Renzo Gracie lauds ONE Championship: ‘It will be No. 1 very soon’

ONE Championship will be rolling out the red carpet for a revered martial arts legend on Friday, 27 July as Brazil’s Renzo Gracie is set to make both his comeback and promotional debut in the Singapore-based organization.

Gracie, whose family introduced the discipline known as “The gentle art” to the world as an essential component of mixed martial arts competition, is slated to duke it out with fellow promotional debutant and three-division King Of Pancrase Yuki Kondo at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS in Manila, Philippines.

Still going strong at the age of 51, Gracie did not mince words about his excitement to wear four-ounce gloves for the first time in eight years.

“To be able to come back after all these years and do this again, it seems surreal to me,” he quipped.

“For me, I’ve always been talking about life and following your passion. Mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are an avenue for me to exemplify desire, diligence, discipline, dedication, character, integrity, and pride for my culture,” Gracie added.

Gracie expressed his gratitude to ONE Championship head honcho Chatri Sityodtong for extending his hand to host his return to action.

“I have been preparing a long time for this. I would like to thank Chatri Sityodtong and ONE Championship for the opportunity, for giving me the global stage once again, and for allowing me to satisfy my craving for competition. This one is for the fans,” he said.

Although it was more sensible for the New Jersey-based Brazilian submission specialist to sign with Western mixed martial arts companies for his comeback, Gracie disclosed that ONE Championship stood out as the appealing product.

“It’s my dream to fight in ONE Championship. They are doing a great job on this side of the world. What they do in Asia affects and benefits the entire ecosystem of the sport. I have everything. I don't need to be here, but I want to be part of something big," he stated.

Gracie has strutted his wares in different mixed martial arts organizations throughout his 26-year professional career, but he believes that ONE Championship will be the frontrunner of the sport in the coming years.

“It’s an amazing company. ONE Championship makes one of the best shows in the world. That’s why I’m feeling so privileged to be fighting in ONE Championship and in Manila,” he explained.

ONE Championship has achieved tremendous success since its inception in 2011, establishing itself as one of the key players of the sport in the world.

Since its early beginnings, the promotion has undergone a myriad of changes and developments.

From changing its name to revolutionizing the mixed martial arts weight-management system, the promotion’s iterations have brought it from promising young startup to global combat sports powerhouse in a matter of years.

Aside from housing some of the world's best martial artists and world champions like Bibiano Fernandes, Ben Askren, Roger Gracie, Brandon Vera and Shinya Aoki, ONE Championship has also been pivotal in the development of local and homegrown talents like the Philippines’ Eduard Folayang, Singapore’s Angela Lee and Myanmar’s Aung La N Sang.

Headquartered in the heart of Singapore, ONE Championship holds the largest sports and entertainment events across Asia, broadcasting to over 1.7-billion potential viewers across 136 countries around the world.

“It (ONE Championship) will be No. 1 very soon,” Gracie declared.

Respected in both fields of mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a pioneer, elite athlete and fearless competitor, Gracie will show the world what he is capable of in ONE Championship.

“The only thing that I know is that I’ll be a better man, I’ll be a better teacher, and I’ll be a better person in the sense of passing forward everything that I learn in there,” he conveyed.

Whether he wins or loses against Kondo at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS on Friday, Gracie assured that it will not be his last ride in mixed martial arts.

“I believe I’m going to fight more. I’m going to impress people with this fight, and they’re going to want me to fight more, so I will do it. This is not my farewell fight,” he promised.

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.

Truly limitless: Pro-streamer and mobile gamer Asurai on why the ZenFone Max Pro is a great all-rounder smartphone

A quick flashback of what went down two weeks ago – first, the official launch of the ZenFone Max Pro in partnership with Lazada Philippines, then the introduction of the MAX A-TEAM, and most recently, the ZenFone Max Pro’s first-ever appearance in the country at the FRAGFEST 2018. In this short span of time, the ZenFone Max Pro became the talk of the town and landed on everyone’s must-have list – after all, it is a beast in its own right.

Always present in the local and international gaming scenes, professional shoutcaster and streamer Darwell Llerena, also known as “Asurai”, was one of the few lucky Filipinos who were able to get their hands on the ZenFone Max Pro before its nationwide availability on Monday, June 25.

Asurai’s rise and passion in gaming was no overnight feat. In fact, he started playing games at a young age, starting with a Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. From that moment on he hasn’t stopped playing. Despite this, his love for games and career in shoutcasting was never a hindrance to his studies. While in college, he was lucky enough to have time in between classes to be able to do shoutcasting, and this led him to land casting gigs that early. Talk about good timing, right? 

ZenFone Philippines got the chance to have a chit-chat with one of the most followed gaming personalities:

HI ASURAI! WE’RE A BIT CURIOUS, CAN YOU SHARE WHY YOU CHOSE “ASURAI” AS YOUR IGN?

Well… Because I got bitten by an Aso and I said Aray. Kidding! <Laughs>

THAT’S WITTY! <LAUGHS> NOW, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU STARTED YOUR SHOUTCASTING CAREER? DID YOU EVER SEE YOURSELF ON THIS PATH EVEN IN YOUR YOUNGER YEARS?

I answered an ad way back in November 2014 for a Shoutcasting call at Garena. I sent a sample video and they got me, the rest is history. <Smiles>

Hmm, actually not at all. My family is very traditional. I have uncle and aunts who are lawyers and doctors while I'm supposed to be a pharmacist.

OH, THAT MAKES YOU A GAME CHANGER IN YOUR FAMILY! WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IF YOU’RE NOT A CASTER-STREAMER?

I’d probably be in Tech Reviews since I am also fascinated with everything that revolves around that ecosystem, especially gaming.       

