Kritsada Kongsrichai Embraces Being Different as He Breaks Out from Typical Thai Martial Arts Mold

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Unlike the other Thai combatants on the burgeoning world-class roster of ONE Championship, Kritsada “Dream Man” Kongsrichai was cut from a different cloth.

While the rest came from striking backgrounds, most prominently Muay Thai, the 26-year-old native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand has an extensive background as a wrestler.

Kongsrichai is a 13-time Thai wrestling champion who proudly owns an impressive 180-20 record in competition.

“I started out as a wrestler. Unlike some of the other Thai fighters in the sport or in this organization, I didn’t come from a Muay Thai background. It’s quite unusual, but as years passed by, I learned how to embrace it. I realized there are instances that it’s good to be different,” he explained.

Now as a professional mixed martial artist, his approach on his quest of reaching the sport’s summit will not be different as he always finds positives in any situation.

As a dedicated competitor with tons of confidence and humility, Kongsrichai always looks forward on improving and reinventing himself in the constantly-evolving sport of mixed martial arts.

Kongsrichai’s pursuit to prove that he belongs to the ONE Championship cage continues on 24 March in front of his countrymen as he squares off with a young and tough Filipino foe like Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan.

Both men are slated to lock horns on the undercard of ONE: IRON WILL, which takes place at the 12,000-seater Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Carrying a professional win-loss standing of 6-3 into his three-round strawweight encounter with Catalan, Kongsrichai stills sees a lot of work that needs to be done after winning two of his assignments in 2017.

Following his submission loss to former world title contender Joshua Pacio in August 2016, Kongsrichai redeemed himself by defeating Indonesian dynamo Adrian Matheis via rear-naked choke in the first round a year ago.

Nine months later, Kongsrichai made quick work of Robin’s brother Rabin Catalan by way of first-round technical knockout.

Although he aced his last two outings under the ONE Championship banner, Kongsrichai refuses to be complacent as he takes every match in his budding career as a lesson that will strengthen him as a martial artist.

"I'm a very positive person. I take each win and loss as a lesson to learn and to develop. We always go back to the drawing board to review and maximize everything that we can get from my previous fights. The best part of it is that I'm improving everyday," Kongsrichai said. “I’m looking forward to have a successful 2018.”

Under the tutelage of coaches Tommy Hayden and Ponlawat Maki along with the whole Thailand-headquartered Team Hunter crew, Kongsrichai is in deep training on upgrading his arsenal for his upcoming meeting with Catalan.

Kongsrichai did not mince words about his excitement on showcasing the reinvented version of himself on 24 March.

"They'll be seeing a different fighting beast on March 24th. I'm very excited on showing the upgraded Kritsada. My team will do everything to help me reach my martial arts dreams," Kongsrichai stated.

With the aim to be a more versatile competitor inside the cage, Kongsrichai revealed that he and his team are very focused on honing his stand-up game to complement his grappling pedigree.

“I want to be a complete martial arts package. I've been fighting and training since seven years old. To reach my goals and fulfill my dreams in life, you need to sacrifice and learn everything to succeed," he revealed. "I'm sharpening everything. I'm putting my Muay Thai and wrestling skills to the next level."

Kongsrichai is fully satisfied with the turnout of his training camp for his return to the ONE Championship cage as he expects a win-hungry opponent in Catalan at ONE: IRON WILL.

Catalan is aiming to place himself back on the winning track after falling short against Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke last December.

“He is a tough and hungry warrior. I know that he also wants to achieve his dreams in this sport, but on March 24, I will be the one to walk out as the winner. This will be a war, and I hope I can win this fight in front of my countrymen with another finish,” Kritsada cautioned.

Kongsrichai believes that a convincing win over Catalan will elevate him into the upper echelon of ONE Championship’s strawweight division.

"I have been dreaming of becoming a world champion since I was a kid, which was also the reason I got my moniker ‘Dream Man.’ Someday, I will be a champion. But my full focus is on my next opponent right now. A win in this fight will definitely improve my position in the division," 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.​

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami Calls for Support For Crucial Asian Cup Qualifier Match

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami calls for support for the upcoming matches of the national team, taking place on March 22 and March 27, 2018, to be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Azkals will see action on March 22 against Fiji, for an International Friendly Match, which will serve as a tune-up game for the crucial AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier match on March 27, 2018.

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami says, “This is an important match for the country, and the cards are not exactly stacked against us.  We are currently  on top of the table of Group F with 9 points.  We win or we draw, we will move forward and the country will be part of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time.” 

