ROLANDO DY BATTLES SLOBODAN MAKSIMOVIC IN BRAVE CF 56 MAIN EVENT

Seef District, Bahrain - 23 November 2021

After a groundbreaking year that saw BRAVE Combat Federation hold multiple live events in Europe and Asia, the Bahrain-based global promotion is gearing up for its final extravaganza of 2021.

The organization will make its first foray into Belgrade, Serbia on December 18 to hold BRAVE CF 56 at the state-of-the-art Belexpocentar, and the card is headlined by a pivotal lightweight encounter between Filipino superstar Rolando “The Incredible” Dy and hometown hero Slobodan Maksimovic.

Dy, the 30-year-old son of boxing legend and former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion Rolando Navarrete, has been a mixed martial artist since 2011 and is one of the most recognizable faces of the sport’s well-entrenched scene in the Philippines.

With more than 20 professional bouts on his résumé, Dy has the experience of a seasoned veteran and has seen it all inside the cage.

Always a crowd-pleaser, “The Incredible” utilizes his dynamic boxing background with an impeccable takedown defense to outclass his opponents. He’ll now get the chance to put on a show once more opposite Maksimovic.

In the other corner, Maksimovic has been in the MMA game for more than a decade and has a wealth of fight experience under various outfits on his curriculum vitae.

Ranked as the No. 5 lightweight in the Balkan Peninsula, Maksimovic possesses a beautiful combination of solid striking and grappling skills that has proven to be a potent formula for success as he has amassed a stellar 17-6-1 overall record.

Moreover, the 32-year-old Serbian is riding high on a two-fight winning streak and has won seven of his last eight outings since 2016.

Dy, the 2020 BRAVE CF Fighter of the Year awardee, desperately needs an impressive performance to maintain his status in the stacked 155-pound weight class. Meanwhile, Maksimovic is eager to keep rolling and make a big first impression on the world stage.

In partnership with MMA League of Serbia, BRAVE CF will be announcing more matches for its first trip to Belgrade in the coming days.

FILIPINO SUPERSTAR ROLANDO DY GIVES FEARLESS FORECAST ON BRAVE CF 54 MAIN EVENT

Seef District, Bahrain - 15 September 2021

Filipino hard-hitter Rolando “The Incredible” Dy will keep a close eye on the BRAVE CF Lightweight World Championship clash between division kingpin Amin “Fierceness” Ayoub of France and arch-nemesis Ahmed “The Butcher” Amir of Egypt.

 

Both men are set to collide for the intricately-crafted belt in the main event of BRAVE CF 54, which will be broadcasted live from Konin, Poland on September 25th—the Bahrain-based promotion’s first live event in the country.

 

 

The two were originally penciled to face each other at BRAVE CF 50 this past April, but Amir needed to pull out of the bout a few days before the event due to a neck and shoulder injury. Now, the two will have the chance to settle their unfinished business inside the cage.

 

Ayoub has been undefeated since April 2018, racking up eight consecutive victories that saw him capture the BRAVE CF Lightweight World Championship at the expense of Cleiton “Predador” Silva at BRAVE CF 44 in November 2020.

 

In his last outing, the Frenchman scored a unanimous decision win over Mashrabjon Ruziboev—who accepted the offer to fill in for Amir on short notice—in a catchweight contest at BRAVE CF 50.

 

On the other hand, Amir is riding high on a two-match winning streak, submitting Yousef Wehbe with a third-round rear-naked choke at BRAVE CF 33 in December 2019 before outpointing Cian Cowley at BRAVE CF 41 in September 2020.

 

Dy, the organization’s 2020 Fighter of the Year awardee, made a bold prediction on the highly-anticipated Lightweight World Title showdown between Ayoub and Amir.

 

“Amin [Ayoub] will win easily. [Ahmed] Amir doesn't belong there, in my opinion,” he stated. “I truly believe that Amin is stylistically superior over Amir. Amir hasn’t fought someone near the caliber of Amin. It will show on fight night.”

