Wazzup Pilipinas!
The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held a press conference and face-off ahead of ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS. The press event took place on 14 May at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
In addition to intense face-offs between athletes competing on Friday night, ONE Championship also took the time to further announce their partnership with Grab Singapore, as well as the launch of its new ONE Championship mobile app, available for download on both Android and iOS platforms.
The new ONE Championship mobile app aims to provide millions of martial arts fans around the world with access to every ONE Championship live event, as well as the complete library of digital content -- all free. Content will stream in Full HD and will also provide users with statistical information and a detailed background on their favorite ONE Championship superstars.
In attendance at the press conference were Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship Chatri Sityodtong, reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, her opponent Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, ONE Featherweight & Lightweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, his opponent Christian “The Warrior” Lee, Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, his opponent Sergio “Samurai” Wielzen, and Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex.
Ticket information for ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS is available at www.onefc.com.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “It is my honor and my pleasure to see some of the greatest martial artists on the planet compete in ONE Championship. The thing that makes ONE Championship different from any other organization in the world, is that we want to build and unleash martial arts superheroes to ignite the world with inspiration, hope, dreams, strength, and courage. Our heroes are role models not only in the cage, but also outside the cage. On Friday, we are one with Singapore in celebrating the beauty of martial arts as we have prepared the very best match lineup for the delight of our Singaporean audience and the rest of the world. This historic event will be seen around the globe as it will be aired by the biggest television networks across Asia and the world. It will also be available for free through the ONE Super App. Witnessing a great display of martial arts action is now at your fingertips.”
Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated: “Coming back to Singapore ready to defend my title, it’s a familiar feeling. At the same time, it feels new to me, after everything. It’s like a new beginning. I am excited to put in the best performance of my life and remind the world who I am as a fighter, as a martial artist, and as a world champion. I have missed the competition, the lights, the spectacle, and everything that comes with it. I live for this.”
Mei Yamaguchi, ONE Athlete, stated: “Two years ago, Angela and myself put on a tremendous show for fans in Singapore, and we’re ready to do it again. I respect Angela as an athlete and as a person, but I’m ready to give this bout my all. I am not the same martial artist as I was two years ago. I’ve made some key improvements to my game and I am excited to show everyone what I have worked so hard for.”
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, ONE Athlete, stated: “Competing in front of a packed arena, to an audience of millions around the world -- it was such a surreal experience for me the first time I stepped into the ONE Championship cage. I can still remember the feeling like it was yesterday. Thank you ONE Championship for the opportunity to compete for the world title, I am truly honored and will make everyone proud.”
Sergio Wielzen, ONE Athlete, stated: “Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is a legend in Muay Thai, and it is such an honor for me to be competing against him. I have so much respect for what he has done and what he has accomplished. But once that cage door closes, I am only focused on one thing and that’s winning this bout. I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to get the victory and become the first ONE Super Series world champion.”
Martin Nguyen, ONE Featherweight & Lightweight World Champion, stated: “Christian is a good kid and he has come a long way, but it is my time now. This bout is going to end only one way, and that’s with him finishing me or me finishing him. We are both explosive and skilled, so I don’t see this bout going the distance. I will defend my featherweight belt and prove to the world once again that I am the best in this division.”
Christian Lee, ONE Athlete, stated: “All my life, all the hard work I have put into training, all the fights, they have all led me to this moment right here. I have waited long enough for this title shot, and I am prepared to leave it all inside the cage this Friday night. I have learned and improved a lot since our last match. Things will end differently this time around. Martin is a tremendous athlete and a noble warrior, but I am coming to take away the belt.”
Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex, ONE Athlete, stated: “I am thrilled for the opportunity to compete in the ONE Super Series. Throughout my career, I have seen many opponents and had so many experiences. Now I am ready to take this next step into my career and compete under a new beginning. This is a chance for me to showcase my skills to the world, and to show fans the beauty of Muay Thai.”
