I’m Conflicted – Should it be about Information, Opinion, Honesty?

I’m Conflicted – Should it be about Information, Opinion, Honesty?

Published on April 3, 2012 by The Editor in Opinion

Just A Little Refresher As To Who We Are And What We Do

One of the people I follow on twitter Mike Hackler of MMA-Japan.com  posted this:

Mike Hackler ‏ @mmajapandotcom

“All these other “Asian MMA” websites let me help you. Posting presser releases is not original content” 

And, the thing is I totally agree with him even though I am also guilty on occasions of  being what I call a ‘copypasta’ although I do try to produce original articles as much as possible. But the thing is I also know that we walk a thin line.

People come to sites like these for many things including Information and occasionally for Opinion.

If I don’t do the information thing then the other sites will suck up all the readers.

Now, I could play it safe and just do the copypasta thing and only write ‘puff’ pieces that make everybody happy and then I would get nice sponsorship and all access press to all events.

I choose not to do that, why should I? The biggest percentage of  websites out there already do that and their contributors all jostle cage side. So, of course I can see the benefits of that but why, what’s the point. I’m an MMA fan with my own spin on things, my own point of view.

Now, I guess those that like to read opinion, then decide whether to come back if they appreciate the opinions we post or go elsewhere if they don’t. I’m not about to post opinions just to curry favor with anybody.

Now, the trouble with opinions (while mine anyway) is that I am honest and forthright. I don’t pitty pat around, I write what I think.

The problem with that is, it has all sorts of negative issues. For instance for a long time one of the biggest MMA organizations in Asia blocked me completely, No Facebook, no Twitter, no Press Releases and definitely no Press Access. – For now I have Facebook, Twitter and I even get Press Releases. I do not however get press access. This is sad as it of course means that my readers suffer, as of course do I.

I also write what I think about fights and fighters. If I think a bout is a mismatch and I flag it in advance, I get flack.

If I bring it up after the event I get flack even if I was proven totally correct. People seem to like to tell an outclassed fighter that he did great. Nice friends you got there champ!

My truthful reaction is seen by some as disrespectful to the fighters. It’s not, and calling for me to get in a cage and fight them is fucking stupid as well, they train to fight and I am well past any prime I may have had. I am not disrespectful to fighters, they get in a cage and fight and for that I give them respect. BUT, that does not mean you are ready to fight anybody at any level. Sorry if I am the only one willing to tell you that. If your friends really cared maybe they would be honest with you.

But, come on really if your record is for instance 3-3 and you have fought in ‘local’ events and your opponent is 3-3 and he has fought internationally who is most likely to win. If that second fighter is actually 4-1 internationally WHO is going to win?

It’s not me being a bastard it’s just looking at the facts. And , of course sometimes fighters get lucky, but I’m not disrespecting you. I respect you for training hard and daring to get in that cage. But, really step back a bit and think, is what I am writing correct?

My own Son is training to be a fighter and its most important to me that he moves upwards at a normal pace not taking big jumps in class until he has proved he can beat those around him. If managers, or fighters make bad decisions it could destroy their careers, they may get one shot at the big time, why waste it on a mismatch? If an organization thinks you are good enough, demand a decent match up and give yourself a chance at a real career.

And of course I have big issues with organizations putting on fights that are obvious mismatches, we saw that sort of shit in boxing all the time as boxers were fed easy wins to build up a name. I don’t wish to see that happen in MMA. MMA is about the best of the best.

Another thing I have big issues with is, everybody cannot be a champion in MMA. If everybody in MMA is a champion who  is losing?  You can be a current champion or an ex champion, you can be a veteran of, for instance Dream or Deep. You can be a present URCC champion fighting an Ex Dream Champion, that works, that works just fine. You see by automatically putting champion in front of every name people stop even reading that , they just skip over it.

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is, if you don’t like what we do go find one of those sites that write nice things regardless. We are not like that, sorry and all.

MMAnewsAsia.com started as a one man band, we now have a couple of occasional helpers for whom we have nothing but love. One of those known as “The Coffee Boy” writes very good articles when he can find the time in amongst his studies and he is free to write what he wants, he is much less controversial than me, but as long as he writes what he believes to be true, I am happy to offer him a platform.

We fund everything from our pockets and occasionally enjoy a freebie from some MMA organizations, for which we offer grateful thanks. But whether we pay or have a freebie we still write what we want, what we believe.

We would very much appreciate some sponsorship or adverts on the site but regardless of them we will continue to produce content for you to read.

And to you Mike Hackler, well, you are right. But, we are doing our best.

ONE FC War of the Lions The Press Release

ONE FC War of the Lions The Press Release

Published on April 1, 2012 by The Editor in NEWS

Zorobabel Moreira leads the pride of winners for ONE Fighting Championshiop: War of the Lions 

You’ve had a chance to read my thoughts on the night NOW read the official version:

31 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™: War of the Lions thrilled a sold-out 8,000 seater Singapore Indoor Stadium tonight with non-stop excitement and surprises. The crowd was completely blown away in what proved to be one of the most historic and highly electrifying nights in the history of Asian mixed martial arts (MMA). The highlight of the show came from an impressive win by Brazil’s Zorobabel Moreira during the Main Event fight against Japan’s Felipe Enomoto.

Moreira showed why he is rated as one of the best lightweight prospects in the world by submitting Enomoto in the second round of their fight with an armbar. The Japanese fighter was coming off a spectacular win over Ole Laursen last month but this time around, he just came up short and was beaten. With this win, Moreira’s record improves to 6-1 and in the true spirit of sportsmanship; he saluted his opponent afterwards for putting up such a good fight.

Zorobabel Moreira, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion said, “I did one kick and he fell down so I had the opportunity to go for an armbar and I got it. My opponent is very tough, he is a strong guy, but I trained very hard for this fight with my team at Evolve MMA and I am so happy. It was great to see so many fans cheering for me, Singapore is great.”

Another one of the most anticipated fights of the night featured Ole Laursen and Eduard Folayang in an amazing showdown that got the entire crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the edge of their seats for an entire 15 minutes. It could have gone either way with both fighters appearing to be in control at various stages in the fight, but in the end, the judges awarded the win to Laursen by split decision. The result was met with immediate calls by the crowd for a rematch between these two phenomenal fighters from the Philippines.