 

This past April, Dy called out Amir on social media and vowed to give the Egyptian bruiser “a real fight.” However, the latter seemingly brushed off the challenge.

 

 

Meanwhile, Ayoub promised the power-punching Pinoy a World Title shot after they both won their fights at BRAVE CF 44.

 

“I don't think any of them will choose to fight me if Amin retains the belt or Amir wins the title,” Dy said about a possible match-up against either man.

 

“The Incredible” is feeling the itch to compete once again after going through a grueling war with Kyrgyz lightweight contender Abdisalam “Omok” Kubanychbek at BRAVE CF 47: Asian Domination last March.

 

With the goal to redeem himself in the eyes of the mixed martial arts world, the 30-year-old son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarrete hopes to return to action very soon.

 

“As always, I am hungry to fight. I am always looking for some good competition. I don't back out, I don't make excuses, and I show up even if it’s on short notice. As long as I can make the walkout, I will fight,” he declared. “BRAVE CF can call me anytime because the answer will always be ‘yes and I accept.’”

Kevin Belingon Wants a Knockout Win Against Bibiano Fernandes

After a disqualification loss at ONE: A NEW ERA, a split decision in November last year, and another loss via submission in 2016, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is looking for a decisive finish in his match against Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and reclaim his glory at ONE: CENTURY on 13 October in Japan.

“It is hard to tell how it will end, but I’m looking for a knockout so that all talks will be settled,” Belingon said. 

“It’s hard to leave this to the judges because there would be doubts there. I have to get that knockout win.”

In the last bout against the 39-year old Brazilian, Belingon was confident he would be able to defend his title with his powerful strikes. Unfortunately, things went south because of an accidental elbow to the back of Bibiano’s head. In the upcoming fourth bout, Belingon is confident that nothing can stop him from taking back his title.

“More than ever, I am familiar with Bibiano – his style, the way he moves. I already know what to expect and what I’ll do in our fourth match,” he said.

“For our game plan, I’m leaving it to coach Mark Sangiao so I can effectively counter his striking and takedowns.”

Belingon believes that he needs to restore order after his Team Lakay teammates lost their titles in their respective divisions. When he enters the Circle again at the Ryogoku Kokugikan

in Tokyo, Japan, he will draw inspiration from Joshua “The Passion” Pacio’s victorious title rematch and use that as his own motivation to succeed.

“This is so important for us. If we get the belt back, I think it will prove that we’re number one in Asia,” said the 31-year-old. 

“I am inspired by Joshua because he got his belt back. Now I have to get mine back and bring it home to Baguio.”

ONE CHAMPIONSHIP STRENGTHENS ITS AGENT CERTIFICATION

29 April 2019 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has increased requirements and standards for the ONE Agent Certification program. The ONE Agent Certification was originally created to establish uniform standards of eligibility and conduct for all Agents, Managers, and/or Advisors seeking to work with ONE athletes. This program ensures that minimum requirements are met and maintained before an Agent, Manager, and/or Advisor is eligible to work with a ONE athlete. All Agents representing any ONE Championship athlete must be accredited with the ONE Agent Certification. ONE Championship reserves the right to revoke or deny the accreditation of any agent at its sole discretion. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “At ONE Championship, we are always upgrading and improving all of our systems and processes across the company to ensure a healthy ecosystem for all parties. For as many decades as I can remember, agent and manager fraud has always been a big problem in Asia. ONE Championship aims to create a healthier, happier, and safer environment for our athletes both in and out of the arena." ONE Championship’s goal is to allow each athlete the opportunity to select a certified ONE Agent who has agreed to abide by specific rules and regulations in representing or advising athletes honestly, competently, loyally, and zealously. The ONE Agent Certification strives to allow each athlete the opportunity to make better-informed decisions about their careers, empowering each athlete by making available a comprehensive disclosure of facts relevant to the ability of a professional to serve as a fiduciary representative or advisor, and by regulating the conduct of each individual engaged in the functions of an agent or advisor or in recruiting and providing services for athletes. In addition, the ONE Agent Certification ensures uniformity and consistency in the rules and standards applicable to athlete agents, whose business activities are often national or international in scope, notwithstanding the different laws, rules, and regulations of the many national, state, and local jurisdictions that might otherwise govern these activities. Another function is to provide athletes, athlete agents, and/or advisors with fair, cost-effective and expeditious procedures for privately resolving any disputes concerning business relationships, transactions or contractual obligations. Qualifications and Eligibility Criteria You must meet the following minimum requirements in order to be certified as a ONE Agent: Currently a resident in Asia for at least one (1) year No prior criminal record No history or current ongoing matters of legal or lawsuit activity with any athlete A minimum of 10 years of related experience in the martial arts industry Must possess a College or University Degree If you are interested in becoming an accredited athlete agent for ONE Championship athletes, please email info@onefc.com for more details.

