1. Staying Healthy

ONE Championship athletes know what to eat and how to stay in fighting form no matter what the weather or situation. Sticking to a well-balanced diet and making sure to have proper exercise important not just for athletes but for everyone. The reward for maintaining a good health regimen is a strong immune system. It will help equip everyone to put up a strong fight against sickness and disease.

ONE Championship athletes are exemplary in keeping themselves physically ready for any challenge, in or out of the ONE Circle. Supreme martial artists that they are, they always make it a point to stay in great shape and be mentally prepared so they can deliver epic performances on event night.

With everyone on hiatus at this time, ONE Championship athletes get lots of rest, eat good, clean food, stay hydrated and maintain their fighting form. See how.

https://www.facebook.com/brandonveramma/photos/a.10151510392761234/10157564796836234/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9uksO3Fij_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

2. Spending Time With Family

Although physical health is important, one’s wellbeing won’t be complete without emotional and spiritual health. With all the extra time available now, it’s a great idea to use the time to spend quality time with family and create stronger bonds.

The support of loved ones, their peace of mind and happiness are great boosts for athletes and those undergoing challenges. ONE Championship athletes have all taken advantage of the extra free time to create and strengthen bonds with their families and friends.

ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion  Angela “Unstoppable” Lee reminds everyone to keep loved ones near, practice empathy and compassion, take care of elders and lend a helping hand in times of need.

https://www.facebook.com/kingadittiw/videos/3115359001830428/

Top Filipino ONE flyweight and former ONE World Title challenger Danny “The King” Kingad of Team Lakay welcomes the gift of time that lets him bond with his son, Gleuordan Adriel.

https://www.facebook.com/angelalee7896/posts/2782495951828733

3. Finding Creative Ways to Train

Training when streets are empty, gyms are closed, social distancing is the norm and everybody is ordered to stay indoors can be really difficult. But ONE Championship athletes must keep on training to maintain their competitive edge. That’s to ensure that once things go back to normal, they’ll be good and ready to compete as if none of the COVID-19 interruption happened.

Look. ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio takes advantage of his native Baguio City’s beautiful mountainsides as he practices with a little help from his friend.

https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaPacioMMA/videos/269701067355607

Top featherweight talent Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly, Pacio’s Team Lakay teammate, chooses home as his place for him to do strength and conditioning workouts to hone his combat skills.

https://www.facebook.com/edward.kelly.7773/videos/2846039865434834/

Former ONE World Title challenger Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Malaysia has an interesting physical activity. He pushes his car to get fit and strong. And he takes his dogs out for a walk.

https://www.facebook.com/agilan.xfree/videos/3496076580408716

4. Trying Out for ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

While the world is on slow mode, some ONE Championship athletes are polishing up on their business skills in hopes of being selected to participate in the upcoming ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’.

The popular, award-winning reality show is coming to television and will be hosted by ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. The show has a unique twist. The16 contestants culled from around the world who will participate in the high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges will receive a US$250,000 job offer and will work for a year directly under Sityodtong at ONE’s headquarters in Singapore. The show is slated for release and distribution in the second half of 2020.

One of the 16 contestants will be a ONE Championship athlete. That could mean that anyone from Brandon “The Truth” Vera to Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson could appear on the show. Which ONE Championship athlete would you like to see in ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’?

https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship/videos/635817093630727/

The current down time can be a productive period after all.

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.

ONE Championship’s Singapore Event Converted to Closed Door Event

ONE Championship recently announced that the company has made the decision to convert one of its live events into a closed-door event. ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE, which is scheduled for Friday, 28 February in Singapore is to proceed as planned, but the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be closed off to fans and media.

The decision was made with regards to the situation in Singapore surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (official name COVID-19). 

Singapore’s Ministry of Health recently raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from yellow to orange after having confirmed 75 cases of infection.

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong made the announcement to convert their event in Singapore to a closed-door event initially on his social media accounts. Shortly after, Sityodtong fielded questions from the media on a global conference call.