Earlier in the night, Japanese fighters Tatsuya Kawajiri and Masakazu Imanari proved their supremacy in their respective weight classes when they each won by first round submissions. However, the remaining Japanese fighters on tonight’s card were not able to clinch similar victories. DEEP Welterweight Champion Yuya Shirai lost to Brazil’s Fabricio Monteiro who had not had a bout since retiring in 2009. Monteiro made an amazing comeback at ONE FC: War of the Lions by unanimous decision at the end of a close fight.

The only disappointment of the evening was the fight between Holland’s Melvin Manhoef against Japan’s Yoshiyuki Nakanishi. The fight had to be ruled a No Contest after the Dutch K-1 veteran sustained a huge gash on his shin which required immediate medical attention. Manhoef was determined to fight on but the doctors ruled that he could not continue due to the severity of the accidental injury.

It was an absolutely wonderful night for host nation fighters Nicole Chua and Quek Kim Hock. Nicole Chua is Singapore’s first female professional MMA fighter and she won in her debut fight this evening against Jeet Toshi, a 7-time National Kickboxing Champion from India. The pint-sized Singaporean girl won in the first round by a rear naked choke having just had less than a year’s experience training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Quek Kim Hock also won by rear naked choke against his American opponent Major Overall who put up quite a spirited challenge but eventually lost in the second round.

CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui said, “This was the best show we’ve had yet. The fights were fantastic from start to finish, the stadium was packed and the crowd loved it so I can’t ask for more than that. The growth of MMA in the region has been astounding and I am so proud of how far we’ve come in just a matter of months. I can’t wait for these fights to be shown to 24 Asian countries by ESPN Star Sports next month because people are going to absolutely love them.”

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10 year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

ONE FC War of the Lions – A Dam Good Night Out

ONE FC War of the Lions – A Dam Good Night Out

Published on April 1, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

ONE FC War of the Lions This is the third ONE FC event and the second held at the Indoor Stadium in Singapore

This event was a vast improvement on the first even in terms of organisation and in quality of fights.

The arena was again partly partitioned off giving a capacity of around 7000 and the arena I would say was 97% full, there were empty seats in the arena and that is sad. What will it take to get those remaining 3500 people to come out and fill this really nice stadium and then the roof can be really raised by the noise of the fans.

It’s funny on the way to the stadium I wasn’t very excited, maybe due to an overdose of MMA recently or maybe because the f&^*%£g abysmal organiation at the F1 GP event at Sepang last week almost finished off my hunger for live sporting events. But hell, this is Singapore, easy access to the Stadium via the MRT, straight into the stadium no trouble and down to our nice and roomy seats. Sepang could not even get you in to a massive race circuit in decent time, especially with the super shitty transport infrastructure.

Anyway back to the event ONE FC War of the Lions.

The show started almost on time and moved along at a grand old pace.

There is absolutely no point in me talking too much about the fights and the results they will be all over the net by now and if you were a real fan you probably watched the event live on YouTube.

But here’s my thoughts on some of the points in the event.

Firstly Lenne Hardt, Sorry I still don’t get the crazy Pride lady, can’t stand that noise and if you were depending upon here to name the fighters you would have no idea. I know the Asians love her, but I have no idea why. ONE FC does not have to follow, it has to innovate. Mark Richmond does a perfectly good job. Although personally I think the twosome who did the recent Malaysian Fighting Championship would do a better job or of course the number one MC in Asia, Jonathan Nutt over at DARE, but he’s hardly ONE FC material, too much of an individual.

The undercard was much more exciting than I expected even though all but one of the fights finished in the first round.

I have to confess I was pleased to see Yodsanan Sityodtong lose, in his last showing at ONE FC he fought a hopelessly outclassed Daniel Mashamaite to record an easy win when Mashamaite did a suspiciously Bob Tap Sapp esque dive to the ground.  

Jiang Long Yun did not read his part in the script and shut the Evolve fans up early. I have to state right here and now the whole Evolve connection with ONE FC is over the top. The fighters come to the cage with half the crowd in tow, it’s wrong and unnecessary. Why does the Evolve team seem to have 30-40 people in that area when most other fighters teams had 3 or 4? And of course a massive part of the audience is made up of Evolve shirt wearing fans which mean all Evolve fighters start with a real ‘home’ advantage. Nothing against Sityodtong, I just want to see the little guy win.

I am always drawn to the under dog, the smaller guy and so therefore I was pleased to see first blood go to the ‘away’ team.

Maybe Jian Long Yun should get another fight at a ONE FC event in the near future, how about a rematch with CFC fighter Kian “Karange” Pham, that would be a great match-up, they last met at Martial Combat.

Major Overall Vs Quek Kim Hock was the only fight on the undercard to make round two and I have to say that although he lost Overall has no reason to be ashamed. He took the fight at really short notice, I saw him at DARE a couple of weeks ago and he had no idea he would be fighting. He had little time to prepare but put on a great show, ultimately coming up short but I am sure he will be back. He certainly deserves a second chance when he is fully prepared.

Nicole Chua soon put smiles on the Evolve fans faces again as she took out a disappointing Jeet Toshi, I was expecting much more from a 7 time Muay Thai champion.

Kevin Belingon was well and truly defeated by Imanari who during the introductory video said he would win with some form of leg lock. And then he did, just like that, Even though Belingon must have known it was coming he was unable to stop it, as Imanari faked beautifully to get the leg and then it was just a matter of time. I have to say, I want to see Imanari again at ONE FC, he looks to be a real puzzle that is going to be very hard for many fighters to solve.

The Main Card started with a match-up that I described before the event thus

“ONE FC – Jian Kai Chee Vs Eddie Ng

Chee (3-3)  Aha and this is where it all falls down for ONE FC, like various fights at the last event we start to scrape the barrel for some talent to please local fans with no real record at higher level – and the ONE FC website report on this fighter that claims “Chee’s ability to trade punches with the best in the game is well-known” is frankly ridiculous he has never been anywhere near the best in the game, he is a low level fighter reminiscent of those fighters who stunk up the Undercard at ONE FC’s last event.