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.

ONE CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH GLOBAL ASSOCIATION OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (GAMMA)

16 April 2019 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced a multi-year seven-figure partnership with Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), the independent governing body for the sport of mixed martial arts worldwide. Based in Amsterdam, GAMMA is a non-profit organization founded in 2018 made up of thought leaders and pioneers in mixed martial arts across five continents with decades of experience in the sport. GAMMA is headed by its President, Alexander Engelhardt, and its members are made up of national federations across over 60 countries. GAMMA’s objective is to obtain international recognition for mixed martial arts as an Olympic sport, in order to give all amateur mixed martial artists the platform and opportunity to fulfill their dream of competing on the Olympic stage. As part of this partnership, ONE Championship will support GAMMA’s efforts to obtain Olympic recognition for mixed martial arts. In addition, ONE will also work with GAMMA to develop and promote best practices in health and safety standards, anti-doping regulations, and competition rules for the daily safe practice of competitive mixed martial arts at the amateur level. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “ONE Championship is thrilled to announce a multi-year partnership with GAMMA, the world’s independent governing body of the sport of mixed martial arts. As a lifelong martial artist, I am personally invested in developing the amateur mixed martial arts scene, and ensuring that all athletes have the right foundation and support to pursue a professional career in this sport.” With support from ONE Championship, GAMMA is set to hold its Amateur MMA World Championships in Singapore this November, showcasing the world’s biggest and brightest young martial arts talents on the most prestigious global amateur mixed martial arts platform. Alexander Engelhardt, President of GAMMA, stated: “On behalf of GAMMA, I would like to thank ONE Championship for their support and commitment to the sport of mixed martial arts. As a lifelong karate practitioner, I am passionate about delivering the same level of international recognition to the discipline of mixed martial arts. Both GAMMA and ONE celebrate the authentic martial arts values of integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion in the same spirit as the Olympics. With this philosophical foundation, GAMMA and ONE aim to elevate the sport of mixed martial arts and prepare it for entry into the Olympics.” 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.