“In light of the coronavirus situation in Singapore, I have made the decision to convert ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 into a closed event for broadcast only. The Singapore Indoor Stadium will not be open to the general public, but the event will proceed behind closed doors as scheduled live on all TV and digital platforms across 150+ countries around the world,” Sityodtong wrote on his official Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/yodchatri/posts/2904888419573300

Fans who purchased tickets to the event will be given a full refund through Sportshub Tix, ONE’s official ticketing partner in Singapore. All bouts are to proceed as scheduled, and will still be available live via TV and digital platforms worldwide, as well as through the ONE Super App.

The main event of ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE will see two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand defend her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title against Janet “J.T.” Todd of the United States.

In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will take on Lachlan “Rocky” Ogden of Australia for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.

Representing Singapore on the global stage is former ONE World Title challenger Amir Khan, who is accompanied by fellow Singaporean stars Tiffany “No Chill” Teo and Radeem Rahman. In addition, Singapore-based athletes Troy Worthen and Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat are set to see action.

“We just felt that this was an incredible moment for us to ignite hope and strength across the continent of Asia and to our fans all over the world during this difficult time,” Sityodtong said during the global conference call.

“I also want to say that it is only by love, compassion, and resilience that Singapore as a country and Asia as a continent can overcome and conquer the Coronavirus.”

Sityodtong also says that while Singapore will proceed with its closed-door event, other events the organization has scheduled in other countries will proceed as planned. ONE Championship remains firm in its promise to deliver at least 50 events this year across all of its properties, and will make decisions to alter its events based on various factors as situations change.

“It was not an easy decision for us. In fact, many people were pushing us to cancel the event. But I thought back to why I started ONE Championship in the first place. And our mission since day one has been to unleash real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration,” Sityodtong continued.

“It’s a very different mission than all of our other global competitors. Yes we want to put on the greatest fights. Yes, we have the greatest martial artists in the world but there’s a deeper mission for ONE Championship. And in a time of crisis, in a time of fear in the continent of Asia, our heroes are ready to inspire the world.”

ONE CHAMPIONSHIP REVEALS INITIAL 2H 2020 EVENT SCHEDULE

13 February 2020 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced its initial 2H 2020 event schedule. More events will be announced later this year. The organization has also introduced the all-new ONE Infinity Series, the world’s apex brand of martial arts events. A typical ONE Infinity Series event features the very best the world has to offer in terms of global sports and entertainment: three World Championship bouts, a minimum of 12 World Champions in action, Super Fights, A-list celebrities, and much more. In addition, the ONE Championship event in Chongqing, China, originally scheduled for 11 April has now been moved to 10 April in Jakarta due to the Novel CoronaVirus. All other events are set to proceed as scheduled at this time. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “It is my pleasure to introduce ONE Infinity Series, the world's apex brand for martial arts events. ONE Infinity Series is a cut above anything available anywhere on the planet. Comprising the biggest events of the year, these blockbusters represent the very best ONE Championship has to offer in terms of world championship talent, star power, martial arts skill, entertainment value, and historical importance.” The first event in this series, titled ONE Infinity 1, will feature a bout between ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes of Brazil and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson of the United States as the main event. More information on ONE Infinity 1, including confirmed bouts, will be announced shortly. Succeeding ONE Infinity Series events will be announced at a later date. ONE Championship 2H2020 Official Schedule* Singapore Friday, 28 February Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Friday, 20 March Jakarta, Indonesia Friday, 10 April Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday, 17 April Manila, Philippines Friday, 29 May Jakarta, Indonesia Friday, 5 June Shanghai, China Saturday, 20 June Singapore Friday, 3 July Bangkok, Thailand Friday, 10 July Manila, Philippines Friday, 14 August Singapore Friday, 4 September Jakarta, Indonesia Friday, 11 September Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday, 18 September Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Friday, 2 October Bangkok, Thailand Friday, 9 October Tokyo, Japan Sunday, 25 October Beijing, China Saturday, 31 October Singapore Friday, 20 November Jakarta, Indonesia Friday, 4 December Manila, Philippines Friday, 11 December Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday, 18 December *Events are subject to change. 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 140+ 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.

