Quotes from Athletes at One: Kingdom of Heroes Press Conference

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held a Press Conference for ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES in Bangkok, featuring participating athletes. The blockbuster event, which takes place 6 October at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand will host an incredible ensemble of world-class athletes. Photos of the press conference are available here.

Ticket information for ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES is available at www.onefc.com.

In the main event, The Ring Magazine and reigning WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai will defend his title against an opponent yet to be announced. Also in attendance were ONE athletes Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai, Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex, and Petchmorrakot Wor. Sangprapai.

Here’s what the athletes had to say ahead of ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES:

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai:

“I always love to compete and showcase my skills at home in Thailand, so I am thankful for ONE Championship for giving me this opportunity. History will be made on October 6. I was lucky enough to witness a ONE Championship event earlier this year and I was absolutely blown away by the level of production, the action and excitement that transpired in the Impact Arena. It was an amazing show for sure, and now I can be a part of that. Boxing is my passion and now it’s going to be an important part of ONE Championship. I can’t wait to defend my WBC Worldtitle this October. I will be working very hard to be able to retain my title. This is a new challenge, and I love challenges. I’m looking forward to defend my title in front of my home fans at the amazing ONE championship event."

Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai:

“As one of the top lightweights in the division, I feel very close to a title shot. I am working extremely hard to produce another stunning victory in my next bout, which will come against a legend in Shinya Aoki. It’s not going to be easy, and I will have to be in the best shape of my life to do it. But with hard work, we can achieve anything. I am not worried at all with his grappling, that’s a given. What I am focusing on is what I bring to the table, and before we hit the ground, we have to exchange with striking. I don’t want to make any predictions, but I know one thing is for sure. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige:

“I have been working very hard on improving my skills, especially in the striking department where I have a lot of work to do. But each day that goes by I become more and more confident in my skills. Working with the best martial arts athletes, training partners and coaches, I am blessed. I hope to be able to represent Thailand to the best of my ability in my next match. Fans can expect a brand new Rika Ishige when I step back into the cage.”

Nong-O Gaiyanghadao:

“When ONE Championship launched the ONE Super Series, a feeling of excitement quickly came over me. I was once again ready to showcase my skills and talent to the world. I look forward to competing against the absolute best the world of striking martial arts has to offer. After a great career in Muay Thai, I am moving on to bigger and greater challenges. The future is something that truly excites me and I crave the competition. My first experience in ONE Super Series was an unforgettable one. I look forward to performing in front of millions of people once again.”

Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex:

“They say I have done many things in the sport of Muay Thai, but I feel like I have much left to accomplish. I continue to work hard on my skills everyday. Joining ONE Super Series is an exciting new challenge for me and I feel renewed in my quest for greatness. Making my debut at the last event, it’s such an amazing experience and I can’t forget it. I want to get right back in there and do it all over again. I want to compete as many times as I can and make Thailand proud on the global stage of martial arts.”

Petchmorrakot Wor. Sangprapai:

“Seeing my peers in Muay Thai make their ONE Super Series debuts, it brings a sense of excitement to me. I am much more energized in training and I am working very hard so that when my time comes, I can also give a good performance. I can’t wait for October 6 and to be able to show the world that I still have a lot left in me. ONE Super Series also hosts the best in the world in striking, and I can’t wait to test my skills against them. This is a great new development in sports, and I want to prove that Thailand still has the best Muay Thai fighters and kickboxers.”

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Malaysia’s Shadow Cat Looks to Inspire More People Through Her Career

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan might just be the next young superstar in ONE Championship as she had a ton of hype behind her coming into her promotional debut at ONE: VISIONS OF VICTORY last March.

The 19-year-old native of Johor Bahru, Malaysia lived up to the billing with a submission victory over India’s Puja Tomar in front of a raucous crowd in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

While Radzuan comes from a Muay Thai background, she was looking to show off her ground skills as she repeatedly looked to drag Tomar to the ground and test her submission defense.

Radzuan nearly locked up an armbar on the mat in the second frame, but the Indian competitor refused to give up, forcing Radzuan to transition into a triangle choke.

As much as Tomar tried to ride out the submission, there was no escape this time. The end came at 2:23 into the second round, giving Radzuan her first win on the global stage of ONE Championship.

“I couldn’t even describe my emotion and the feeling when my name was announced as the winner of the bout. As a young martial artist, I just showcased what I am capable of on the global stage. The whole world was watching, and it’s definitely a dream come true,” she recalled.

As a young, vibrant female mixed martial arts competitor, Radzuan is breaking the mold and giving women of all ages a legitimate sporting role model to look up to.

Living in a conservative Muslim country like Malaysia, many people in her homeland believe that what she is doing is un-Islamic, and she should be taking on more traditional activities such as cooking and domestic interests.

Inspired by Ann Osman’s advocacy to erase the negative perception of women’s participation in combat sports, Radzuan believes that religious consciousness from certain people should not stop female mixed martial artists from pursuing their dreams.

“Being a mixed martial artist and being a Muslim as well shouldn’t hinder what I want to do or with achieving my goals or my ambition. We don’t believe religion should stop us. Islam teaches us to work hard,” said Radzuan, who also works as veterinary nurse.

Over the past decade, women’s mixed martial arts rose from relative obscurity to noticeable heights that many could not fathom in such a short span of time.