MARTIN NGUYEN STOPS NARANTUNGALAG JADAMBAA TO RETAIN ONE FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

12 April 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again ignited the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila for another evening of world-class martial arts action. ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR highlighted the biggest and brightest stars of ONE Championship who came out to showcase their incredible skills. In the main event, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen retained his title with a scintillating knockout of Narantungalag Jadambaa. In the co-main event, Joshua “The Passion” Pacio avenged a prior loss to Yosuke Saruta to be crowned 2-time ONE Strawweight World Champion. Visit the official ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos In the main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Vietnam and Australia continued his reign over the featherweight division with a spectacular knockout victory over former World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia to retain the ONE Featherweight World Title. Nguyen and Jadambaa exchanged thunderous strikes in the opening round, both looking to end the night early. In the second round, Nguyen punished Jadambaa with powerful kicks to the leg before unleashing a perfectly-placed flying knee to take the Mongolian star out and remain the featherweight division’s king. In the co-main event, Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines reclaimed the ONE Strawweight World Championship in highlight-reel fashion after knocking out Japan’s Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta in their highly-anticipated World Title rematch. Pacio survived some early trouble courtesy of a first-round knockdown from Saruta and began getting more comfortable with his strikes as the bout wore on. In the fourth round, Pacio caught Saruta with a well-timed high kick that instantly knocked Saruta out. Japan’s Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada booked his ticket to the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Semi-final round after defeating Cuban Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart via unanimous decision. The former DEEP Flyweight World Champion Wada utilized his height and reach advantage to outstrike Balart and keep the relentless Cuban grappler at bay. After three rounds of action, Wada earned the victory and the right to face Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in the next round of the flyweight tournament. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Leandro “Brodinho” Issa showcased his elite grappling skills with a first-round submission win over China’s Fu Chang Xin. Issa brought the action to the ground early and wasted no time in imposing his will on the mat, working his way into an armbar with relative ease. Issa then transitioned into a triangle choke before locking in another deep armbar to force the tap from Fu in the opening round. Romanian kickboxer Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica prevailed over Morocco’s Ibrahim “Mr. Cool” El Bouniin an action-packed ONE Super Series kickboxing bout. The two world-class light-heavyweight strikers figured in an intense back-and-forth bout as they stood toe-to-toe and went strike-for-strike until the final bell. After three rounds of action, it was Stoica who was declared the winner. Unbeaten American James Nakashima picked up a massive win after an apparent knee injury rendered former World Title contender Luis “Sapo” Santos of Brazil unable to continue in the second round of their welterweight contest. Santos found success in the early moments of the bout, using his elite-level Muay Thai striking to punish Nakashima in the stand up. In the second round however, Nakashima countered a kick with a takedown and landed awkwardly on Santos’ left leg, ultimately leading to the stoppage. Filipino featherweight contender Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly weathered a storm of submission attempts from South Korean grappler Sung Jong Lee to score a second-round TKO win in front of his hometown crowd. Kelly fought off a wave of kneebar and heel hook attempts from Lee, who was in constant pursuit of grappling exchanges. Kelly turned the tables in the second round however, as he fended off yet another submission attempt and pounded Lee out with piston-like punches for the stoppage win. Brazilian kickboxing World Champion Anderson “Braddock” Silva announced his arrival to the global stage of ONE Championship, knocking out Australia’s Andre “The Giant” Meunier in the first round of their ONE Super Series kickboxing bout. The hard-hitting heavyweights wasted no time in providing fireworks as they traded massive combinations right off the bat. Midway through the opening round, Silva connected on a counter-right hook that knocked Meunier out cold instantly. “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il of South Korea bounced back in a big way after making quick