21-year-old “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore is considered one of ONE Championship’s most outstanding athletes. She captured the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship with an awe-inspiring victory over Mei Yamaguchi in 2016, and has since then defended the title successfully on two occasions. Lee’s beautiful combination of elite striking and grappling has proven to be a potent formula for success, as she has remained unbeaten in her career. In the most recent bout of an impressive run, Lee dominated top contender Istela Nunes, showcasing her wide array of skills. She is widely-considered on a global scale to be one of the biggest names actively competing in the sport. She is set to defend her title next against Yamaguchi in a rematch.
35-year-old Japanese martial arts veteran Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi is a female atomweight standout and a former ONE world title challenger from Tokyo. She is the DEEP Jewels Featherweight Champion, and owns seven submissions and two knockouts in her 28-bout professional career. In 2016, Yamaguchi challenged Angela Lee for the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship in an epic showdown that would later win multiple ‘Bout of the Year’ honors from international media publications. In her last outing, Yamaguchi thoroughly defeated Gina Iniong of the Philippines to win impressively by unanimous decision after three rounds. Yamaguchi is now set to take on champion Angela Lee in a highly-anticipated rematch.
34-year-old Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is a Muay Thai legend and multiple-time Lumpinee Stadium world champion who is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. As a Muay Thai practitioner, Sam-A owns a record of 364-46-9, and was known for his strong defense and counter offense. An instructor at Evolve in Singapore and a member of the prestigious Evolve Fight Team, Sam-A made his first ONE Championship appearance last January against Joseph Lasiri in the first-ever Muay Thai bout inside the ONE Championship cage. Sam-A is set to lock horns with Sergio Wielzen, whom he will compete against for the inaugural ONE Super Series Muay Thai Flyweight World Championship.
Lion Fight Muay Thai World Lightweight Champion, Sergio “Samurai” Wielzen of Suriname is a Dutch-based martial artist training out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. With a professional kickboxing record of 45-18-2, Wielzen has built a reputation as being an explosive striker with stunning knockout power. Despite being physically smaller than most of his opponents, Wielzen has won many of his bouts by knockout. He is also a former It’s Showtime 61MAX world champion. Wielzen is set to make his ONE Super Series debut opposite Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.
29-year-old Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen is one of the most highly-regarded martial arts champions in the world. With an impressive 10-2 professional record, which includes three submissions and seven knockouts, Nguyen’s all-around skill set allows him to perform at the highest level of competition. All of Nguyen’s wins have come by exciting finish. Last November, Nguyen scored a scintillating knockout victory over the Philippines’ Eduard Folayang to become the first man in the history of ONE Championship to hold two titles simultaneously in different weight divisions, reigning as both ONE Featherweight & Lightweight World Champion. In his last bout, Nguyen figured in a historic showdown with ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes in Bangkok. Nguyen now makes a quick turnaround however, jumping right back into action as he defends his featherweight title against Christian Lee.
19-year-old Christian “The Warrior” Lee, younger brother of reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, began his professional career on an absolute tear, railing off five straight victories by thrilling finish. He has impressed fans with his ability to seek out stoppage wins over top-caliber opponents featuring an exciting fan-friendly style. A former Pankration World Champion, Lee toppled Japanese veteran Kazunori Yokota in his most recent bout, winning via second-round guillotine choke to improve his record to 9-1. Riding an impressive four-bout winning streak with all four wins coming by finish, Lee is set to showcase his skills once more inside the ONE Championship cage. In his next bout, Lee has the chance to become a world champion when he challenges Martin Nguyen, the only man to ever defeat him, for the ONE Featherweight World Championship.
32-year-old Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex is one of the most recognizable names in the world of Muay Thai. Known by the moniker “The Boxing Computer” as a testament to his impeccable in-ring techniques, he has won numerous championships in his stellar kickboxing career, including the WBC Super Welterweight Muay Thai World Championship and the coveted Lumpinee Stadium World Championship. Yodsanklai will face Chris Ngimbi in his ONE Super Series debut.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