Ng (4-1-0) Brit Ng is a superb young fighter and he won’t have any trouble with Chee.”

And of course I was right, this fight took less than the minute I told the people sat next to me it would take. It’s a shame for Chee he was badly advised, he has a future in MMA but should build up to fighting at this level, this will damage his career, he needs to build a decent winning record at the smaller events around Asia before trying to take on people of Ng's level.

It’s a shame Eddie Ng is a talented guy and deserves to fight better people than this, this makes him look like the bad guy, but he can only fight the people ONE FC put in front of him.

The next fight Yoshyuki Nakanishi Vs Melvin Manhoef was looking to be a cracking fight, Manhoef had come to fight and put on a show and they were both doing a great job. Sadly both fighters sustained fairly serious leg cuts, Manhoefs was probably five inches long and an inch wide, it was gruesome and fair play to him, he did not want to stop, he wanted to fight. A rematch please these two guys looked like they were going to have a great battle.

The fight of the night on my card: Laursen Vs Folayang was spoilt by a terrible split decision win to Laursen who looked like he had been beaten in the face with a frying pan. I have NO doubt that Folayang was a clear winner, clear! The crowds reaction when the result was announced would seem to show that a majority of the crowd felt the way I did, Sadly Jason Chambers is NO Joe Rogan and when talking to Laursen after the fight he never mentioned the fact that the crowd did not agree with him being the winner. From there it was fairly obvious that an immediate re-match would be offered. I am sure it wasn’t planned but it certainly felt like it had been afterwards. Folayang deserves a rematch he was robbed totally and completely.

So there you have it those were my main points. So what’s my overall feeling of the event?

It was excellent, yes there were some issues, there always will be at these type of events but considering this was only event number three, I think Victor Cui and his band of merry men and women have done a spectacular job. I left the event very pumped and looking forward to the next one in Kuala Lumpur, count me in! I just hope we can get rid of those final few mismatches and then ONE FC really will be well on the way to becoming Asia’s Most prestigious MMA Organisation.

but here’s the bottom line:

I was home in Johor Bahru just 1 hour 15 minutes after the event finished using public transport. It took me that long to leave the Sepang F1 Circuit and one hell of a lot longer to get anywhere. Thank good for Singapore.

And thank you to Victor Cui, I’m starting to believe!

ONE FC War of the Lions – All Fighters Made Weight

ONE FC War of the Lions – All Fighters Made Weight

Published on March 31, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

ONE FC War of the Lions – Ready For Action

Saturday Evening in Singapore and it’s Time for ONE FC War of the Lions. The good news is all the fighters made weight.Here’s the official press release from ONE FC.

30 March 2012 – Singapore: All fighters have made weight for ONE Fighting Championship War of the Lions. The torrential rain did not deter MMA fans who turned out in full force at Chevron House earlier today. The public not only got to meet and have their photos taken with the stunning ONE FC Ring Girls, they also witnessed the amazing lineup of elite MMA fighters from around Asia and the world at the official weigh-in event of ONE FC’s second show in Singapore.

After a series of intense stare downs in front of a massive crowd in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization is now full speed ahead for an epic showdown at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 31 March 2012. The event will be headlined by a battle between Felipe Enomoto from Japan and Zorobabel Moreira from Brazil.

ONE Fighting Championship War of the Lions also features a treat for Japanese MMA fans with an impressive line-up of DREAM and DEEP Champions. Thanks to the ONE FC Network and the partnership with DREAM, tomorrow’s fights will include phenomenal match-ups that feature DREAM superstar Tatsuya Kawajiri and DEEP Champions Masakazu Imanari, Yuya Shirai and Yoshiyuki Nakanishi.

A host of other international champions will also be featured in the event tomorrow. Melvin Manhoef, a K-1, DREAM and Strikeforce superstar from Holland, is one of the most feared strikers in the world. He will be facing DEEP Light Heavyweight Champion Yoshiyuki Nakanishi.

The most anticipated fights for Asian MMA fans would be the clash between Eduard Folayang and Ole Laursen, as well as the professional MMA debut of Singapore’s first female professional MMA fighter Nicole Chua. Nicole Chua will be competing against 7-time National Kickboxing Champion Jeet Toshi from India.

Tickets for the show in Singapore are on sale via www.SISTIC.com.sg. MMA fans from anywhere in the world* can catch the action via live streaming free-of-charge on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ONEFCmma.

Live streaming commences:

8:00 PM – Kuala Lumpur

1:00 PM – London

8:00 AM – New York City

5:00 AM – San Francisco

About ONE Fighting Championship

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting ChampionshipTM (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting ChampionshipTM hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting ChampionshipTM has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10 year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

Legend – Announce Long Term Agreement with Ustream

Legend – Announce Long Term Agreement with Ustream

Published on March 30, 2012 by The Editor in Legend, NEWS

LEGEND TO BROADCAST FIGHTS ON USTREAM

Well, todays the day – Legend 8  this evening at 7:00pm and Legend have announced  along term agreement with Ustream the leader in Live and Interactive Video Streaming of Events. Yet more good news for Asian Pacific MMA fans, you can now watch all these events at home. Here’s the Press Release.

Legend 8 to be first feature of long-term agreement

Hong Kong, 29 March 2012 (Thursday) – Legend Fighting Championship (Legend) today announced an agreement to broadcast its fights live on its Ustream channel (http://www.ustream.tv/LegendFC).

As part of the agreement with Ustream, Legend will broadcast future Asia-Pacific Mixed Martial Arts Championship events on a pay-per-view basis, beginning with Legend 8. The events will be available live worldwide except in North America. Legend’s North American fans can purchase Legend fights on pay-per-view on all major cable and satellite operators in the United States and Canada.

Legend 8 will take place Friday, March 30, at Asia-World Expo in Hong Kong. The undercard begins at 7:00 PM Hong Kong time (11:00 AM GMT) and will be available live to all users at no charge while the live main card will begin at 9:00 PM Hong Kong time (1:00 p.m. GMT) and is available on a pay-per-view basis.