Palami continues, “We want the ‘12th man’ to be there in both the tune-up game and the Asian Cup qualifier match.  This sport deserves all the support it can get, as we have already gone far, since 2010, when I took over as Team Manager of Azkals.”

“We should also be proud of our national team players who are doing well internationally in their various clubs.  Such as Neil Etheridge, currently with Cardiff City, and all other previous PFL club players, who are doing well and are now playing for neighbouring Asian countries, such as Ian Ramsay, who is currently with Felda United and Misagh Bahadoran, who is with Perak FA…And maybe this is the only way that the country or the youth can see, that aspiring for an international football career is not that impossible”, says Palami.

Tajikistan is currently ranked 124th, while the Philippines is currently ranked 122nd, in its latest rankings by FIFA, while Fiji is currently ranked 168th.

Tickets for both the Azkals vs. Fiji match, and the Azkals vs. Tajikistan match are available at www.smtickets.com.

Fortinet Expands its Ecosystem of Fabric-Ready Partners to Advance Security Visibility and Automated Response for Digital Business

Wazzup Pilipinas!

New Fabric-Ready Program partners extend Security Fabric automation, visibility and management into IT and security workflows, multi-cloud and virtualized networks

Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, today announced at its global partner and user conference, Accelerate 18, the addition of 11 industry-leading information technology providers to its Fabric-Ready Partner Program. These new partners further extend the Fortinet Security Fabric across cloud, virtual, and software-defined environments, while simplifying multi-vendor security deployments for enterprises and service providers.

• New Fabric-Ready Program Partners include BackBox, CyberArk, CyGlass, Hughes Network Systems, IBM Security, McAfee, Micro Focus, NEC Corporation, Phantom, ServiceNow and VMware.
• To date, Fortinet has brought together 42 Fabric-Ready Program Partners to deliver pre-integrated, end-to-end offerings ready for deployment, reducing the technical support burden, security management challenges and costs for enterprise customers. 

Developing Strategic Partnerships to Secure the Digital Transformation of Business

It has been reported that 69 percent of senior security and IT executives admit digital transformation requires fundamental changes to the organization’s current cybersecurity strategies. Mobile and cloud computing, IoT and software-defined networks are requiring the industry to undergo a major security transformation with an approach that supports the automation of business processes, while providing complete visibility and protection of these converged network environments. 

As organizations embrace digital transformation strategies, having a security framework where existing technology investments can interoperate is critical. Fabric-Ready partner solutions leverage Fortinet’s well-defined APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for deep integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric for unified security management and control. These integrations further extend Security Fabric capabilities across cloud, virtualized and software-defined environments and ensures seamless interoperation with partner solutions and services.

“As enterprises embrace digital business strategies, their networks are evolving to include IoT, multi-cloud and virtualized environments with complex workflows, driving the need for a security transformation where solutions can interoperate and automate threat responses across the expanded attack surface. Fortinet’s open approach extends the visibility, integrated threat prevention and automated response of its Security Fabric architecture to leading technology alliance partners to deliver unified security management and comprehensive protection for joint enterprise, MSSP and service provider customers”, John Maddison, senior vice president of products and solutions at Fortinet.

The following new technology partners have joined the Fabric-Ready Program across its various API integration points:

• Cloud: VMware
• Endpoint, IoT (Threat Detection & Response): McAfee
• Management/Security Incident Response: BackBox, CyberArk, CyGlass, Hughes Network Systems, IBM Security, Micro Focus, Phantom, ServiceNow
• Virtualization, SDN, NFV: NEC Corporation,VMware

As part of the program, partners undergo solution validation with a commitment to ongoing interoperability. Additionally, Fabric-Ready partners will benefit from joint marketing and go-to-market initiatives with Fortinet.

Fortinet Accelerate 18 Global Partner and User Conference

Fortinet has made several significant announcements today at its annual global partner and user conference, Accelerate 18, including the evolution of its Security Fabric architecture with its FortiOS 6.0 release and its FortiGuard Artificial Intelligence (AI) advanced threat detection technology. For more information on news from the event, visit: https://www.fortinet.com/corporate/about-us/newsroom/press-releases.html.

Fabric-Ready Partners Comment on the Security Fabric Ecosystem

“Data is the core asset to virtually every global business. With the increasingly diverse network landscape spurred by digital transformation, automatic backup of data and infrastructure settings is key to minimize downtime when recovery is needed. Fortinet and BackBox have integrated solutions to ensure seamless backup automation for all security and network security devices.”

- Rafi Zvi, CEO and Co-founder of BackBox

“With broader adoption of cloud technologies and DevOp processes comes a rapidly expanding attack surface. Organizations must prioritize privileged account security and secrets protection to better manage risk in these environments and improve threat response. The integration between the market leading CyberArk Privileged Account Security Solution and Fortinet’s Security Fabric architecture delivers an innovative solution that improves threat insight and the ability to quickly detect and respond to potential threats.”

