3 Reasons to Watch the New Takeshi’s Castle

November 8, 2023 – Eugene Domingo, Smokey Manaloto, and Sassa Gurl gathered at a local press conference in Manila to unveil the upcoming Pinoy edition of Takeshi's Castle. This comedic series is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in the Philippines.

Mark your calendars for November 16, as the two episodes from this 8-part series are scheduled to make its debut, with two weekly episodes to follow every week. Below, we've compiled three reasons why you need to watch this highly-anticipated series.

 

1) Introducing the Mariteses

As we welcome new challenges and contestants from the famous game show, it is only right to introduce new hosts as well. From the Philippine culture of neighborhood gossip, Takeshi’s Castle comes back with a new set of hosts, also known as The Mariteses, to take us through the game’s play-by-play.

 

Making a comeback is Smokey Manaloto, one of Takeshi’s Castle’s OG hosts. This time around, he will be known as Mang Pe, a former employee of King Takeshi himself. He will be giving us insider tea of how the games were like in the castle. Accompanying him is veteran comedienne Eugene Domingo, who will be representing all the gossipers of the Philippines and she will be playing the role of Aling Marites. Last but not least, we have internet sensation Sassa Gurl playing herself. She will be giving us an additional layer of laughter through her impeccable comedic timing.

 

2) Yummy Teh Meets Takeshi’s Castle

In true Filipino spirit, the new Takeshi’s Castle will be watched in a barrio’s favorite sari-sari store called Yummy Teh. Besides the commentary, audiences will get to further immerse themselves in the Filipino culture of “chismis” making each episode released more fun and relatable.

 

Fun fact: Did you know that out of all the Takeshi’s Castle versions, only the Philippines shot additional scenes with a local cast? This makes for an easier watching experience for the Filipino audience.

 

3) Coming back after 30 years

It has been thirty years since the first episode of Takeshi’s Castle was aired on Philippine TV and it has definitely made an impact on how Filipinos do their noon-time shows. Since then, shows have been doing more fun and quirky challenges for everyone to enjoy watching. The comeback of Takeshi’s Castle is an opportunity for different generations to come together and have a great bonding time at home.

 

“Takeshi’s Castle, a beloved classic, makes a triumphant return with a locally relevant concept and stellar cast promising to rekindle nostalgia and ignite fresh excitement among a new generation. We’re absolutely thrilled and look forward to entertaining our Filipino  audiences with these shows.” said Quark Henares, head of Originals at Prime Video, Philippines.

“It feels surreal that the Takeshi’s Castle of my 90s childhood magkaka-new life ngayong 2020s, pero mas pina-Pinoy lalo. Bringing back Smokey to the show alongside two of my favorite comedians makes the project that much more exciting. Nakakatawa sila separately pero nung pinagsama na namin sila, lalong sumabog! It’s good that we are all fans of the show - from Project 8 peeps to our crew to our director RA Rivera of the 2000s cult favorite Strangebrew - kaya lahat enjoy sa set! Iba talaga ang ambag ng Takeshi’s Castle sa pop culture natin kaya super happy that it’s getting the Pinoy treatment this time,” shared producer Dan Villegas of Project 8 Projects.

(It feels surreal that the Takeshi’s Castle of my '90s childhood is getting a new lease of life in this decade, but with an even more Filipino twist. Bringing back Smokey to the show alongside two of my favorite comedians makes the project that much more exciting. They were funny individually, but when we brought them together, the hilarity just exploded! It's great that we're all fans of the show—from the Project 8 folks to our crew to our director, RA Rivera, known for the 2000s cult favorite Strangebrew—so everyone really enjoys being on set! Takeshi’s Castle has truly made its mark on our pop culture, so I'm super happy that it's receiving a Filipino rendition this time)

 

Takeshi’s Castle joins thousands of other shows and films available on the Prime Video catalog, such as Linlang, In My Mother's Skin, Rookie, Ten Little Mistresses, Walang KaParis, Cattleya Killer, Fit Check: Confessions of an Ukay Queen, and Deleter. Korean titles such as The Kidnapping Day, The Killing Vote, Island and Jinny’s Kitchen, anime hits such as Rurouni Kenshin, on top of award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon Originals like Gen V, The Continental, Citadel, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, The Boys, The Wheel of Time, and Emmy and Golden Globe winners Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Prime Video members are able to watch films and shows anywhere and anytime on hundreds of compatible devices. In the Prime Video app, members can also download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in the Philippines for just PHP149 per month.

