ONE FC: Title-contenders and Prospects

ONE FC: Title-contenders and Prospects

Published on June 27, 2012 by The Coffee Boy in ONEFC

ONE FC: Title-contenders and Prospects

People are still buzzing over ONE FC 4: Destiny of Warriors, and rightfully so. It was an action-packed night full of knockouts, submissions, and excitement. It seems as though ONE FC won’t be stopping anytime soon, with their next event happening in the Philippines at the end of August. But what did we learn about the fighters that night?

First off, we learned that Renato Sobral still has it, even after being out of the cage since his lost to Dan Henderson back in December of 2010. Despite being knocked down early, he caught Mizuno in his guard and worked a beautiful armbar off his back, forcing the early submission.

Eventually ONE FC will have their own championship titles, and one can assume that Renato Sobral is very close to a title shot, maybe only one fight away. At 36, this is probably his last chance at a run at a title shot; and with a performance like that he is off to a good start.

We also learned that Zorobabel Moreira is by no means a chump – he picked Roger Huerta apart, a seasoned fighter of the sport, in the stand up game and was not only able to hold his own, but quickly tired out Huerta.

The soccer kick Zorobabel Moreira landed will be talked about for a long time. It is one of the more controversial issues of the night, but no one can deny it brought back memories of Pride.

With his win over Roger Huerta, Moreira’s record improves to 7 – 1. It’s easy to see that he could fight in either the lightweight or welterweight division, and be a force in the division. He probably isn’t that far away from a title shot either.

It would make some sense for Moreira to stay in the welterweight division, as his gym Evolve – highly considered one of the best in Asia by far – has Eddie Ng, Brian Choi, and Shinya Aoki in the lightweight division.

Adam Kayoom improved to 3 – 1 with his win over Brazilian prospect Gregor Gracie. While he probably isn’t as close to a title shot as some others on the card are, he certainly made a name for himself being able to hold his own off his back against Gracie, and absolutely dominated the standup game.

Eric Kelly maintained his unbeaten streak, improving to 7 – 0 with his closely contested fight against Bae Young Kwon. Kelly landed the cleaner, heavier strikes, and was still very active off his back despite being tossed around by the Judo expert.  He has established himself as a force in the featherweight division, and a title shot makes sense, seeing as he is the URCC Featherweight Champion right now.

Arnaud Lepont had probably the toughest fight he has had thus far against Brian Choi. From the moment the fight started, he went in for the kill and traded bombs with Choi before being taken down.

Off his back, Lepont was working for a kimura and at other point seemed to be looking to set up a guillotine choke. He was very busy off his back, but it looked as though Choi was going to walk away the victor.

In the third round, Lepont managed to come from behind and caught Choi in a deep rear naked choke, making it a spectacular comeback. His record improves to 9 – 1, winning four of his last six fights by submission.

Immediately after the fight he called out Shinya Aoki, and while the matchup seems unlikely, Lepont seems to really want this fight and it would certainly be a fight many fans would like to see. It would give Aoki a chance to avenge his teammates loss, and gives Lepont a chance to really make a name for himself.

Peter Davis and Mitch Chilson both walked away with quick wins, proving they are not in this short term. Peter Davis quickly took apart Kim Hock, winning by TKO in the first minute. Mitch Chilson submitted Malaysian prospect AJ Vaa by rear naked choke with almost no trouble at all.

The rankings of the fighters in ONE FC seem to be shaping up nicely, and you can expect title shots to be announced later this year, or early next year. Expect to hear the names of Zorobabel Moreira, Renato Sobral, Shinya Aoki, Eric Kelly, and Arnaud Lepont.

Malaysia’s Biggest Week Ever For MMA

Malaysia’s Biggest Week Ever For MMA

Published on June 19, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

Malaysia Prepares For Asian MMA’s Biggest Spotlight

This is the week many Malaysian MMA fans have been waiting for plus of course the hundreds I am sure who will cross the border from Singapore plus others from all over Asia.

This is ONE FC week in Malaysia as for the first time Asia’s biggest MMA organization are holding an event in KL and what an event.