“The agreement with Ustream is part of Legend’s effort to bring the best Asia-Pacific fights to MMA fans around the globe,” said Legend co-founder Chris Pollak. “This is a great opportunity for Legend and its fans now and in the future.”

“Considering Ustream’s reach of 54 million monthly viewers, as well as our deep history in providing live MMA coverage to fans around the world, we are excited to partner with Legend Fighting Championship to continue the tradition of offering top MMA programming,” said Wayne Sieve, Vice President of Content Partnerships at Ustream.

For additional details on the Legend 8 broadcast, including information on Legend’s 8pm ET Pay-Per-View in the United States, Canada, and TV partners in SE Asia, Oceana, China, please visit:www.legendfc.com/broadcast/

For media enquiries, please contact:

Edelman Public Relations

Daniel Simon Ivan Ng
Tel: +852 2837 4747 Tel: +852 2837 4713
Email: daniel.simon@edelman.com Email: ivan.ng@edelman.com

About Legend Fighting Championship
Legend Fighting Championship (Legend) is the Asia-Pacific championship of mixed martial arts (MMA).  Legend invites champion mixed martial artists from throughout the region to compete in a freestyle tournament using interdisciplinary skills, including sanda, jiujitsu, muay thai, boxing and wrestling. All Legend fights are supervised matches under a strict set of rules designed to promote athlete safety and sportsmanship.  Legend is committed to promoting the sport of mixed martial arts in the Asia-Pacific, to supporting and cultivating its athletes, and to providing exceptional entertainment to a broad audience.

Based in Hong Kong, Legend is backed by CA Media, the Asia-Pacific investment vehicle of the Chernin Group, and Diamond Ridge Ventures.

About Ustream
Ustream, Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming.  The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology, including: Facebook and Twitter social engagement tools, real-time chat and notifications, custom-designed channels, and embeddable features across multiple websites and platforms.  Users are also able to broadcast, view, and engage with others in real-time, directly from mobile phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs.  The company attracts millions of high-profile brands, celebrities, musicians, athletes, politicians, animal enthusiasts, and gamers. Ustream recently earned the Guinness World Record for the “Most Content-Ingested by an Online Video Service”.  For more information about Ustream, visit www.ustream.com and follow us on our socials: Twitter (@Ustream); Facebook (www.facebook.com/Ustream).

Legend 8 – The Weekend Starts Here

Legend 8 – The Weekend Starts Here

Published on March 29, 2012 by The Editor in Legend

Another Exciting MMA Weekend Begins with Legend 8

LEGEND 8 WEIGH-INS: 1:30 PM TODAY AT EPIC MMA CLUB

See the fighters make-weight and face off at EPIC MMA Club (1/F, Aon China Building, 29 Queen’s Road Central), a newly launched 15,000-square foot 5-star MMA facility with world-class trainers right in the heart of Central, Hong Kong.

Here  is where the mind games and preparation really ramp it up as the fighters face off. And you can be there.

LEGEND 8: MARCH 30 AT ASIAWORLD-EXPO IN HONG KONG

Jadamba defends the Legend Lightweight Title against Nam Yui Chul, and Yusuke Kawanago takes on Ji Xian for the Legend Featherweight Title. Limited tickets still available atwww.hkticketing.com.

The Main Event is: Jadamba Narantungalag who is Legend FC Lightweight Champion Vs Nam Yui Chul.

Narantungalag is 7-2 but that’s not the whole story because those loses were his first two fights since then it’s been winning all the way. It’s nearly five years since he tasted defeat. His championship win was against Adrian Pang at Legend 6 and was a Split Decision. Pang is a bit of a split decision king with 6 in his last 8 fights which shows how durable he is. This shows the quality of Narantungalag as a fighter.

But Chul is no push over at 13-3-1 he is a tough and back in 2010 he also fought Adrian Pang and he managed a draw, but since then he has won four out of five fights. What this fight is, is potential dynamite. I mean this fight is a genuine main event with two of the Asia Pacifics finest fighters.

This is going to be the biggest and best fight of the weekend at any Asian MMA event – The rest of the card is packed full of great fights as well. So get your tickets or watch on-line. What ever you do, don’t miss it.

LEGEND 8 AVAILABLE ONLINE

In addition to their regular ten-country broadcast, the Legend 8 preliminary fights will be available LIVE and FREE worldwide onYouTube (excluding Hong Kong), and the main card fights will be available on USTREAM (excluding North America). So no excuses you can watch the fights almost everywhere.

The guys at Legend have been quietly and diligently providing you with top quality events and battling vicious attempts to undermine their reputation. But, they are fighters and have shrugged off those pathetic actions from people jealous of their achievements and have they have done it with class. It’s a shame the same cannot be said of the haters.

So, please support the guys at Legend they always produce the goods, maybe they don’t make as much noise as some others but the quality is always there and THAT is what matters.

The ONE FC Bandwagon Rolls On With Uppercut Energy Drink

The ONE FC Bandwagon Rolls On With Uppercut Energy Drink

Published on March 29, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

UPPERCUT ENERGY DRINK Set to Break into Asian Marketwith ONE FC

It would seem that ONE FC are on a roll at the moment with press release after press release announcing new partnership deals, Brands are starting to realise the  benefits of being associated with MMA and ONE FC – This is great news for the sport in the Asia Pacific Area – Anyway enough from me here’s the official press release.

28 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) has signed an exclusive partnership with UPPERCUT ENERGY DRINK® to be the official drink for ONE Fighting Championship™. Set to make its debut into the Asian market at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 31 March 2012, UPPERCUT® is an innovative energy drink brand from Australia formulated specially with combat fight training in mind. Featuring a refreshing crisp berry flavor with an extra hit of ginseng to give it a powerful punch, UPPERCUT® provides the perfect energy boost before a big fight or a big night out. This partnership between the two brands represents the perfect synergy for champions.

CEO of Uppercut Energy Group Pete McLean said, “UPPERCUT® is more than just an energy drink. We are a fight brand that is dedicated to delivering the best. The drink is created for those who like to train hard and play harder. Our brand is all about promoting and supporting all combat sports and the fans of ONE FC are precisely the kind of target audience we want to reach out to. ONE Fighting Championship™ is Asia’s largest MMA organization hosting world class events. We see this partnership as the perfect opportunity to introduce our brand to Asia and we are very proud to be working with ONE FC.”

CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui said, “ONE FC takes pride in working with only the best and to be associated with brand partners that we truly believe in. UPPERCUT ENERGY DRINK® tastes fantastic, looks awesome and just like MMA, is about to explode in Asia. I am excited to have them on board as a partner.”

Tickets for the show in Singapore are on sale via www.SISTIC.com.sg. MMA fans from anywhere in the world* can catch the action via live streaming free-of-charge on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ONEFCmma.

Live streaming commences:

8:00 PM – Kuala Lumpur

1:00 PM – London

8:00 AM – New York City

5:00 AM – San Francisco

* Free live streaming is geo-blocked in Singapore and Japan.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

PODCAST EP39 Bashir Ahmad from PAKfight Club

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PODCAST EP39 Bashir Ahmad from PAKfight Club

Published on March 28, 2012 by The Editor in PAKfight Club, PODCAST

Bashir Ahmad our Man in Pakistan talks about the Pakistan MMA Scene and much more

Welcome to Ep39

Todays special guest is a friend of the show Bashir Ahmad from Lahore, Pakistan. PAKMMA and PAKfight Club.

We discuss the latest upcoming PAKfight club event, discuss the general scene around his part of Asia and of course talk about Super Fight League and ONE FC.

PAKfight Club next event April 14th 2012 – 7:00pm – 10:00pm at Punjab Stadium, Lahore and also features the band Takatak

Please give the show a listen Bash is a very articulate and passionate MMA guy.

You can find PAKfight Club HERE

Or on Facebook HERE

You can hear the podcast on the player on this page or subscribe on  iTunes and other devices.  Or best of all you can hear our show on Stitcher SmartRadio,  Stitcher allows you to listen to your favorite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond.

On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at Stitcher.com or in the app stores.  Stitcher SmartRadio- The Smarter Way to listen to radio

Our Intro Music is by Stratovarius and you can get at at iTunes HERE or via the Amazon link on the right of this page

Intro and Outro commentary kindly provided by ’The Brooklyn Monk’ Antonio Graceffo

Our outro music as always is Gods from the band - The Deering. Check out this track and many more at their website.

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Super Fight League – Part Deux – SFL 2 Chandigarh

Super Fight League – Part Deux – SFL 2 Chandigarh

Published on March 28, 2012 by The Editor in Super Fight League

SFL 2 The Super Fight Leagues Second Event Is Almost Here

It’s funny with Legend 8 and even more so ONE FC 3 (War of the Lions) due to have their shows this weekend very little has been heard from the people behind the Super Fight league, who has SFL 2 next weekend. So, we better start the buzz.

Now what ever you felt about the first event nobody can deny that the SFL is an interesting idea playing to a potentially massive audience if only they can turn them on to it. The world view was mixed personally I think Bob ‘Tap’ Sapp aside it was alright. I like the fact they want to promote local fighters, after all isn’t that the idea of a regional MMA organisation. It will take a while to create their own big names and stars. It doesn’t matter what American MMA fans think – India is a much bigger market and if SFL can own that well, watch out!

Let’s look at the card for SFL 2 – April 7th Chandigrah @ T-Box Mobile Arena

Neil Grove (11-5-1) Vs Todd Duffee (6-2-0) 

Grove is a significantly older Brit who has appeared in both the UFC and more recently Bellator so he is a used to high level fights – It could be argued that in their second event SFL are putting on a bigger fight than ONE FC – Two ex UFC fighters is quite a coup. Grove is on a two fight losing streak

Duffee the big American is an ex UFC fighter and although he is also on a two fight losing streak, although losing to Mike Russow and Alistair Overeem is nothing to be ashamed of. Although that Overeem fight was a 19 second knock out and he has not fought since that day back in Dec 2010 – So, is his heart still in it, I guess we will find out, If it is, he should prove tp be the stronger man.

Paul Kelly (12-4-0)  Vs Ryan Healy (19-10-1) 

Kelly is another Brit ex UFC fighter and as his last fight for them was only a year ago when he was defeated by Donald Cerrone he must be hoping to get another chance, after all his record at UFC is a winning one 5-4.

Healy from America came close but never featured in a UFC event but did fight at both WEC and Strikeforce. While nobody should doubt his quality you have to see Kelly as the likely winner in what should be a good fight.

Chaitanya Gavali (1-0-0) Vs Ishan Abeyrathna (no record)

Gavali (India) was a winner at SFL 1 and he is rewarded with another fight against a Sri Lankan (The Sri Lankans seem to be in the role of lambs to slaughter to keep the home crowd happy).

Bharay Kandare  (India) (no record) Vs Soro Ismael (Ivory Coast) (no record) 

Alexander Shlemenko (Russia) (44-7) Vs Ikuisa Minowa (Japan) (53-33-8)

That Shlemenko has 51 professional fights at the age of just 27 is amazing and that record is exceptional. He is coming into the event on a seven fight winning streak and he has had a lot of success at Bellator Fighting Championship.

Minowa also has an amazing number of pro fights but not such a good win to fight ratio. But he is well-known and well liked in Asia and his recent record is solid with just one loss in the last seven.

This promises to be a great fight and the people at ONE FC must be wondering how come they didn’t get these guys.

Anup Kumar (no record) Vs Asiri Pathirana (no record)

Ricky “Ranjit” Singh (no record) (India) Vs Salika Senanyake (no record) (Sri-Lanka) 

Bethany Marshall (4-0) (USA) Vs Sanja Sucevic (3-1-0) (Serbia) 

Sanja Sucevic was in SFL 1 and came home a winner, that ladies fight also was probably the best fight of the night and I am sure people were surprised by their technique. So seeing Sucevic take on Marshall promises more great exposure for women’s MMA in Asia and again a great fight is promised.

——-

So, there you have it a mixture of local fighters who you never heard of and some names that I am sure ONE FC would be happy to have on their card.

So, the quality on the night might sway from one level to the next but come on some of these fights are going to be top quality entertainment and as a bonus there is no Bob ‘Tap’ Sapp.