 

For more updates on Takeshi’s Castle, follow Prime Video on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. Stream anywhere, anytime at primevideo.com or download the Prime Video app on Google Play, Apple Store, and Microsoft.

ASIAN HIP-HOP ROYALTY AWICH REVEALS STUNNING MUSIC VIDEO FOR "THE UNION"

November 2nd, 2023 – Japanese hip-hop Queen Awich has revealed the video for "The Union", the title track from her recently released album.

Directed by Hideto Hotta, the video was shot in Awich’s hometown of Okinawa. The dance performed in the video represents an important part of Okinawan culture which stems from when Okinawa was its own country called Ryukyu Kingdom. When the Japanese took over, the people were condemned to practice anything representing the original culture. That included art, martial arts, tattoos, music, and more. The dance Awich performs in the video was originally a style of martial arts that was then disguised as a dance. Years later, after WWII, Okinawa was placed under the control of the United States until 50 years ago when Okinawa was returned to Japan.

In addition to the nod to Okinawa's history and stunning visuals, the video also gives a glimpse into the mind of Japan’s biggest hip-hop star and features her daughter Toyomi.

The Union' is her latest album since her previous LP 'Queendom' was released on March 4, 2022 and 'United Queens EP' that was released earlier this year, which included an all-female set of featured artists. Fans can listen to 'The Union' here: music.empi.re/theunion

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Featured on VOGUE, Tatler Asia, Hypebeast, iD Japan and more...

"Her hard-knocking and relentless sonic outlook of female empowerment has made her a predominant figure of Asian women in rap and a bridge between the
musical landscape of the East and West."
– Hypebeast

“queen of Japanese Hip-Hop here to put a flag, marking her place in the culture.”

– AllHipHop

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Awich, short for “Asia Wish Child,” taken from her birth name “Akiko,” is a name she created to reflect her roots. A child growing up on her home island of Okinawa, Awich would stay up through the night writing poetry about varieties of things such as love, life, the universe, and more. Her first encounter with hip-hop was listening to Tupac’s 'All Eyez on Me' when she was 13 and began writing rhymes and learning to rap. By the time she turned 14, she was rapping and recording on cassette tapes. She relocated to Atlanta to attend college and during her time stateside, she married and gave birth to her daughter. In 2011, her husband was murdered which led Awich to return to Japan with her young daughter in tow, having to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy. The intense process of introspection during this period was cathartic and helped her to find profound meaning in life, love and forgiveness.

Awich has since risen above her circumstances and channelled her experiences into art, evolving into the "badass female rapper" (Flaunt Magazine) that we see today. She flows freely between English, Japanese and Okinawan, enchanting millions of fans with her deep vocals and effortless cadence.

Earlier this year she performed at the very first iteration of Rolling Loud Thailand alongside artists like Cardi B, Lil Uzi Vert, and many more. Not only is she known as Japan's hip-hop queen – Awich's status as a fashion icon also reigns supreme. She has been featured on international outlets such as VOGUE, Hypebae, GQ, Harper's Bazaar and more.

Following the release of 'The Union', Awich will be releasing an album in English in early 2024 with US touring to follow.

Stream 'The Union' here: music.empi.re/theunion 

ArenaPlus is now the Official Sportsbook Partner of East Asia Super League

ArenaPlus, your 24/7 sports betting app, scores another big win in sports as it proudly announced it is now the official sportsbook partner in the Philippines for the East Asia Super League (EASL), the premier basketball league in East Asia.

Founded in 2016 and beginning its Philippines operations in March 2023, the EASL aims to bring together top men's basketball club teams from Greater China, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines to compete in a home-and-away regional championship that elevates the sport in the region.

The country's top-tier PBA teams like TNT Tropang Giga and Meralco Bolts represent the Philippines in the league that also showcase the talents of notable Filipino players like GILAS talents Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome.

“ArenaPlus firmly believes this partnership with EASL marks a significant milestone for the brand because it brings high-quality global basketball directly to Filipino fans. The brand's core mission is to provide an enjoyable platform fans and enthusiasts to appreciate sports more deeply than ever before by making it truly entertaining and fun for them. This mission now becomes truly achievable with the brand’s growing partnerships. ArenaPlus is fully committed to establishing more connections with various other sports leagues because we aim to spread boundless joy in the world of sports anytime and anywhere,” Jasper Vicencio, president of Total Gamezone Xtreme Inc., ArenaPlus’ mother company, said.

The East Asia Super League group series started October 11 in Japan and games are available for viewing on Cignal TV One Sports and OTT streaming platform Pilipinas Live.