An international cast of warriors including six from the spiritual home of MMA, Brazil. Some local boys and some locally based international fighters will be walking to the cage in front of a crowd that is estimated depending on your choice of media at anywhere from 8 – 12,000 fans.

And my recommendation is if you can get to KL and see it live do it.

Yes, it will be shown on TV in Malaysia at some time in the future but be aware that once the faceless jobsworths  at the Malaysian censorship office get their hands on it you will lose a lot of the action based upon what I witnessed last night on the Kix HD channel. They aired a Bellator event. The censors cut out decisive moments, it was like watching football and seeing the ball heading to the net and then the next thing you know the players are celebrating. You just have to guess what happened. Madness, you can watch all sorts of violence on a nightly basis on Malaysian TV but not during a sporting event seen world-wide.

Anyway back to the event:

Just a couple of years ago if Somebody had told you that Renato “Babalu” Sobral one of the MMA worlds biggest names and a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion and UFC veteran would be fighting in Kuala Lumpur you would have got laughed out of the pub. This is no Bob “Tap” Sapp farewell tour of shame. Sobral is still relevent, he has just finished working in Brazil as one of the coaching team at the Brazilian ”TUF” series and he is not fighting a “gimmie” his opponent Tatsuya Mizuno is no mug. He certainly does not have such an exciting list of opponents as Sobral but he is on a two fight win streak and to beat Sobral would do massive things for his career.

That’s the Main Event and as you can see it’s as good as any fight anywhere.

But lower down the card are some local guys who will be hoping to make a real noise and gather an army of local fans as they appear on the big stage.

Malaysian Fighter Adam Kayoom tackles one of the sports famous Gracie family in Gregor Gracie. Kayoom is regarded as one the best Malaysian fighters, He has won titles in multiple fighting styles and now is aiming to make a name in MMA. He has black belts in three different martial arts and he is ready to make a big splash. His opponent comes from MMA royalty but in his recent fight in a past ONE FC event against Seok Mo Kim he struggled for three rounds to finally get a Unanimous Points Decision win. Kayoom against the same opponent put it all to bed inside less than one round with an impressive win. This fight should be very exciting.

AJ Lias Mansor from the Borneo Tribal Squad team is going to under go a really tough test against the American Mitch Chilson from the famous Singaporean Evolve team. Chilson was picked apart in his last fight by Eric Kelly and will be desperate to prove that he is good enough to fight at this level. Mansor will have the local support and his social media utterances sound like those of a young man desperate to put the result of his last fight behind him and make a name for himself.

Also representing Malaysia will be Peter Davis who will be making his second appearance in the ONE FC cage when he tackles Juggernaut Fight Clubs (Singapore) Quek Kim Hock “The Hulk” – Davis will be desperate to put of a great show, his last fight for ONE FC was a victory but was not the most sparkling display. The word is he has been training hard for this one. However, the word from across the causeway is that The Hulk has all the tools to tackle Davis. So look out for an exciting battle.

This is a big week also for Malaysian MMA gyms Muayfit, Leverage MMA and Borneo Tribal Squad they will all gather major press attention this week that will help drive their businesses forward as their representatives go to battle.

 ONE FC Destiny of Warriors Stadium Negra, Kuala Lumpur. June 23rd 2012

First fight 8:00pm.

Catch the Action of ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors on Live Streaming!

Catch the Action of ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors on Live Streaming!

Published on June 18, 2012 by The Editor in ONEFC

Catch the Action ofONE Fighting Championship: Destiny of Warriors on Live Streaming!

15 June 2012 – Singapore: MMA fans from around the world can witness the action of ONE Fighting Championship™: Destiny of Warriors online via live streaming on www.onefc.com. The first four under card fights are available for viewing free of charge. The remaining six main card fights are now available for purchase on Pay-Per-View at just US$9.99. Catch real time excitement of Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) event as it all goes down on 23 June 2012 at the historic Stadium Negara in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

For the very first time, Malaysia will play host to world class MMA fighters from across the globe and the best in Asia including a Main Event match up between former Light Heavyweight World Champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral and DREAM Light Heavyweight GP finalist, Tatsuya Mizuno.

