Saturday, June 01, 2013
No Holds Barred: Japanese Fighters Rise to Power at ONE FC in the Philippines
While five fighters from the Philippines were featured on this card, all of them suffered defeat. As it turned out, it was the Japanese fighters who stole the show, winning four of six bouts and two of the three title fights in which they competed.
In the main event, former King of Pancrase Koji Oishi of Japan scored a stunning one-punch, second-round knockout over Honorio Banario of the Philippines to capture the ONE FC featherweight title. In the co-main event, Bibiano Fernandes, originally from Brazil but now from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, defeated Koetsu Okazaki of Japan by decision in a grueling five-round fight to win the vacant ONE FC bantamweight interim title.
Another local favorite from the Philippines, Kevin Belingon, lost by decision to Masakatsu Ueda of Japan in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. Eduard Folayang, also from the Philippines, also lost by decision to MMA, grappling, and wrestling veteran Kamal Shalorus, originally from Iran but now based in the USA. Yasuhiro Urushitani of Japan won a close split decision over Rey Docyogen from the Philippines. American Andrew Leone outgrappled Geje Eustaquio, also from the Philippines, to win a decision. And karate champ Nobutatsu Suzuki from Japan knocked out American Phil Baroni in the first round.
On the undercard, the Lowen Tynanes of the USA continued his own rise to power, as he won by first-round referee stoppage over Felipe Enomoto from Japan. Yusup Saadulaev of Russia defeated Ryan Diaz of Canada with a first-round submission. And in a clash of American heavyweights, former King of the Cage champion Tony Johnson stopped former UFC champion Tim Sylvia by doctor's stoppage after elbow strikes on the ground opened up a huge cut near Sylvia's right eye.
The significance of this card, the fights themselves, and the many victories of these Japanese fighters as well as the losses of the fighters from the Philippines are discussed.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Labels: Bibiano Fernandes, Eddie Goldman, fighters, Honorio Banario, Japan, Japanese, Koetsu Okazaki, Koji Oishi, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Philippines, Rise to Power
Thursday, May 30, 2013
No Holds Barred: Lenne Hardt on ONE FC: Rise to Power
She has already arrived in Manila in the Philippines in preparation for ONE FC: Rise to Power, which takes place Friday, May 31, at the 20,000-seat SM Mall of Asia Arena.
We spoke with Lenne Hardt by Skype Thursday to preview this card.
"I don't play favorites. It's not just because of my job. I really shouldn't do that. I have to remain neutral," she explained in this interview. "It's also, even if I weren't involved in this as a job, as a fan, there are certain matches I get excited about."
As is usual for ONE FC, this is another loaded card. It is headlined by a ONE FC featherweight title bout between reigning champion Honorio Banario of the Philippines and challenger Koji Oishi of Japan, and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes, originally from Brazil but now from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, taking on Koetsu Okazaki of Japan for the ONE FC bantamweight interim title.
Another local favorite from the Philippines, Kevin Belingon, will face Masakatsu Ueda of Japan in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. The popular Eduard Folayang, also from the Philippines, faces MMA, grappling, and wrestling veteran Kamal Shalorus, originally from Iran. Yasuhiro Urushitani of Japan will fight Rey Docyogen from the Philippines. American Andrew Leone fights Geje Eustaquio, also from the Philippines. And American Phil Baroni takes on Nobutatsu Suzuki from Japan.
On the undercard, the up-and-coming Lowen Tynanes of the USA will fight Felipe Enomoto from Japan, American heavyweights Tim Sylvia and Tony Johnson will collide, and Ryan Diaz of Canada will take on Yusup Saadulaev of Russia.
ONE FC: Rise to Power will be televised live on Star Sports in Asia and be shown as an online pay-per-view at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.
We also discussed with her the atmosphere for fights in the Philippines, what her own future plans are, and more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Labels: Bibiano Fernandes, Eddie Goldman, Honorio Banario, Koetsu Okazaki, Koji Oishi, Lenne Hardt, Manila, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Philippines, Rise to Power
Saturday, January 26, 2013
No Holds Barred: Victor Cui on ONE FC: Return of Warriors Feb. 2 Card in Malaysia
ONE FC returns with its first show of 2013 with a loaded card on Saturday, February 2, called ONE FC: Return of Warriors. This card will take place in the Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and will be available live on an international pay-per-view webcast on LiveSport.TV.
ONE FC: Return of Warriors is headlined by a fight for the ONE FC featherweight championship between the unbeaten Eric Kelly and the URCC lightweight champion Honorio Banario. There will also be a four-man Malaysian national featherweight championship tournament.
Speaking of this national championship tournament, Victor Cui said in this interview, which was recorded by Skype Sunday (Saturday New York time), "We're going to start to do this in every country that we go to, where we are going to be able to crown a national MMA champion in those countries, if the talent pool is deep enough." ONE FC will then put the winners of these national championships "into the pipeline up for contention for the belt eventually." He added, "This is really exciting to me, because it is part of making local fans by giving them a national hero that they can follow and get excited about."
He also announced that the next ONE FC show will be held Friday, April 5, in Singapore, with the fighters to be named very shortly. ONE FC, he said, plans to hold 12 events in 2013 plus two more summits, and 24 events in 2014. The April 5 card will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports.
We also discussed how ONE FC is planning to expand local telecasts and have them in multiple languages, possible co-promotions with groups like Glory and Dream, potential locations of upcoming cards including China, how ONE FC is "actually ahead of track of where our plans were," and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Labels: Asia, Eddie Goldman, Eric Kelly, Honorio Banario, Malaysia, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Return of Warriors, Victor Cui