Visa’s Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 campaign for Shopee launches in the Philippines

MANILA, The Philippines, July 2021 – Visa, Worldwide Sponsor of the Olympic Games, today announced the launch of their Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 campaign in the Philippines. The promotion will run from July 20 to August 8.From July 20 to 23, all Visa cardholders, including credit, debit and prepaid cardholders in the Philippines will be entitled to participate in the campaign by spending a minimum of 2,000 Philippine pesos on their Visa cards at all local merchants on Shopee. 

This will entitle Filipino Visa cardholders to a discount of 200 Philippine pesos and stand a chance to win Visa Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 themed merchandise such as tote bags and organizers. In addition, Shopee users also have a chance to win these prizes by answering Olympic Games related trivia questions during Visa’s segments on Shopee Live’s official account from July 19-23 at 5pm (PHT). 

From August 6 to 8, Visa cardholders in the Philippines can also receive a discount of 150 Philippine pesos with a minimum spend of 1,500 Philippine pesos at any local merchant on Shopee. 

“As a proud sponsor of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, we are pleased to run this campaign for Visa cardholders when they spend online at Shopee. Our joint activation with Shopee proudly features our Team Visa athlete from the Philippines, Carlos Yulo, who is representing the country in gymnastics. It’s our honour at Visa to support Carlos in his quest to showcase his talents on the world stage and bring glory to our home country.  We are also excited to offer our Visa cardholders in the Philippines the chance to win limited edition Visa Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 themed merchandise and want to ensure that every time our valued cardholders pay using Visa, they can enjoy a full suite of rewards and benefits that transform their payment experiences,” said Dan Wolbert, Visa Country Manager for the Philippines.

“We are thrilled to partner with Visa to create more rewarding experiences for our shoppers. This campaign allows our users to take part in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 festivities from the safety of their homes, rally together to support athletes representing our country, and drive the growth of the Philippine economy by supporting local sellers,” said Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for 

everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit www.visa.com.ph

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia & Taiwan. Shopee connects shoppers, brands, and sellers across Asia and other fast-growing markets, empowering anyone to buy and sell anywhere and at any time. 

 

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

 