The once male-dominated sport has been infiltrated by women equipped with equal prowess to engage in high-testosterone action, at times even with more gusto than their male counterparts.

After years of being told that they “just weren’t good enough” and that there “wasn’t enough girls to form a legitimate bracket”, women are finally gracing the biggest platform of the mixed martial arts world.

“Some people even say I should just stay at home or do another job, but I ignore this kind of people. This is my passion. I believe it’s great because we are making a difference, especially in Malaysia,” she expressed.

“Now I see women who are interested in martial arts for self-defense purposes. It’s a great start,” Radzuan added.

As she continues to open eyes and introduces legions of already passionate enthusiasts to the burgeoning realm of Asian mixed martial arts, Radzuan seeks to exemplify the utmost confidence of a woman in ONE Championship.

“I just hope to inspire other women or even boys and girls to do what they want to do. Whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve as long as you put in the commitment and work hard,” she stated.

On a quest for greatness and to deliver a show-stealing performance, Radzuan returns to action on Friday, 13 July as she squares off with Indonesia’s Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER, which takes place at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Even though she is facing a more experienced competitor in her second ONE Championship outing, Radzuan is confident that she will walk away with her hand raised in triumph.

“I know she is a good fighter with a good background in martial arts. Plus, she is more experienced than me. But one important key to success is self-confidence. The trait has always been with me in this journey. I look at things optimistically,” she shared.

Radzuan stressed that she is proud to be among the youngest athletes representing Malaysia in ONE Championship.

“It’ll be just another day in the office for me. I’m super excited. I am definitely taking home the win in front of my hometown crowd,” she guaranteed.

​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. ​

Benildean filmmakers make it to FACINE 25

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Four capstone projects from the Digital Filmmaking program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) will vie for the Best Short Film at FACINE 25: The 25th Annual Filipino International Cine Festival from October 18 to 21 in San Francisco, California.

Among those which made it as finalist to FACINE's short film competition are "Caramel Child" by Kim Timan, "Rufyla" by Coleen Tanco, "Suerte" by Carlo Fajarda, and the documentary "Hope Spots" by Joseph Dominic Cruz.

"Caramel Child," co-written by Timan with Palanca awardee Lino Balmes, is a light drama about a Filipino-American girl Katherine Kaye Jones (Angelica Ulip), or Kakay, who tries her best to look for her absentee father. Kakay's curiosity is triggered by a regional science quiz bee poster and an American client (Savino Bellini) of her mother (Sue Prado). It won Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Performer and Best Musical Score (Marcus Santos and Joseph Salcedo) at Pelikultura: The CALABARZON Film Festival 2018. It also brought home the Best Screenplay award from De La Salle University’s Indie Un-film Festival 2017 and competed in the short film category of Cinema One Originals Festival last year.

In "Suerte," two student filmmakers are shooting a documentary about the drug trade within their city until it descends into a very dangerous obsession for them. As they go on along with their subjects, they slowly become characters in their own film, crossing the line between observer and creator. The film competed at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, 28th Singapore Int'l Filmfest and Taipei Film Festival in Taiwan.

In "Rufyla," a T'boli tribeswoman dances for a living and encounters a dramatic turn of events in pursuit of a better life for her family. The short film is a CineFilipino 2018 student category finalist.

"Hope Spots," a finalist in the documentary category of UP Cinema's Piling Obrang Vidyo, looks into the debut of women wrestlers in a fight sponsored by the Philippine Wresting Revolution. It zeroes in on the local professional wrestling scene, presenting the polarizing sport of pro wrestling through the lens of the homegrown promotions' first female talent.

The competition will open FACINE 25 on October 18 at the San Francisco Main Library and the SF Philippine Consulate. The winner will receive a $100 cash prize and certificate of recognition. Special citations will also be awarded in any category upon the jury's discretion.

Aside from the four Benildean student films, "Hulid" (Lie Together) by BenildeFilm program coordinator Jan Philippe Carpio also made it to the competition. The experimental narrative questions sexual pleasure, voyeurism, detachment and the paradox of public anonymity.

The selected films cover a wide range of format, genre, style and subject, with varying lengths of 45 minutes and less, both student and professional works, including notably films by non-Filipino filmmakers with the Filipino as subject.

"The finalists cover a wide range of genre, format, style and subject, all 45 minutes and less in length, both student and professional works, including notably films by non-Filipino filmmakers with the Filipino as subject," FACINE Director Mauro Feria Tumbocon Jr. said.

Meanwhile, nine full-length films will slug it out for the Best Film and other awards in the main competition from October 19 to 21 at the Roxie Theater, also in San Francisco. Vying for awards in the different categories are "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten" written by Jason Paul Laxamana and directed by Petersen Vargas; "Bomba" by Ralston Jover, "Kita Kita" by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo; "Meet Me in St. Gallen" by Irene Emma Villamor; "Melodrama / Random / Melbourne" by Matthew Victor Pastor; "Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha" by Mes de Guzman; "Pauwi Na" by Paolo Villaluna; "Tale of the Lost Boys" by Joselito Altarejos; and "Tu Pug Imatuy" written by Arnel Mutia Mardoquio and directed by Arbi Barbarona.

FACINE is organized by the Filipino Arts and Cinema International, a nonprofit media arts organization that aims to promote and develop Filipino cinema from the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora. It has organized the festival for the past 25 years.