Another highly anticipated fight features Roger “El Matador” Huerta against one of the world’s most promising Lightweight prospects Zorobabel Moreira, who is fresh off a thrilling victory from ONE FC’s 31 March event where he submitted his Japanese opponent in the third round of the main event.

Other fighters battling it out in KL include dangerous leglock specialist Masakazu Imanari, BJJ World Champion Leandro Issa, URCC Featherweight Champion Eric Kelly, top ranked Korean featherweight Bae Young Kwon and a host of Asian and international superstars.

The first fight is scheduled to get underway at 8:00 PM Kuala Lumpur time (GMT + 8:00). Pay-Per-View will be available for purchase from 15 June 2012 onwards.

Live streaming commences:

8:00 PM – Singapore

1:00 PM – London

5:00 AM – San Francisco

8:00 AM – New York City

*Live streaming is Geo-blocked in Malaysia

Tickets for ONE Fighting Championship™: Destiny of Warriors are on sale now at www.AirAsiaRedTix.com. Tickets are priced at RM348 for VIP experience seating that includes exclusive Red Carpet entrance as well as access to the VIP lounge, followed by RM108 and RM48 respectively.

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 4 Main Card Breakdown: Renato Sobral vs Tatsuya Mizuno

ONE FC 4 Main Card Breakdown: Renato Sobral vs Tatsuya Mizuno

Published on June 18, 2012 by The Coffee Boy in ONEFC

ONE FC 4 Main Card Breakdown: Renato Sobral vs Tatsuya Mizuno

ONE FC has put together a super-stacked card, and their main event features none other than two veterans of the sport: Renato Sobral and Tatsuya Mizuno. Let’s take a quick look at what these two are bringing to their epic clash.

Renato Sobral, the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and ex-UFC fighter will make his debut with the promotion, and promises to bring a memorable fight. He has a record of 36 – 9, making him one of the more seasoned fighters signed to ONE FC.

With a decorated background in wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he has faced and defeated fan-favorites such as Robbie Lawler, Bobby Southworth, Jeremy Horn, and current No. 1 middleweight contender in the UFC, Chael Sonnen.

He is known for his grinding-style of fighting, excellent ground skills, slick Muay Thai striking, and persistence. Even at 36, Sobral doesn’t seem to be slowing down much, and will prove to be a lot for many fighters to handle.

Standing in his way is none other than Tatsuya Mizuno, the Japanese light heavyweight terror who is a Dream Light Heavyweight Grand Prix finalist, will also be making his debut at ONE FC. He holds a record of 11 – 7, and only one of his fights have gone the distance.

A 3rd degree black belt in Judo and training out of Japan, he has beaten respected fighters such as Trevor Prangley, Melvin Manhoef, and Yoshiyuki Nakanishi, finishing all three opponents in the first round.

Best known for his fierce style of striking and solid Judo skills, he poses a threat to anyone in almost any background simply due to the versatility which Mizuno possesses.

Both fighters need to make a serious impact here – Sobral lost his last fight to Dan Henderson (and in effect, lost his Strikeforce title), and Mizuno’s last opponent wasn’t anyone spectacular, and submitted him easily.

Mizuno is the bulkier of the two fighters, but Sobral is in better shape and has shown to have a decent gas tank in him. Their heights are identical, and their reach isn’t too far apart. This fight boils down to pure skill and solid game-planning.

In the standup game, I believe Mizuno has a slight advantage, and he certainly has the heavier hands and has the ability to knock out opponents with either his punches or knees. That said, Sobral has seen it all, having fought 45 professional mixed martial arts fights, and he does stand a good chance at landing some fair shots.

The ground game, however, I see a significant advantage in favor of Sobral. With 18 submission victories, no one should ever write him off. He is good both in the top position and off his back, demonstrating the latter against Chael Sonnen back at UFC 55.

For Renato Sobral to win, his best chance is to stay on the outside, and land quick, heavy strikes to score points and put on some damage. At some point he could take it to the ground, and work his superior ground game there.