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

RODTANG JITMUANGNON TO DEFEND ONE FLYWEIGHT MUAY THAI WORLD TITLE AGAINST JONATHAN HAGGERTY IN REMATCH

4 December 2019 – Bangkok, Thailand: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the complete card for ONE: A NEW TOMORROW, set for the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Friday, 10 January 2020. ONE Championship’s first event of the new year brings together an exciting ensemble of the world’s greatest martial arts talent, who are set to take the global stage and showcase their incredible skills. More information on ONE: A NEW TOMORROW is available at www.onefc.com. In the main event, reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon of Thailand will take on England’s Jonathan “The General” Haggerty in a highly-anticipated rematch for the ONE World Title. Like many Thai warriors before him, Rodtang started training in Muay Thai when he was a young boy, competing in his first professional bout at the age of 10. Initially training at a small camp in his hometown of Pattalung, Rodtang eventually made the permanent move to Bangkok to hone his skills at the famed Jitmuangnon camp. By the time he turned 21, Rodtang had already garnered over 250 wins, capturing the prestigious Omnoi Stadium World Title twice. He joined ONE Super Series not long after, and lifted the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship last August after earning a hard-fought Majority Decision over Haggerty. He then successfully defended the belt with a Split Decision win over Brazil’s Walter Goncalves. Haggerty, on the other hand, stormed into ONE Super Series with victories over Joseph Lasiri and Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, showcasing his unique striking style in the process. The win over Sam-A earned him the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title, which he surrendered to Rodtang in his first defense. The first meeting between Rodtang and Haggerty was extremely close. This rematch aims to settle the dispute and determine the rightful owner of the ONE World Title. ONE: A NEW TOMORROW also features a series of compelling mixed martial arts contests that offer interesting matchups. ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand continues her quest for the mixed martial arts World Title when she takes on India’s Puja “The Cyclone” Tomar. Stamp is 3-0 in mixed martial arts competition, recently winning both of her bouts in 2019 over tough opponents. Stamp has expressed her commitment to focus on her mixed martial arts career. Against Tomar, she will be facing an experienced veteran who poses a solid challenge. Also on the card is Maira Mazar of Brazil who takes on Japan’s Ayaka Miura in a three-round bout. Mazar is making her ONE Championship debut, bringing power and a penchant for spectacular knockouts to the table. Miura, conversely, is riding a five-bout winning streak with two of those wins coming under the ONE banner. Vietnamese-American rising star Thanh Le is back in action against Japan’s Ryogo “Kaitai” Takahashi. Le has impressed so far in his time inside the ONE Circle, putting together a pair of thrilling knockouts against Yusup Saadulaev and former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku. Le hopes for a similar result against Takahashi, a Shooto Pacific Rim Featherweight Champion who has won his last eight bouts. A battle between rising stars ensues when featherweights Ma Jia Wen of China and Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg of Mongolia collide. Ma is 6-2 in his ONE Championship career so far, showcasing tremendous finishing ability having ended four of his wins within the distance. Meanwhile, Zoltsetseg, a ONE Warrior Series contract winner, has won his last three bouts including two scintillating knockouts, setting up his ONE Championship main roster debut. Finally, a welterweight showdown transpires when Russia’s Raimond Magomedaliev faces ONE Championship newcomer Joey “Mama’s Boy” Pierotti of the United States. Meanwhile, Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales of the Philippines takes on Elipitua “The Magician” Siregar of Indonesia. Also featured at ONE: A NEW TOMORROW is a plethora of highly-anticipated ONE Super Series Muay Thai matchups for striking enthusiasts. Former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao of China makes his return to the global stage to face ISKA and WBC World Champion Mehdi “Diamond Heart” Zatout of France. Looking to build off his impressive ONE Championship debut is Thailand’s Sangmanee “The Million Dollar Baby” Sathian MuayThai who locks horns with WBC Muay Thai Japan Champion Kenta Yamada of Japan. Also from Thailand, multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Muangthai “Elbow Zombie” PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym puts his reputation at stake when he throws down with former ONE World Title challenger Brice “The Truck” Delval of Algeria. Eight-time Muay Thai World Champion Liam “Hitman” Harrison of England squares off with Malaysia’s Mohammed “Jordan Boy” Bin Mahmoud. Last last but not least, Victor Pinto takes on Adam Noi in a kickboxing bout. ONE: A NEW TOMORROW Friday, 10 January Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand Main Event ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship Rodtang Jitmuangnon (C) vs Jonathan Haggerty Muay Thai: 61.2kg Stamp Fairtex vs Puja Tomar Mixed Martial Arts: 52.2kg Maira Mazar vs Ayaka Miura Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg Raimond Magomedaliev vs Joey Pierotti Mixed Martial Arts: 83.9kg Ramon Gonzales vs Elipitua Siregar Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg Thanh Le vs Ryogo Takahashi Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg Ma Jia Wen vs Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg Han Zi Hao  vs Mehdi Zatout Muay Thai: 65.8kg Sangmanee Sathian MuayThai  vs Kenta Yamada Muay Thai: 65.8kg Muangthai PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs Brice Delval Muay Thai: 65.8kg Liam Harrison vs Mohammed Bin Mahmoud Muay Thai: 65.8kg Victor Pinto vs Adam Noi Kickboxing: 65.8kg *Bouts and bout order 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, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and 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. 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 broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