- Adam Bosnian, executive vice president, global business development, CyberArk

“The ever increasing sophistication, persistence, and occurrence of cyber-attacks, makes it difficult for existing security tools and teams to keep critical IT assets secure.  CyGlass AI based SaaS security platform uncovers, pinpoints, and responds to advanced cyber threats that often evade traditional security controls. The combination of CyGlass and Fortinet’s FortiGate and FortiSIEM products provide unparalleled protection against today’s network based attacks. CyGlass is excited to be part of Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner Program and to collaborate with Fortinet on comprehensive advanced threat detection and remediation solutions that address today’s most sophisticated cyber threats.”

- Ed Jackowiak, chief revenue officer at CyGlass

“Global competition is driving adoption of Cloud services and other new applications and technologies. These new applications, services and technologies are creating complexity and a larger attack surface to manage and protect, while not impeding business productivity. We are very pleased to join Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner Program. Together with Fortinet, we provide global businesses with an integrated, managed SD-WAN and security solution that will make our joint customers more secure, agile and compliant.”

 - Mike Tippets, VP Enterprise Marketing at Hughes Network Systems

“With the cybercrime landscape becoming increasingly complex, collaboration between cybersecurity leaders in the industry is more important than ever. The creation of open API ecosystems like Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready program makes it easier for cybersecurity teams to create a more seamless line of cybersecurity defense across their IT infrastructure  – giving them more time and resources to focus on staying ahead of threats rather than integrating products.”

- Rich Telljohann, Director, Business & Corporate Development, IBM Security

“To support today’s dynamic networks, security needs to see and understand every device on the network to be able to monitor and protect data and resources across the entire distributed environment. A rapid and coordinated response across industry-leading solutions is critical to defend against today’s threats. McAfee is pleased to join Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Technology Alliance Partner Program, and to collaborate with Fortinet to deliver enhanced, integrated security for our joint customers.”

- DJ Long, Vice President, Strategic Business Development at McAfee

“Micro Focus is committed to helping customers extend their existing investments while embracing new technologies as they transition to hybrid IT environments. Having complete visibility of all elements in these expanded network environments is crucial, and through our collaboration with Fortinet, we are enabling our joint customers to have greater security visibility and unified management of their entire IT and security infrastructure.”

- Travis Grandpre, Head of Security Product Marketing at Micro Focus  

“Enterprises are increasingly adopting SDN to design, build and operate their networks to benefit from the business agility, network automation and centralized provisioning of resources. Building on our long-standing collaboration with Fortinet, we are excited to join its Fabric-Ready program and further integrate the network automation and virtualization capabilities of our NEC ProgrammableFlow^®Controller with the Fortinet Security Fabric to better secure our joint customers’ software-defined networks with integrated threat intelligence and automated response capabilities.”

- Ram Menghani, Vice President of Product Management, NEC Enterprise Technologies

“As the Security Automation and Orchestration (SA&O) leader, Phantom is pleased to be partnering with Fortinet by expanding our combined, robust integration that allows for the seamless automation and orchestration at several key stages of security operations from prevention to triage and resolution, delivering dramatic increases in productivity and effectiveness. The Phantom and Fortinet integrated security solution combines advanced security automation and orchestration capabilities from Phantom together with one of the industry’s best-validated security from Fortinet to deliver security without compromise.”

- Rich Hlavka, VP of Business Development at Phantom

“At the center of this rapidly developing Security Automation and Orchestration market, ServiceNow Security Operations is powered by integrations into leading security technology products. This connectivity with Fortinet allows our mutual customers to bridge tools to people in an automated and repeatable way. Operations is never limited in speed and scale by products like Fortinet, but rather by the ability for process and people to manage through incidents and orchestrate response actions.  We think Fortinet and ServiceNow customers will be really excited about the real and measurable outcomes this type of integration delivers.”

- Odin Olson, senior director Business Development, Security BU at ServiceNow

“FortiGate-VMX with VMware NSX extends the NSX firewall functionality with advanced security services and allows IT to unlock  the benefits of a software defined data center or private cloud with agility and efficiency. IT organizations can automatically provision the delivery of security services from Fortinet where management plane, control plane, and data plane work seamlessly in lockstep.”

- Teri Bruns, vice president, Global Partner Solutions at VMware

Additional Resources

• Blog – Fabric Ready Momentum
• Please visit Fortinet’s Partner homepage for more details about the Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner program.
• Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.