SO YOU ARE A LOVER OF TECH TOO! WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RISING TREND IN MOBILE GAMING?

Before, I didn't think of mobile gaming much, but in the recent years it has changed because the evolution of great games isn't only in PCs or consoles, it also reached mobile regardless of what other people may say.

COOL! SO YOU ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO WERE ABLE TO USE THE ZENFONE MAX PRO FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, HOW’S YOUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR?

It was amazing! I think the fact that it's a great all-rounder phone makes it perfect for me, being able to play games, record media, and watch online content without having to worry about running out of battery. Thanks to its huge battery capacity - it is such a big deal for me! It was a great companion during my COMPUTEX trip!

NICE! GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR PHONE! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FEATURE OF THE ZENFONE MAX PRO?

The feature that I highly appreciate right now on the Max Pro is the 6-inch display which allows me to absorb more of the game that I am playing. I like it when the navigation bar automatically disappears when in-game! I can now play AOV or Mobile Legends without the worry that I might just accidentally click the home button.

WE LIKE THAT TOO! YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU PLAY GAMES, RECORD MEDIA AND WATCH ONLINE CONTENT ON YOUR PHONE; DO YOU USE IT AS YOUR DAILY DRIVER NOW?

Yes! I use it as my daily driver now. I like the combination of the big battery and big display.

SO HOW LONG DOES THE PHONE’S BATTERY LAST?

Since I use it extensively throughout the day, including some moderate gaming on the side, it lasts probably around 8 to 10 hours. It’s not bad because I won’t need to find a wall outlet or scramble for a powerbank in the middle of the day.

WE’RE HAPPY FOR YOU! HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE MAX A-TEAM?

It's always nice to be part of a group that revolves around gaming! And that’s what makes me happy!

WHAT MADE ASURAI EXCITED FOR THE ZENFONE MAX PRO?

The newest ZenFone Max Pro now comes in two variants! You can now choose between 3GB RAM + 32GB of storagethat sports a 13MP + 5MP rear camera or 4GB RAM + 64GB of storage with 16MP + 5MP rear camera. Both come with a powerful combination of a big battery capacity of 5000 mAh, a powerful yet efficient Snapdragon 636 - the key essentials for one of the best gameplay experiences without hitting 0% battery life, and an 8MP front camera for photos and selfies at any time and place.

MARKET AVAILABILITY

Are you ready to go limitless? Click here to order 3GB and Click here to pre-order 4GB! For more information about the newest ZenFone Max Pro, tune in to ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and ZenTalk Philippines Forum.

NBA 3X PHILIPPINES PRESENTED BY AXA RETURNS TO MANILA FOR 8TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR ON AUG. 25-26

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that the NBA 3X Philippines presented by AXA will return to Manila for an eighth consecutive year on Aug. 25-26 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, and will feature an NBA player, an NBA legend, and a slam dunk team.  

The league’s international grassroots event platform will showcase a 3-on-3 tournament featuring men’s and women’s teamscombined with authentic NBA entertainment.  Registration for NBA 3X Philippines 2018 begins on July 25 on a first-come, first-served basis at www.nba3x.com/philippines and runs until Aug. 8, or until all slots are full.

NBA 3X Philippines 2018 will stage a preliminary tournament in North Luzon on Aug. 11-12 and Metro Manila on Aug. 18-19, with the top teams in each division advancing to the finals at the SM Mall of Asia.

The competitive 3-on-3 tournament includes divisions for boys (under-13, under-16, under-18, and open category), girls (under-18 and open category), an invitation only Celebrity Division featuring popular local personalities, and a division exclusive to AXA employees and distributors.

“NBA 3X Philippines is a great way to continue the growth and development of basketball and 3-on-3 in the country,” said NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson.  “Together with AXA, we are proud to stage the eighth consecutive edition of NBA 3X Philippines as we celebrate the game with our passionate fans.”

“This year, we are thrilled to expand the NBA 3X Philippines program as we bring the tournament closer to our customers in the North Luzon region,” said AXA Philippines President and CEO Raul Hora.  “With the game’s popularity reaching greater heights, we at AXA Philippines are looking at this opportunity to share our story of how essential a game plan is through basketball and bring the NBA experience closer to Filipino fans.”

All participants in NBA 3X Philippines 2018 will receive an NBA 3X jersey with special prizes for the overall winners of each division.  Registration fees for the age divisions cost Php 1,000 per team, while open divisions are Php 1,600 pesos per team.

AXA Philippines is the presenting partner of NBA 3X Philippines 2018.  In addition, CloudFone, Gatorade, Panasonic, Rexona, PLDT and Smart will serve as official partners while SM Mall of Asia and Spalding are supporting partners.  Official NBA broadcasters for the event are ABS-CBN S+A, Basketball TV, and NBA Premium TV.

For more information on NBA 3X Philippines 2018 and the registration process, fans can visit www.nba3x.com/philippines,Facebook.com/philsnba and @NBA_Philippines on Twitter.

For more details on AXA Philippines and their product offerings, visit www.axa.com.ph and Facebook.com/axa.philippines.

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League, set to launch in May 2018.  The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2017-18 season featured 108 international players from a record 42 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.5 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About AXA Philippines

AXA Philippines is one of the leading and fastest-growing life insurance companies in the Philippines. It was borne out of the formidable synergy between Metrobank, one of the foremost financial institutions in the Philippines, and AXA, a global leader in insurance and asset management serving 105 million customers in 62 countries. At present, AXA Philippines has more than one million  lives insured and covered by individual policies and group life insurance. AXA Philippines has more than 4,000 financial advisers in 36 branches and 700 financial executives in over 900 Metrobank and PSBank branches nationwide. In 2016, AXA Philippines entered the non-life insurance business with the acquisition of Charter Ping An, the 5th largest general insurer in the country.