JOSHUA PACIO SUBMITS RENE CATALAN TO RETAIN ONE STRAWWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

8 November 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again electrified the crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Last Friday night, 8 November, ONE: MASTERS OF FATE played host to a series of action-packed and compelling contests, delivered by the absolute best in world-class martial arts talent. In the main event, Joshua "The Passion" Pacio of the Philippines turned in a dominant performance, submitting compatriot Rene "D' Challenger" Catalan in the second round to retain his ONE Strawweight World Championship. Pacio survived an early submission scare from Catalan to impose his will on the ground. In the second round, Pacio stuffed a takedown from Catalan and worked his way into mount, before securing a masterful arm-triangle choke, leaving the challenger with no choice but to tap out. In the co-main event of the evening, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard "Landslide" Folayang of the Philippines earned a technical decision victory over Mongolia's Amarsanaa "Spear" Tsogookhuu after an unintentional clash of heads brought the bout to an abrupt end. Folayang was on fire in the opening round, turning up the aggression with his strikes. A collision of heads midway into the second round was ruled as an unintentional foul, leading to a technical decision being made, which went in favor of the Filipino martial arts hero. Multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Sangmanee "The Million Dollar Baby" Sathian Muaythai of Thailand impressed in his ONE Championship debut, defeating Azize “The Magician” Hlali of Morocco by unanimous decision. Sangmanee outstruck Hlali over the course of the three-round affair to walk away with the judges’ nod on all three scorecards, earning him a spectacular victory in his maiden appearance on the ONE stage. Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje "Gravity" Eustaquio barged back into the win column with a thrilling knockout victory over Finland's Toni "Dynamite" Tauru. In the first round, it looked as if Tauru was going to pick up an early submission win, but Eustaquio survived getting his back taken and proceeded to turn the tide in his favor. After a rocky opening stanza, Eustaquio rallied back in the second round by using his superior striking to do heaps of damage. The former flyweight king finished things off in the third round with a spinning back kick to the midsection that sent Tauru crashing to the mat for the highlight-reel stoppage win. Reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand took another big step forward in her mixed martial arts career, picking up a huge win over Vietnamese-American star Bi "Killer Bee" Nguyen. Stamp used her top-notch striking to pick Nguyen apart in the standup, while showing off her improved grappling to defend against Nguyen's takedown attempts. Nguyen stood right in front of Stamp, but had difficulty finding her mark. After three rounds of fast-paced action, Stamp walked away with the clear-cut decision win and remained unbeaten in her ONE Championship career. Chinese spitfire "The Underdog" Li Kai Wen returned to the ONE Championship ring in style with a first-round knockout victory over Indonesia's Paul "The Great King" Lumihi. Li was aggressive right off the bat, charging at Lumihi to unleash a flying knee to open the action. After an exciting exchange between the two warriors, Li unloaded a three-punch combination, capped off by a right uppercut to put Lumihi to sleep. Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka "Nobita" Naito of Japan kept his momentum going with a three-round unanimous decision victory over Thailand's Pongsiri "The Smiling Assassin" Mitsatit. The Japanese grappler imposed his game plan well, as he was able to ground Mitsatit at will. The Thai star looked to reverse his fortunes by pressuring Naito with his striking, but it wasn't enough as the former strawweight king remained unstoppable with his takedowns. After three rounds of action, Naito walked away with the decision win. Multiple-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Kongsak “Left Savage” PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym put on a striking clinic as he defeated Top King Muay Thai World Champion and former ONE World Title challenger Han Zi Hao of China to win by unanimous decision. The Thai stalwart controlled the action throughout the three-round bout, using crisp combinations to score points on the judges’ scorecards. Han had no answer for Kongsak, as the Thai warrior cruised to a dominant decision win. The Philippines' own Robin "The Ilonggo" Catalan sent the Mall of Asia Arena into a frenzy after scoring an explosive knockout victory over Cuba’s Gustavo "El Gladiador" Balart. Catalan was on point with his striking throughout the bout, and was able to hold his own against the high-level grappling of the Olympian wrestler Balart. Late in the second round, Catalan uncorked a well-timed right high kick that connected and took Balart out instantly, much to the delight of Catalan’s hometown crowd. Multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Tukkatatong Petpayathai picked up a gritty split decision win over former ONE World Title challenger Hiroaki "Kaibutsukun" Suzuki of Japan in his return to the ONE Championship ring. It was an exciting back-and-forth affair between the two strikers, with Tukkatatong scoring points with his body kicks. After three rounds of action, it was the Thai veteran who walked away with the decision. "The Fighting God" Kim Jae Woong of South Korea announced his arrival in the ONE Championship featherweight division in exciting fashion with a technical knockout victory over Brazilian veteran Rafael "Indio" Nunes. Kim picked Nunes apart in the striking department, and was able to survive the Brazilian grappler's submission attempts. In the final round, Kim landed a punch to the body that ultimately spelled the end for Nunes, leading to a gutsy win for the South Korean inside the distance. South Korea's Kim Kyu Sung bounced back in spectacular fashion with a quick knockout win over ONE Warrior Series contract winner Akhiro "Superjap" Fujisawa of Japan. Kim needed only 68 seconds to stop Fujisawa, after landing a well-placed right uppercut to earn the highlight reel finish. Kicking things off at ONE: MASTERS OF FATE in Manila, India's Roshan Mainam put on an impressive performance in his ONE Championship debut, submitting Cambodia's Khon Sichan via first-round Americana. Mainam wasted little time in getting the action to the ground, taking Sichan down with ease. Once on the mat, Mainam imposed his will on Sichan, getting into mount before finishing the bout with a slick armlock. Official results for ONE: MASTERS OF FATE ONE Strawweight World Championship: Joshua Pacio defeats Rene Catalan by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke)  at 2:29 minutes of round 2 Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Eduard Folayang defeats Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu by Technical Decision Muay Thai Catchweight (68.0 KG) Sangmanee Sathian Muaythai defeats Azize Hlali by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Geje Eustaquio defeats Toni Tauru by Knockout (KO) at 2:11 minutes of round 3 Mixed Martial Arts Atomweight: Stamp Fairtex defeats Bi Nguyen by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight: Li Kai Wen defeats Paul Lumihi by Knockout (KO) at 2:39 minutes of round 1 Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight: Yoshitaka Naito defeats Pongsiri Mitsatit by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Muay Thai Bantamweight: Kongsak PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym defeats Han Zi Hao by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight: Robin Catalan defeats Gustavo Balart by Knockout (KO) at 4:43 minutes of round 2 Muay Thai Bantamweight: Tukkatatong Petpayathai defeats Hiroaki Suzuki by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Featherweight: Kim Jae Woong defeats Rafael Nunes by TKO (Strikes) at 0:38  minutes of round 3 Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Kim Kyu Sung defeats Akihiro Fujisawa by Knockout (KO) at 1:08 minutes of round 1 Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Roshan Mainam defeats Khon Shichan by Submission (Armlock) at 3:22 minutes of round 1 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, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and 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. 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 broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