Believe the Hype: Lito Adiwang Is Coming For the Top Strawweights

Next generation Team Lakay stalwart Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang burst onto the scenes from out of nowhere, earning a spot on Rich Franklin’s popular travel series reality show, ONE Warrior Series, in 2018.

A knockout victory in his debut against Jose Manuel Huerta instantly impressed. But despite the scintillating finish, Adiwang had much more to offer as a rising prospect.

In his second outing, Adiwang demolished Alber Correia Da Silva in a mere 45 seconds. This opened up a lot of eyes as to what “Thunder Kid” is capable of. Shortly after, a thorough unanimous decision victory over Anthony Do proved Adiwang could go the distance.

Not long after, Franklin awarded Adiwang with a six-figure contract where he would move on to ONE Championship. He’s appeared unstoppable ever since, like a freight train full of dynamite.

“[Earning the ONE Championship contract] was the greatest feeling of my life, and I was super excited to show the world what I could do,” said Adiwang.

Adiwang then moved on to ONE Championship’s historic ONE: CENTURY card in Tokyo, Japan, against highly-touted veteran Senzo Ikeda. He was expected to face his first real test against the Japanese warrior. What happened next, absolutely no one could have predicted.

Adiwang wrecked Ikeda, swarming him within the first few moments of the contest with his usual blistering pace. But once action hit the mat, Adiwang brandished his unheralded ground game. He took Ikeda into a scarf hold and trapped his arm. Within moments, the Filipino stalwart had already latched onto a deep and secure armlock.

Ikeda had nowhere to go, and Adiwang signalled to the referee that his opponent had already suffered an injury. After Adiwang stood up and walked away, Ikeda’s elbow joint was revealed to have been hyperextended. The bout was over.

“I always go for the finish. That’s one thing fans can count on from me. I have an intelligent game plan, but my goal is to always end the fight early,” said Adiwang.

Just last Friday night, Adiwang made his second appearance inside the ONE Circle. He would take on the highly-regarded Pongsiri Mitsatit of Thailand at ONE: FIRE & FURY. It was the first time Adiwang would perform in front of his hometown fans in Manila as part of the ONE roster.

Once again, Adiwang brought thunder.

The Team Lakay stud pounced on Mitsatit early, overwhelming his counterpart with wild hooks and sharp uppercuts from all directions. Mitsatit could do little aside from try to defend himself.

As the Thai athlete backpedalled, Adiwang advanced looking to end matters early. After action hit the mat, Adiwang shifted into grappling mode and again looked for his favorite scarf hold position. From there, he maneuvered Mitsatit’s arm into a kimura.

It was deep, and with every passing second, it became more and more evident there was absolutely no escape.

“We had a tough training camp. But I’m happy I was able to go out there and perform.I wanted to give the Filipino fans a good show,” said Adiwang.

“My game plan was to go for the knockout, but I knew if it came down to it, I could finish him on the ground too. And that’s what I did.”

Mitsatit was forced to tap or suffer the same fate as Ikeda. The better option was clear.

Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series has produced some incredible talent who have moved on to ONE Championship. ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex is perhaps the most prominent thus far, but Adiwang is a future world champion according to Franklin.

“The moment I saw Lito perform, I knew he was something special. He’s the complete package. He has the power and the skill. I knew he would move through the ranks quickly,” says Franklin.

“We’re always looking for the best talent in the world. We want to give opportunity to those who we believe can step onto the global stage and make an immediate impact.”

It’s not hard to predict what’s next for Adiwang. A top caliber strawweight could definitely be in the cards. He has certainly earned it. But one thing is for sure, whoever steps into the Circle against Adiwang should be prepared for the thunder that he brings.

“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. I’m ready for the big fights,” said Adiwang.

“But if there’s one man on my mind, it’s former champion Yoshitaka Naito. Now that would be a great challenge.”