Tatsuya Mizuno has an uphill battle against Sobral. The best way for him to win, I believe, is through boxing, and getting into the clinch game, landing strikes in there. At any point in time in the clinch, he could do a hip-toss and land some ground and pound.

The Coffee Boy’s prediction: Renato Sobral has a lot to prove and a lot more to lose, considering his resume and decorated background. This could be advantageous to some, and disastrous for others. In this case, I think Renato Sobral will be able to effectively land solid strikes, and pull off a TKO victory sometime in the 2nd round.

ONE Week To Go – Destiny Of Warriors ONE FC – What Can Fans Expect?

ONE Week To Go – Destiny Of Warriors ONE FC – What Can Fans Expect?

Published on June 10, 2012 by The Coffee Boy in ONEFC, Opinion

ONE FC 4 – What Can Fans Expect? 

         ONE FC 4: Destiny of Warriors will be the biggest mixed martial arts event to have ever been held in Malaysia, and they are certainly not holding anything back. What can fans expect of this pivotal moment to come in Asian MMA history?

         For starters, the card is stacked with seasoned fighters such as Roger Huerta, Renato Sobral and Masakazu Imanari, and a bunch of up-and-coming MMA talent such as Arnaud Lepont, Kim Hock, Adam Kayoom, and Eric Kelly.

         The matchups in the past few events have been somewhat suspect, and of course ONE FC brought on Bob Sapp that one time (and it was a total joke of a fight), but things have gotten better, and ONE FCseem to be really working hard to prove themselves worthy of the unofficial title “UFC of Asian MMA”.

         How good are the match ups, you ask? Well this time around, records of fighters seem to have been more closely examined, as well as their perceived level of talent. The good match ups include Eric Kelly (URCC Featherweight Champion) against Bae Young Kwon, Mitch Chilson against AJ Pyro, and Renato Sobral against Tatsuya Mizuno, just to name a few.

         Fans can expect a bunch of slick grappling fests, lightning-fast striking, and a whole lot of heart-racing excitement. Expect adrenaline-rushing fights from Arnaud Lepont against Brian Choi, and Roger Huerta against Zorobabel Moreira. Expect slugfest fights from Peter Davis against Kim Hock, and Eric Kelly against Bae Young Kwon.

         So besides big names and great match-ups, what else does ONE FC 4 offer? These fights will make the picture a little more clearer in terms of how the fighters are ranked.

         It’s no secret that Roger Huerta wants to make a big impact at his ONE FC 4 debut. He is currently riding a three-fight losing streak, and with his talent here in Asia, he could make a case very soon to be a top contender for ONE FC’s welterweight championship. Before that though, he’ll have to get through the ever evolving martial artist in Zorobabel Moreira, who’s recent tear at ONE FC has been nothing short of impressive.

         Eric Kelly will also look to be making an impact at ONE FC 4.He hasn’t fought since September of 2011, back at ONE FC’s inaugural event where he absolutely dominated Evolve’s Mitch Chilson, and rumors are spreading that ties between him and the URCC are strained. ONE FC is Eric Kelly’s chance to prove he is a worthy champion, and that he can hang with the best of the Asian featherweights. Before he gets ahead of himself though, he needs to get past well-rounded Bae Young Kwon, an up-and-coming Korean mixed martial artist.

         And of course we have Arnaud Lepont, a French fighter representing Muayfit in Malaysia, who will be facing Brian Choi of Evolve in Singapore. Lepont is dropping down to the lightweight division, and will be making his debut for ONE FC. His last fight at DARE once again proved that even under tons of pressure, he manages to find the win. He is in one of the toughest divisions in ONE FC, which sports the likes of Ole Laursen, Felipe Enomoto, Eduard Folayang, and Zorobabel Moreira, so this fight against Choi will tell us where he stands in the division. Make no mistake though – Choi is fighting out of one of the best MMA gyms in Asia, and will present a lot of different problems for the French fighter.

         All in all, ONE FC 4 looks to be their best event, at least on paper. The match ups are riveting, the hype seems to have no limit, and ONE FC looks unstoppable at this point. Expect fireworks on June 23rd in Malaysia.