There were a lot of comments both positive and negative after the first event, but people this event is available for free on YouTube and it features some fighters who would not be out-of-place on any card in Asia and some that could possibly demand headline status.

Oh and there’s also a great pre-fight show of well-known local music acts.

As they say on their website – Get ready for Sportatainment

ONE FC are at it Again, this time it’s with Carl’s Jnr

ONE FC are at it Again, this time it’s with Carl’s Jnr

Published on March 27, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

American Restaurant Giant Carl’s Jr® to be Official Food and Beverage Partner at ONE Fighting Championship™

Here we go again, ONE FC are busy boys and girls this week and this is one for me – Crl’s Jnr’s Cheesy Chilli Fries will do me just fine! Anyway here’s the official press release: 

27 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) is proud to announce that Carl’s Jr® will be the official food and beverage sponsor for ONE FC. Leading American quick service hamburger chain Carl’s Jr®,known for its quality and variety of great tasting food, has provided Southeast Asian restaurant goers with fresh to-order great-tasting burgers and sandwiches since 2005.

Mr Calvin Tan, CEO of Carl’s Jr® Singapore said, “Since ONE FC’s inaugural event in September last year, ONE FC has grown to be the biggest Asian MMA promotion worldwide. By bringing top-class match-ups between some of the most renowned fighters to the fans, it’s easy to see how ONE FC is committed to being big on action. Similarly, with a history of serving up big, decadent burgers, Carl’s Jr® is known worldwide for packing a punch where taste is concerned. As such, we firmly believe that this partnership will amplify both our interests in providing satisfaction to the legions of MMA and burger aficionados in Southeast Asia.”

Mr Victor Cui, CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ said, “I am extremely proud to announce this partnership with Carl’s Jr®. Go big or go home right? Carl’s Jr® is one of the world’s most successful restaurant chains and I look forward to welcoming the brand to our list of prestigious partners for ONE Fighting Championship™. This is going to be epic!”

ONE Fighting Championship™: War of the Lions takes place on 31 March at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Tickets for the show in Singapore are on sale via www.SISTIC.com.sg. MMA fans from anywhere in the world* can catch the action via live streaming free-of-charge on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ONEFCmma.

Live streaming commences:

8:00 PM – Kuala Lumpur

1:00 PM – London

8:00 AM – New York City

5:00 AM – San Francisco

* Free live streaming is geo-blocked in Singapore and Japan.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

Building Up For Legend 8 and ONE FC 3

Building Up For Legend 8 and ONE FC 3

Published on March 27, 2012 by The Editor in Legend, ONEFC

ONE FC and Legend Battle It Out Again

It seems just a few weeks ago that these two were fighting for you PPV money and indeed it was. Legend 7 held in Macau again was a great success and ONE FC were breaking into Indonesia as Jakarta was home to their show with some 4000+ fans enjoying a great Main Card (with one exception). Anybody who doubts the great strides being made in Asian MMA could consider this, ONE FC and Legend will battle for our attention again from their home bases. Legend on Friday the 30th in Hong Kong and ONE FC on Saturday 31st from Singapore.

Both organisations are offering very exciting cards so let’s have a look at them, working backwards from the Main Event.

Legend first, as well, their show is due first:

Legend Fighting Championship 8 – 30th March 2012 Prelims at 7:00pm (Hong Kong Time) and Main Card at 9:00pm.

Show to be held at Asia World-Expo.

The Main Event is: Jadamba Narantungalag who is Legend FC Lightweight Champion Vs Nam Yui Chul.

Narantungalag is 7-2 but that’s not the whole story because those loses were his first two fights since then it’s been winning all the way. It’s nearly five years since he tasted defeat. His championship win was against Adrian Pang at Legend 6 and was a Split Decision. Pang is a bit of a split decision king with 6 in his last 8 fights which shows how durable he is. This shows the quality of Narantungalag as a fighter.

But Chul is no push over at 13-3-1 he is a tough and back in 2010 he also fought Adrian Pang and he managed a draw, but since then he has won four out of five fights. What this fight is, is potential dynamite. I mean this fight is a genuine main event with two of the Asia Pacifics finest fighters.

So to ONE FC – 31st March Singapore Indoor Stadium – Start 7:30pm

and their Main Event is:

Felipe Enomoto Vs Zorobabel Moreira

Enomoto is 6-3 and coming off  of a win against what I would dare to suggest may not have been a fully fit Ole Laursen. Before that fight had lost two.

Moreirais 5-1 and is on a three fight winning streak.

While this is a good match up and might produce a good battle, as a fight by fight comparison I will pick the Legend fight here.

Next Legend match is Ji Xian Vs  Yusuke Kawanago This is for the Legend Featherweight Championship.

Xian is a very solid 4-0 and his last win was over URCC veteren Leonard Delarmino.

Japanese Kawango is at 11-3-1, however his recent record is slightly shaky with 1-2-1  however his last two fights both went to decision

I think though a tough test Xian will continue moving forward.

ONE FC’s Next Fight is Tatsuya Kawajiri Vs Donald Sanchez

Kawajiri (30-7-2) has done really well in the Japanese K1 and Dream fields but his first step outside into Strikeforce went the way of so many Japanese fighters who cross the pond and he got his ass kicked by Gilbert Melendez falling to a TKO in 3:14 of round 1. However this is ONE FC and there is no doubt that at this level he is an exceptional fighter. His last three fights all under the Dream banner were wins.

Sanchez (25-12) Sanchez is a King of the Cage (KOTC) veteren and has an exceptional record in that organisation. His one attempt in the Shooto organisation though was not so powerful.

So on paper this should be a close and potentially explosive fight. Although the reality is Kawajiri has been fighting at a higher level and I would expect him to win.

I think for this fight ONE FC take it.

Third Fight: Legend – Yuki Niimura vs Sam Brown

Niimura (3-0) has blown through his firth three fights at DEEP none going beyond the first round and he will pose a real threat to plenty of people.

Brown (10-4-1) is an experienced fighter with one Legend Victory to his name, however I think Niimura will prove to strong for him. Brown of course is much more used to fighting so his experience could tell, but I say not this time.

