Ben Askren Predicts an Easy Night Against Agilan Thani

Wazzup Pilipinas!

American mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Ben “Funky” Askren is set to make his much-awaited return to the ONE Championship cage on 26 May as he stakes his undefeated record and the coveted ONE Welterweight World Championship title against fellow unbeaten fighter Agilan “The Alligator” Thani of Malaysia.

Both men are scheduled to collide in the co-headliner of ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES, which takes place at the 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium.

When the champion known as “Funky” enters the sold-out showground for the scheduled five-round championship clash with Thani, it will have been over a year since he last made the walk to the cage.

However, his Malaysian opponent has competed three times since then and still has the enthusiasm and drive to seek improvements in his game every day at the tender age of 21.

Thani's rise in MMA after just a few years in the sport has been spectacular, but Askren believes there is nothing his foe can do that will prepare him for what is about to come.

"It does not matter what my opponent's strengths and weaknesses are, because at the end of the day, I have got the trump card. He cannot stop my wrestling, which he cannot, then he is going to be on his back, and he is going to get beaten up," he said.

Askren’s claim is not erroneous as he is highly regarded for his outstanding wrestling background that earned him two NCAA Division I national championship trophies and the privilege to represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In addition, Askren is universally recognized as one of the best welterweight in mixed martial arts (MMA) today and one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound.

The 32-year-old grappling expert from Milwaukee, Wisconsin holds an unblemished professional MMA record of 15-0 with four knockout victories and four submission wins.

“Usually, it is just not enough, and by usually, I mean it always is never enough,” Askren quipped.

Although Askren acknowledges Thani’s inspirational story of coming from Malaysia’s lower level development scene all the way to a ONE Championship title contest, he is confident of keeping the gold-plated strap around his waist and his unscathed win-loss MMA slate intact.

“He's young and he's coming up and he might be great someday, but I keep telling people May 26 is not going to be his day. May 26 is going to be a very tough day in the life of Agilan Thani,” he ended.

​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.

PHL’s Biggest Food Show Opens May 19-21 at WTCMM, PTTC

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IFEX Philippines rounds up over 700 int’l, local firms in a grand showcase of Asian flavors.
CITEM Executive Director Clayton Tugonon gives a thumbs-up on ground and roasted coffee ATOKAPE - 100% Benguet Arabica Coffee, one of the export products featured in IFEX Philippines. ATOKAPE is made from beans harvested by local farmers from the highlands of Benguet and Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food and ingredient show, welcomes every food buyers and enthusiast as it opens for its 11th edition on Friday, May 19, until May 21 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC).

IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest export-oriented food show and one of the official trade events of the 30th ASEAN Summit. It organized by the Department of Trade and Industry-Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions of (DTI-CITEM).

Under the theme “Taste ASEAN,” IFEX Philippines will gather over 700 international and local food companies to demonstrate new bonanza of Asian flavors, product offerings, and food innovations.

Celebrate What's Great at Philippines-Australia Friendship Day

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The Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines will mark the first official Philippines – Australia Friendship Day with an outdoor festival on Saturday, 20 May at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater. 

 “This is a celebration of the longstanding and close friendship between our two countries,” said Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely, “We have strong people-to-people links nurtured through educational and cultural exchanges. So I am very pleased that Australia Global Alumni are leading the celebration of the first PhilippinesAustralia Friendship Day.” 

Inspired by Australia’s lively outdoor lifestyle, the festival will feature a free film screening and concert, a food and fashion fair, kid’s games and a traditional Aussie sausage sizzle hosted by alumni and volunteers. The award-winning Australian family film Paper Planes will screen in the afternoon, followed by a fun paper plane making competition. 

To cap off the festival, Australian sax duo Half Sound with Erick Calilan and Tusa Montes, Indie Alternative band Oh! Flamingo and Filipino rock icons Razorback will perform. Festivalgoers will also enjoy a free shuttle service around Bonifacio High Street on Star 8 solar jeepneys. 

These green public utility vehicles feature innovative Australian technology that modernises the classic Filipino jeep. “I thank our Filipino friends and my fellow Australians for their warm support of last year’s celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations,” Ambassador Gorely said. 

 “One of the outcomes of that was a Presidential Proclamation declaring 22 May of each year as Philippines– Australia Friendship Day so we can celebrate what’s great between our two countries,” she added. The Philippines is one of Australia’s longest-standing bilateral relationships. While formal relations commenced with the opening of Australia’s first Consulate-General in Manila on 22 May 1946, links between the two countries date back to the 1800s, driven by trade and migration. 

Lasting ties were forged in the heat of battle when 4,000 Australian service personnel fought alongside Filipino and allied forces for the liberation of the Philippines in WWII. 

Today, Australia and the Philippines cooperate closely across a range of areas, including defence, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, education and development.Australia is the second largest source of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines, with AUD 83 million (PhP 2.8 million) in 2016-17 strategically deployed to support the Philippine roadmap for sustainable growth. “I invite everyone to join us in celebrating this inaugural friendship day,” said Ambassador Gorely. 

The Ambassador launched an online campaign to inspire people across the Philippines to join the celebration by sharing their stories of friendship using the official hashtag #AUPhWeAreMates and #FilAussieDay. For more information about the first Philippines–Australia Friendship Day celebration, visit www.philippines.embassy.gov.au, like Australia in the Philippines on Facebook and follow @AusAmbPH on Twitter.


Here’s the link to the pre-publicity video: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianEmbassyManila/videos/1347323208683873/