PH Focuses on Innovation to Level Up Trade, Investment Partnership with Japan

TOKYO - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) highlighted the Philippine (PH) government’s new industrial policy that will push for innovation as it strengthens PH-Japan trade and investment relations. During the Nikkei BP Publications’ PH-Japan Business Investment Forum last 28 October 2019,DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba discussed the country’s Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S) and the areas that both PH and Japan can collaborate under this policy.

“In the context of these trade and investment trends between the Philippines and Japan along with global developments such as the entry of new technologies, we feel the need to focus our efforts on innovation to address the opportunities and challenges arising from Industry 4.0 but also from increasing global competition, US-China trade war, and regional economic integration,” said Usec. Aldaba to over 600 members of the Japanese business community.

“i3S puts innovation at the heart of our industrial policies. Our goal is to grow globally competitive and innovative industries,” she added.

The Undersecretary underscored PH’s drive to develop its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through strong collaboration between and among government, academe, and industry; utilize new technologies to make the country’s industries more competitive; reduce barriers in investments; and link manufacturing with agriculture and industry to expand PH’s global value chain participation.

“With Japan and the Philippines sharing complementing natural and human resources, technology and innovation will play a key role in helping us achieve the full potential of our economic partnership with Japan,” said Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) – Tokyo Commercial Counsellor Dita Angara-Mathay

At the sidelines of PH-Japan Business Investment Forum, eight investment meetings were arranged by PTIC – Tokyo, DTI’s field office in Japan with Undersecretary Aldaba and various Japanese firms to discuss business opportunities in PH. A total of USD 215 million-worth of investment projects to PH was reported following these meetings.

These investment intentions -- covering infrastructure development, railways, Electric Vehicle (EV) public transport systems, retail, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, factory automation, construction, and real estate industries-- were presented and discussed with Undersecretary Aldaba and Commercial Counsellor Angara-Mathay.

The investment projects include the opening of PH’s first MOS Burger, Japan’s second largest burger chain, in March 2020; Assemblepoint Co., Ltd’s interest to develop smart 4WEV (4-wheel EV) using the latest IOT technologies; Japanese anime studio Satelight’s intention to outsource animation work in PH; as well as Kanepackage’s new factory facility.

Sumitomo Wiring also presented their two expansion projects in wire harness and components manufacturing. Marubeni Corporation likewise shared their joint venture project with Metro Pacific and LSI to build 30 primary care clinics, 10 cancer centers, and install five centralized laboratory testing hubs in strategic cities.

“There are many potential opportunities for the Philippines and Japan to deepen trade and investment partnership through innovation. I am delighted that the companies I met during this trip are making significant contributions in the areas of creating new industries, products and leapfrogging to Industry 4.0 by adopting smart manufacturing to transform our industries,” said Undersecretary Aldaba.

“We will try to reach out to more Japanese companies specializing in among others, electrified vehicles & parts, advanced manufacturing, factory automation, mobility solutions and smart cities. Philippine startups are also seen as future drivers of innovation. More learning missions to Japan will be organized to facilitate new learnings on and establish key connections with holders of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI),” shared Commercial Counsellor Angara-Mathay.