ONE FC – Ole Laursen Vs Eduard Folayang

Laursen (5-3) is a very exciting fighter but he is coming back from a loss at the last ONE FC event and his record maybe says that he is about at the top end of his ability in ONE FC. He waltzed through ONE FC’s bastard half sister Martial Combat with a straight 5-0 record.

Folayang (11-1) is an exceptional fighter and I really don’t see that changing, Laursen is a tough guy but Folayang is an exceptional talent who must be a possible future UFC fighter, his win against A Sol Kwon was a proof of just how tough he is as he fought most of the fight with his nose spread over his face.

I am biased on this one because I really like to watch Folayang fight so must give this round to ONE FC.

Fourth Fight:  Legend – Kim Hoon Vs Keita Nakamura

Hoom (9-8-1 and 1 N/c) Vs Nakamura (22-5-2) – I just cannot see beyond Nakamura, Hoon is a real tough guy but he seems unable to build up a winning run of any note and is just too unpredictable to put your money on.

ONE FC – Yuya Shirai Vs Fabricio Monteiro

Shirai (22-10-1) a vastly experienced and successful fighter who only really fails at the higher levels

Monteiro (17-9) is another very experienced fighter and although is recent record is very poor (1-5) he does have the ability to create a shock. But he won’t Shirai will win this one.

Both fights will be good to watch but again I think ONE FC takes it.

Fifth Fight: Legend – Wu Haotian  Vs Daniel Hooker

Wu (5-1-1) Vs Hooker (5-3) should be a close fight but Wu is intent of moving forward and I think he should take this one.

ONE FC – Yoshiyuki Nakanishi Vs Melvin Manhoef

Nakanishi (11-2-0) is a DEEP veteren with a superb record whilst Manhoef (24-9-1) is coming off of the back of three losses  over a period of two years, whilst he is definitely no Bob ‘Tap’ Sapp it does feel like he may be here to be a big name scalp for Nakanishi.

I think this fight also goes to ONE FC.

Sixth Fight: Legend – Rob Hill Vs Yusuke Kasuya

Hill (9-5-1)  whilst no mug, is outclassed in this company and I do not expect Kasuya (6-0-1) to have too much trouble here.

ONE FC – Jian Kai Chee Vs Eddie Ng

Chee (3-3)  Aha and this is where it all falls down for ONE FC like various fights at the last event we start to scrape the barrel for some talent to please local fans with no real record at higher level – and the ONE FC website report on this fighter that claims “Chee’s ability to trade punches with the best in the game is well-known” is frankly ridiculous he has never been anywhere near the best in the game, he is a low level fighter reminiscent of those fighters who stunk up the Undercard at ONE FC’s last event.

Ng (4-1-0) Brit Ng is a superb young fighter and he won’t have any trouble with Chee.

Frankly both these fights are mismatches but the ONE FC fight stinks much more – Legend win this one.

Seventh Fight: Legend – Wu Chengjie Vs Leonard Delarnino

Wu (1-3) whilst he has a pretty smelly record his last two losses were both vis decision at earlier Legend events

Delarmin0 (3-2) is coming off of a two fight losing streak. While not the greatest fighters this at least has the makings of a solid fight.

ONE FC – Masakazu Imanari Vs Kevin Bellingon

Imanari (24-10-2) according to the ONE FC website “has brought some of the best fighters in MMA to their knees – quite literally – with his devastating heel hooks and toe holds.” of course this is the type of hype that ONE FC do that drives me crazy, Imanari has never been in a cage with any of the best fighters in MMA, maybe good fighters in Asian MMA! But he is a good level fighter in this company.

Bellingon (9-0-0) is a URCC, Legend and Martial Combat Veteren who is going to walk through Imanari

Legend has this one.

Ablasi (2-0) from Team Lakey which can only mean one thing, he will be tough to beat!

Batgerel (1-0) won his last Legend appearance by TKO in round 1 and will prove a tough test. I don’t know who will win this fight but it will be a great battle.

ONE FC – Jeet Toshi Vs Nicole Chua

Toshi (1-0) Vs Chua (no record) – This might be a fun bout but I am not convinced that either of these fighters will bring a high level of skill or competition.

Legend all the way.

Ninth Fight: Legend – Jo Nam Jin Vs Agustin Delarmino Jr.

Jo (7-3) is going to have his hands full with Delarmino (5-1)  - I predict a tough fight but I see the Filipino fighter taking it.

ONE FC – Quek Kim Hock Vs Major Overall

Hock (no record) Vs Overall (1-0) I saw Overall’s victory and frankly it was very impressive but it was one fight, he does look a supremely confident fighter and will put on a show as he does have ‘presence’.

You have to go with Legend here if only because both fighters are much more experienced.

Tenth Fight: Legend – Terence Chan Vs Alex Lee

Chan (no record) Vs Lee (0-1-0)

ONE FC – Jlang Long Yun Vs Yodsanan Sityodtong

Yun (3-1-1)  is no mug, he will provide a solid opponent to Sityodtong (1-0) Sityodong is basically untested as his one Win was against Daniel Mashiamite who has not covered himself in glory for a long time. But as Evolve are behind him you have to believe this fight has been carefully chosen to please the home crowd. Regardless I am going for Yun.

ONE FC take this fight.

Eleventh Fight – Legend – No Fight

ONE FC – Richie Whitson Vs Danny van Bergen

Whitson (11-2-0) Vs Bergben (10-10-3)

So of course that’s ONE FC’s

Total Scores:  ONE FC  6 Vs  Legend 5

But that’s not the whole story, what we have here is ONE FC flexing it’s muscles and learning more as it moves forward. there are less weak fights, less fighters who should not even be fighting in a cage at this level than previous events. They have a big advantage over Legend in the depth of  options for potential fighters as Legend only deals with fighters from Asia Pacific. ONE FC brings in fighters from all over the world. This ultimately will prove it’s biggest strength. In this fight ONE FC have the better main card but still lag behind Legend lower down the scale as they try to please home crowds with easy fights for the locals.

Legend continue to put on solid shows and are growing the local market, giving local fighters a great opportunity to fight at a good level.