work of Filipino veteran Eric “The Natural” Kelly with a flash knockout in the first round. Kwon landed a well-placed right straight that rocked and dropped Kelly. The Korean prospect finished things off with some ground-and-pound for the stoppage win in just 19 seconds. Thai legend Saemapetch Fairtex was once again victorious on the ONE Super Series stage, as he outstruck Serbian-American Ognjen Topic en route to a hard-earned a majority decision win. Saemapetch was aggressive from the opening bell, overwhelming Topic with a seemingly unending barrage of strikes. Topic rallied late in the final round, but it proved to be too late, as Saemapetch walked away with the judges’ decision. China’s “The Stalker” Xie Bin scored another impressive win after submitting Afghanistan’s Ahmad Qais Jasoor in the second round. It was a competitive opening round between the two bantamweight contenders, as they displayed their grappling skills by trading submission attempts. In the second round, Xie wasted little time in getting the action to the ground and worked his way into a deep D’Arce choke that left Jasoor with no other option but to tap out. Singaporean flyweight Niko Soe was triumphant in his return to the ONE Championship Circle, defeating Indonesian wrestling champion Eko Roni Saputra via doctor stoppage due to injury. Soe connected on a glancing elbow midway through the first round that opened up a cut on Saputra’s head, prompting an official halt to the action. After getting inspected by the cageside physician, it was ruled that Saputra would be unable to continue and Soe was awarded the TKO victory. Lerdsila Phuket Top Team of Thailand put on a striking clinic as he defeated Japan’s Momotaro via unanimous decision in their ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai bout. The multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion utilized a masterful mix of thunderous kicks and well-timed throws to outclass the Japanese striker on all fronts. After three rounds of action, Lerdsila earned the nod from all three judges. Vietnamese-American women’s atomweight and ONE Championship newcomer Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyenwas impressive in her promotional debut, dominating Indonesia’s Dwi Ani Retno Wulan en route to a first-round TKO win. Nguyen was relentless as she took Wulan down to the mat early in the opening round. From there, Nguyen seamlessly transitioned into full mount and punished her opponent with strikes from the top to pick up the stoppage victory. Kicking off the action at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, Filipino flyweight Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzalescontinued his impressive run in ONE Championship by making quick work of Japan’s Akihiro Fujisawawith a submission win in the first round. Fujisawa attempted a takedown early in the first round but found himself getting caught in a deep guillotine choke. Gonzales postured up and tightened the choke, forcing Fujisawa to tap out abruptly. Official results for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR ONE Featherweight World Championship bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Narantungalag Jadambaa by Knockout (KO) at 1:07 minutes of round 2 ONE Strawweight World Championship bout: Joshua Pacio defeats Yosuke Saruta by Knockout (KO) at 2:43 minutes of round 4 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Quarter-final bout: Tatsumitsu Wada defeats Gustavo Balart by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Catch Weight (68.0 KG) bout: Leandro Issa defeats Fu Chang Xin by Submission (Armbar) at 3:03 minutes of round 1 ONE Super Series Light Heavyweight Kickboxing bout: Andrei Stoica defeats Ibrahim El Bouni by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Welterweight bout: James Nakashima defeats Luis Santos by TKO (Injury) at 0:56 minutes of round 2 Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly defeats Sung Jong Lee by TKO (Strikes) at 2:51 minutes of round 2 ONE Super Series Heavyweight Kickboxing bout: Anderson Silva defeats Andre Meunier by Knockout (KO) at 1:14 minutes of round 1 Featherweight bout: Kwon Won Il defeats Eric Kelly by Knockout (KO) at 0:19 minutes of round 1 ONE Super Series Bantamweight Muay Thai bout: Saemapetch Fairtex defeats Ognjen Topic by Majority Decision (MD) after 3 rounds Bantamweight bout: Xie Bin defeats Ahmad Qais Jasoor by Submission (D’Arce Choke) at 2:27 minutes of round 2 Flyweight bout: Niko Soe defeats Eko Roni Saputra by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 3:03 minutes of round 1 ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai bout: Lerdsila Phuket Top Team defeats Momotaro by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds Women’s Atomweight bout: Bi Nguyen defeats Dwi Ani Retno Wulan by TKO (Strikes) at 3:55 minutes of round 1 Flyweight bout: Ramon Gonzales defeats Akihiro Fujisawa by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:19 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.

Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio Driven By Hunger To Recapture World Title

If there is one thing that Joshua “The Passion” Pacio wants to regain heading into his rematch with ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta, it is his never-say-die mindset in a crucial bout.

Pacio admitted that he lost a bit of confidence in their first outing, and he vows to showcase that when they go at it again in the co-main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, set for 12 April at the 20,000-capacity Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

“Now I need to focus even more, I need to be more confident,” he said.

“From what I saw in our last bout, my confidence was really low, and now I need to be more confident than ever.”

Saruta put together a tremendous performance, scoring a monumental upset of Pacio to capture the ONE Strawweight World Championship.

The Japanese phenom was relentless with his chain wrestling, taking Pacio down on numerous occasions while trading powerful combinations on the feet.

Throughout five action-packed rounds, both Saruta and Pacio put forth their best effort. In the end, it was Saruta who was able to garner two of the three judges’ nods to win by split decision.

Although Pacio truly believes that he won the first contest, the 23-year-old Team Lakay standout understands where the judges are coming from and it is one of his key takeaways from his first meeting with Saruta.

“I hope to showcase the things that I wasn’t able to show last January,” he stated.

The difference for Pacio now is he comes in as a hungry challenger, who is eager to prove himself as a mixed martial arts competitor.

“I need to be more aggressive, especially being the challenger. I’m hungry to prove myself again and bounce back,” he declared.

Now that he gets his rematch, in his home country nonetheless, Pacio is certainly fueled to get back to the top of his division and give the hometown crowd something to cheer about.

There is pressure, especially with the hopes of the country resting on his shoulders. But rest assured, his drive and willingness to win far outweighs that.  

“It’s pretty much the same. I’m excited and even more motivated because the rematch will happen here in the Philippines,” Pacio shared.

“I must admit that there’s a bit of an added pressure on my part to perform, but at the same time, the hunger and the will to win far outweighs that.”

ADDITIONAL BOUTS ANNOUNCED FOR ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR IN MANILA ON 12 APRIL

18 March 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced additional bouts for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, which is set to take place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 12 April. Once again, the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent will grace the ONE Championship stage and showcase their world-class skills.

In the main event, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Vietnam and Australia will defend his title against former ONE World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia. 

Also, in the co-main event, a highly-anticipated rematch takes place when former ONE World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines challenges reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta of Japan.

Ticket information for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR is available at www.onefc.com.

Reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen is back in action against former ONE World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa.

The 29-year-old Nguyen has become one of the most prolific Asian martial arts talents over the past few years, winning seven of his last nine contests. In 2015, he embarked on an unprecedented six-bout winning streak. Along the way, he captured both the ONE Featherweight and ONE Lightweight World Titles to become a simultaneous two-division ONE World Champion.

After falling to injury, however, Nguyen was prompted to vacate the lightweight belt in September 2018. Now, with Nguyen fully recovered, the Vietnamese-Australian sensation is slated to make his much-awaited return to action against the dangerous veteran Jadambaa.

Jadambaa burst onto the ONE Championship stage in May 2014 by defeating former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario of the Philippines. He has since been a winner of six of his last eight contests. In 2014, he captured the ONE Featherweight World Title with a victory over Koji Oishi. Over the years, Jadambaa has defeated some of ONE Championship’s biggest names, with notable victories coming over Kotetsu Boku, Kazuki Tokudome, and Eric and Edward Kelly.

Having been on a collision course, Nguyen and Jadambaa will meet for the first time in the main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR. This five-round World Title tiff promises loads of action and fireworks.

In the co-main event of the evening, the Philippines’ Joshua “The Passion” Pacio looks to exact revenge over former conqueror Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta of Japan. Saruta scored a monumental upset when he defeated Pacio via razor-thin split decision at ONE: ETERNAL GLORY last January to capture the ONE Strawweight World Title. 

After Pacio’s initial opponent, Hayato Suzuki, was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury, it was Saruta who was tapped to take his place in the main event opposite the Filipino.

Using his world-class striking and grappling skills, Saruta put together a comprehensive performance to capture the belt. However, the extremely close result was enough to warrant an immediate rematch between the two. Now, Pacio and Saruta have the chance to settle the score once and for all to determine who is the true king of the talent-filled strawweight division.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Leandro “Brodinho” Issa of Brazil is back to take on former CKF Champion Fu Chang Xin of China.

Issa, who represents Evolve in Singapore, is a winner of three of his last four bouts, which includes two exciting finishes. Meanwhile, Fu, who is a boxing, wrestling, and taekwondo specialist, has won his last five bouts, which includes three stoppages. The two streaking martial artists are on a collision course and should provide fans with an intriguing match-up.

Dutch-Moroccan kickboxer Ibrahim “Mr. Cool” El Bouni looks to put himself back on the right track when he takes on Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica of Romania.

El Bouni split his first two appearances for the promotion but has impressed in both outings with his world-class striking skills. The former A1WCC Kickboxing World Champion aims to make 2019 a year to remember, starting off by taking on a dangerous knockout artist.

Stoica recently made his ONE Super Series debut at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR. The former SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight World Champion is known for his power and technique, as well as his warrior spirit. Stoica looks to make a statement against “Mr. Cool” in his return.