KIAMRIAN ABBASOV DOMINATES ZEBAZTIAN KADESTAM TO CAPTURE ONE WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

25 October 2019 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again put together a memorable evening at the Istora Senayan in Indonesia’s bustling capital city of Jakarta. ONE: DAWN OF VALOR saw the absolute best in global martial arts talent showcase their skills inside the ONE Circle. Visit the official ONE: DAWN OF VALOR photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos In the main event of the evening, Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov of Kyrgyzstan captured the ONE Welterweight World Championship with a thoroughly dominant performance over now former titleholder Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam of Sweden. Kadestam started off strong in the early going, connecting on heavy leg kicks and slicing downward elbows. Abbasov, however, would keep the gap close and was constantly pursuing the takedown. On the mat, Abbasov shined as he punished Kadestam with ground-and-pound. Abbasov was able to sustain this pace for the duration of the bout, as Kadestam had no answer for Brazen’s grappling prowess. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Abbasov to win by unanimous decision, crowning him the new king at welterweight. In the co main event, reigning ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel of The Netherlands retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over countryman Nieky “The Natural” Holzken. A knockdown in the first round gave Eersel a 10-8 edge early, as a furious pace was set by the champion. For five full rounds, Eersel kept up the pressure, keeping a constant barrage of boxing combinations, thudding kicks, and sharp knees. Although Holzken tried his best to match the champion’s activity, he found absolutely no quarter for the entirety of the bout. In the end, all three judges saw victory for Eersel across the board. Local martial arts star Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Indonesia overcame a spirited effort from opponent Bozhena “Toto” Antoniyar of Myanmar. It was the Wushu striking of Lumban Gaol versus the rapid punching combinations of Myanmar national boxing champion Antoniyar for three whole rounds. Action went back-and-forth, but it was Lumban Gaol who did better work when the action hit the mat. Lumban Gaol controlled Antoniyar on the ground and did more damage all throughout the contest. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Lumban Gaol to win by unanimous decision. In a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest, Wang “Golden Boy” Junguang of China obliterated Federico “The Little Big Man” Roma of Argentina, stopping his opponent with one second left to go in the first round. Although Roma was game and up for the challenge, he was clearly overwhelmed by Junguang’s powerful and accurate strikes. Junguang knocked Roma down three times across three minutes of intense action to earn the finish. ONE Championship newcomer John “Hands of Stone” Lineker of Brazil made a successful promotional debut, pulling out a close points victory over opponent Muin “Tajik” Gafurov of Tajikistan. Lineker stayed true to form and was dangerous early with his lightning quick and powerful punches. Gafurov would try his best to defend, and showed incredible heart and chin in doing so. “Tajik” also scored on a handful of takedowns to his credit. But Lineker’s power was too much as he proved to be the stronger of the two athletes. In the end, all three judges awarded the victory to Lineker to win by unanimous decision. New Zealand’s Mark “Tyson” Fairtex Abelardo overwhelmed opponent Ayideng Jumayi of China to win by unanimous decision in a three round bantamweight contest. From the first round to the last, Abelardo proved far too quick and powerful for Jumayi, who was a step behind the entire bout. In the end, Abelardo took home the victory on the strength of his thunderous combinations, earning the judges’ nod on all three scorecards. Indonesian wrestling star Eko Roni Saputra took home a victory after opponent Kaji “Alpha” Ebin of the Philippines was unable to continue due to an injury. Ebin dislocated his shoulder after throwing a wild right hook that missed the mark. The referee stepped in to intervene after determining Ebin could no longer continue. The official finish came at 19 seconds in the first round. In a highly-anticipated all-Indonesian showdown between top talents, Stefer “The Lion” Rahardian earned a much-needed victory after a dominant performance against Adrian “Papua Badboy” Mattheis. Rahardian took Mattheis to the ground at will and kept him subdued for the duration of the three-round contest. Mattheis tried his best to make it a striking affair, but Rahardian was too slick on the mats. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Rahardian to win by unanimous decision. The Netherlands’ Pieter “The Archangel” Buist extended his winning streak to seven bouts with a one-sided drubbing of previously unbeaten Antonio “The Spartan” Caruso of Australia. Buist weathered the early storm from Caruso who came out firing. The longer, taller Buist then came on early in the second round to turn the tide, using his punishing leg kicks, smooth boxing combinations, and sharp knees to wear Caruso down. In the final moments of the bout, it was all Pieter Buist as “The Archangel” ran away with a unanimous decision victory. Indonesia’s Abro “The Black Komodo” Fernandes put forth an impressive grappling showcase, overwhelming compatriot Rudy “The Golden Boy” Agustian to win by unanimous decision after three rounds. Agustian found success on the feet early. But by the middle of the second round, Fernandes began to overpower his opponent and took control of the contest. Agustian could not keep Fernandes off him for the remainder of the bout, as the latter threatened with various submissions and did damage with ground-and-pound. All three judges scored in favor of Fernandes who took home a hard-earned victory. Former Pancrase lightweight champion Kazuki Tokudome of Japan turned in a masterful performance, outgrappling the United States’ Johnny “Johnny Boy” Nunez en route to a three round decision victory. Nunez was aggressive from the start, pushing the pace against Tokudome looking to throw powerful combinations. The Japanese warrior wisely stayed out of range, and instead took Nunez to the mats where Tokudome spent most of his time in dominant position. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Tokudome. Indonesia’s Elipitua Siregar put in another excellent performance, submitting countryman Egi Rozten in the first round of a flyweight contest. Rozten was aggressive early, bringing the action to Siregar, but the latter showed his rapidly-evolving grappling skills. After action hit the mat, Siregar swiftly took his opponent’s back and sunk in a deep rear naked choke to force the tap. In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai flyweight bout, Japan’s Taiki Naito delivered a stunning performance, stopping New Zealand’s Alexi Serepisos within three rounds. It was an action-packed contest, beginning with both athletes putting in some good work from the opening bell. For the duration of the bout it was Naito who proved to be the sharper, more accurate striker. In the third round, Naito connected on a beautiful left hook to put Serepisos down and out. Kicking off the action at ONE: DAWN OF VALOR were Indonesian strawweight standouts Angelo “The Unicorn King” Bimoadji and Adi “Zenwalk” Paryanto. Paryanto immediately went right to work from the get-go, unloading a series of powerful knees to Bimoadji’s midsection. A right knee to the ribs crumpled Bimoadji and the referee called a halt to the contest a little over a minute in the first round. Official results for ONE: DAWN OF VALOR ONE Welterweight World Championship: Kiamrian Abbasov defeats Zebaztian Kadestam by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 5 rounds ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship: Regian Eersel defeats Nieky Holzken by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 5 rounds Women’s Mixed Martial Arts Atomweight: Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol defeats Bozhena Antoniyar by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Kickboxing Catchweight (59.0kg): Wang Junguang defeats Federico Roma by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 2:59 minutes of round 1 Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight: John Lineker defeats Muin Gafurov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight: Mark Fairtex Abelardo defeats Ayideng Jumayi by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Eko Roni Saputra defeats Kaji Ebin by TKO (Injury) at 0:19 minutes of round 1 Mixed Martial Arts Catchweight (57.0kg): Stefer Rahardian defeats Adrian Mattheis by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Pieter Buist defeats Antonio Caruso by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Abro Fernandes defeats Rudy Agustian by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Lightweight: Kazuki Tokudome defeats Johnny Nunez by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight: Elipitua Siregar defeats Egi Rozten by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:00 minutes of round 1 Muay Thai Flyweight: Taiki Naito defeats Alexi Serepisos by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 2:45 minutes of round 3 Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight: Adi Paryanto defeats Angelo Bimoadji by TKO (Strikes) at 1:04 minutes of round 1 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, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and 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. 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 broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