ONE FC needs to shy away from featuring fighters who have done nothing to deserve to step up to that level. On this card they really only have one and that’s a great sign.

Of course it’s unfair to compare these two organisations, one is well know for making overly grandiose claims while the other plays a straight bat. But ONE FC have to be better than Legend if they wish to achieve their potential.

At the moment they are moving forward. BUT, I have heard rumours that one of the losing fighters at ONE FC 2 who should never have been in the cage will get a second chance, that, if it’s true is a terrible decision. It was two low level fighters and to actually find somebody the local guy can beat will ultimately lead to making ONE FC a laughing stock. Hopefully the rumour is not true. because ONE FC really is marching forward.

The best thing here of course is that Asian MMA fans have two great events they can watch this weekend.

And Victor Cui has kindly decided that ONE FC will have their whole event free on You Tube Live – That is a good deal!

(NOTE: the fight cards are taken from the organisations websites and hopefully are shown in the correct order if not well F- It why spoil a good idea with facts- and if that is the case well blame the organisations for being lazy)

It’s Yet Another ONE FC Press Release – Say Hello To True Fitness

It’s Yet Another ONE FC Press Release – Say Hello To True Fitness

Published on March 26, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

ONE Fighting Championship and True Fitness Form Partnership

They are going press release mad over at ONE FC towers – This must signal good times ahead for the ONE FC organisation as more and more businesses partnerships must mean more and more interest.

26 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) is excited to have signed a partnership with True Fitness. True Fitness is one of Asia’s largest fitness and wellness corporations offering its members state-of-the-art fitness facilities and a variety of classes ranging from core strengthening and yoga to high intensity body combat. True Fitness is at the forefront of developing the fitness experience for the Asian consumer. The partnership between True Fitness and ONE FC brings together two premium brands that represent fitness and athletic excellence.

CEO of the True Group Mr. Patrick Wee said, “True Fitness is a leader in the fitness and wellness industry, while ONE Fighting Championship™ is at the forefront of the Asian MMA industry. The target consumers that True Fitness reaches out to, understand the importance of health and fitness and are able to identify with the level of athleticism that ONE FC fighters possess. Our brand partnership brings together two industry leaders, and the potential of what can be achieved is immeasurable.”

CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ Mr. Victor Cui said, “True Fitness has a reputation as one of Asia’s leading fitness gyms. They are a premium fully state-of-the-art fitness facility gym brand and I am honored to have ONE FC working in partnership with them!”

Tickets for the show in Singapore are on sale via www.SISTIC.com.sg.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

ONE FC War of the Lions – For Free and Live on You Tube – NICE!

ONE FC War of the Lions – For Free and Live on You Tube – NICE!

Published on March 26, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

This is a very nice gesture for those who cannot be there – A new Press Release from ONE FC

ONE Fighting Championship™ set to broadcast ONE FC: War of the Lions for FREE on YouTube

26 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) is excited to announce that CEO Victor Cui has decided to extend a gift of appreciation to all MMA fans around the world by broadcasting the entire, star-studded fight card for ONE FC: War of the Lions on March 31 free-of-charge on the ONE FC YouTube Channel athttp://www.youtube.com/ONEFCmma

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™, Victor Cui said, “As a gift of appreciation to all MMA fans around the world, I have decided to make the broadcast of the entire fight card for ONE FC: War of the Lions on March 31 completely free-of-charge in HD quality on our YouTube Channel.  I want the world to see that Asian MMA is back bigger and better than ever!  ONE Fighting Championship is Asia’s largest MMA organization with the biggest pan-Asian media broadcast to a potential 500 million viewers across 24 countries.  We are here to lead the way in Asia!”

Victor Cui also added, “On this fight card, you will see some of the biggest stars and rising stars in Asia from most of the major Asian MMA organizations like ONE FC, DREAM, URCC, DEEP, etc as well as from the top Asian MMA gyms like Evolve MMA, Team Lakay, Team MAD, Juggernaut, Muayfit, etc.  Tatsuya Kawajiri, Eduard Folayang, Eddie Ng, Kevin Belingon, Zorobabel Moreira, Masakazu Imanari, Ole Laursen, Melvin Manhoef, Yuya Shirai, Yoshiyuki Nakanishi and the rest of the fighters on the card will set Asia on fire on March 31.  For this event, we are anticipating record attendance for ONE FC.  Several thousand tickets have already been sold for ONE FC: War of the Lions at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.  We are expecting a sold-out show.”

MMA fans from anywhere in the world* can catch the action via live streaming free-of-charge on YouTube athttp://www.youtube.com/ONEFCmma.

Live streaming commences:

8:00 PM – Kuala Lumpur

1:00 PM – London

8:00 AM – New York City

5:00 AM – San Francisco

* Free live streaming is geo-blocked in Singapore and Japan.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.

ONE FC and Sony Announce Partnership

ONE FC and Sony Announce Partnership

Published on March 26, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

ONE Fighting Championship and Sony Forge Partnership

 A press release from ONE FC today – More good news for the ONE FC organization

26 March 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) and Sony South East Asia (Sony), have formally signed a partnership for ONE Fighting Championship™. Sony South East Asia is responsible for the marketing, sales and service of consumer as well as broadcasting and professional products in Singapore. It also manages distribution and trading businesses from Singapore to various parts of Asia. ONE FC and Sony are brand leaders in their respective industries and this synergistic partnership will promote and foster further growth for both organizations.

Mr. Kengo Kurokawa, Head of Digital Imaging of Sony South East Asia said, “Sony has been a market leader for consumer electronics in Singapore for decades. We are a quality trusted brand and have a track record of working with partners who are trailblazers in their own industries. ONE Fighting Championship™ is precisely the kind of world class event that we want to be associated with and we are very excited over this opportunity.”

Mr. Victor Cui, CEO and Owner of ONE Fighting Championship™ said, “Signing a partnership with Sony is a phenomenal step forward for ONE FC. We are the largest MMA organization in Asia and now with our partnership with electronics giant Sony, the future definitely looks bright.”

The next ONE Fighting Championship™ event takes place on 31 March 2012 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Tickets for the show in Singapore are on sale via www.SISTIC.com.sg.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 24 countries in Asia.