Brazilian mixed martial arts veteran Luis “Sapo” Santos is back in action against undefeated American welterweight James Nakashima.

The 39-year-old Santos recently scored a scintillating first-round knockout victory over Japan’s Daichi Abe, which brought him back into the World Title mix. Santos is known for his brute strength and undeniable power. He will be bringing these qualities into the cage once more when he squares off with his next opponent.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Nakashima has built a career around his well-calculated and intelligent bout strategies, which has brought him victory every time he has stepped into the cage. It will be no different against Santos, whom Nakashima plans to dominate from the first round to the last.

Filipino martial arts veteran Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly will take on South Korean grappler Sung Jong Lee.

Kelly, a Philippine Featherweight Champion, is well-versed in both the striking and grappling arts. A senior member of the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Kelly is best known for his 21-second knockout victory over Cambodia’s Meas Meul in January 2018. He aims for the same result against Lee.

Lee is a NAGA No-Gi Grappling Champion, and one of the craftiest submission artists in the ONE featherweight division. A representative of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in his native Korea, Lee will put his mat skills to the test against a world-class wushu champion in Kelly.

In a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest, Andre “The Giant” Meunier of Australia takes on Anderson “Braddock” Silva of Brazil. Meunier, a four-time Kickboxing World Champion, will welcome Silva to ONE Championship, as the latter makes his debut for the promotion.

Former ONE World Title contender Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines is looking to make a lasting impression when he returns to action to face China’s Tang Kai.

Kelly had a blazing start to his mixed martial arts career by winning his first 12 professional bouts. In February 2013, he competed for the inaugural ONE Featherweight World Title, falling short against Filipino compatriot Honorio Banario. A year later, Kelly came back and put together the performance of a lifetime when he submitted tough Australian Rob Lisita. Now after revitalizing his training camp, Kelly looks to reignite his career against Tang.

Tang, a WBK Tournament Champion, is a boxing stylist known for his fast hands and aggressiveness. The Dragon Warrior Shanghai representative is a winner of his last four bouts, all of which have ended in explosive knockouts. Against a veteran like Kelly, Tang’s striking skills will be put to the ultimate test.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, Thai legend and former MTGP Welterweight World Champion Saemapetch Fairtex takes on former Lion Fight Lightweight World Champion Ognjen Topic. Both Saemapetch and Topic are top contenders in ONE Super Series, and the two will figure in a highly-anticipated bantamweight showdown.

Singaporean flyweight prospect Niko Soe is set to take on freestyle wrestler Eko Roni Saputra of Indonesia. Soe is a winner of his last two outings, and he aims for his third straight victory against Saputra, who is making his mixed martial arts debut.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, the legendary Lerdsila PhuketTopTeam of Thailand will showcase his fistic talents against Japan’s Kohei “Momotaro” Kodera. 

Kodera, a former WBC Muay Thai International Champion, just recently scored a thrilling three-round unanimous decision victory over Kenny Tse at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR. Lerdsila, on the other hand, is an absolute legend in Muay Thai with over 200 professional bouts. Kodera and Lerdsila promise to produce fireworks for fans in attendance at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Vietnamese-American female atomweight contender Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen is set to make her much-awaited ONE Championship debut opposite Indonesia’s Dwi Ani Retno Wulan.

Nguyen made her foray into mixed martial arts in 2014, winning four of her five matches in the amateur ranks in impressive fashion. She turned professional in 2016, and she immediately racked up three straight victories to kick off her career. Now, “Killer Bee” directs her career path to ONE Championship, where she is set to make her promotional debut. 

Wulan, an Indonesian Muay Thai Champion, made her professional mixed martial arts debut just last November, defeating Putri Padmi by unanimous decision. She looks to build on her momentum by defeating “Killer Bee” in Manila.

Finally, National Kyokushin Karate Champion Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales of the Philippines and Akihiro “Superjap” Fujisawa of Japan will square off in a three-round strawweight contest.

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