Eduard Folayang: Tsogookhuu Doesn’t Like to Be Pressured

Eduard “Landslide” Folayang is overflowing with confidence ahead of his match on November 8 against Amarsanaa “Spear” Tsogookhuu at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines in the main card of ONE: MASTERS OF FATE.

Folayang took a close look at Amarsanaa’s previous performance at ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS where the latter won by unanimous decision. But despite the Mongolian’s commendable display of striking and grappling, the “Landslide” believes there are holes in his opponent’s game that he can capitalize on.

“Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu was able to showcase his skills with Shannon [Wiratchai] in his debut match,” Folayang said.

“He is really good on his feet and his striking can knock me out if it connects, however he has problems when he is put under pressure. There are some things that we saw which we can use to my advantage, I will leave it at that.”

Folayang has more experience than the “Spear” and is considered a veteran in this game. Crafting his fight strategy with his colleagues at the famed Team Lakay, Folayang was able to cover every angle and is now fully-prepared to claim victory.

The Baguio City native is drawing strength and motivation from the people who matter most to him. His determination to dominate his opponent grows stronger every time he thinks about his supporters and his hunger to win.

“In my head, this match will be in my favor in every aspect,” Folayang said.

“That does not mean I am underestimating Amarsanaa, I simply believe that the results of my preparations will allow me to dominate him. I have my team, my friends, my fans, and the rest of the Philippines cheering and depending on me. I will not let them down.”

Folayang will not be the only man representing the prestigious Baguio City gym as former ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje Eustaquio will face CWFC Bantamweight World Champion Toni Tauru. In the main event, ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio will defend his title against multiple-time Wushu World Champion Rene Catalan.