mma / Columns

411 Spotlight: ONE Championship: Heroes of the World

August 12, 2016 | Posted by Jon Butterfield

ONE Championship: Heroes of the World

A matter of weeks out from the fifth anniversary of ONE Championship’s first ever card that took place back on September 3rd 2011 and just days removed from ‘Heroes of the World’, this feels as good a time as any to reflect on the major strides forward both the company and the sport of MMA have made across Asia.

Where the first ten ONE Championship shows (then under the ONE FC banner) took place across just four countries (namely Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), the fact that ONE Championship 45: Heroes of the World will take place from the Cotai Arena in Macau underlines the companies ongoing expansion. The most densely populated region in the world, Macau is an autonomous territory that lies on the Pearl River delta. It is also one the richest regions in the world, and while officially a part of the People’s Republic of China, Macau enjoys special administrative status lending it the potential to prove an extremely lucrative host state. As the sport’s popularity grows, and as the popularity of ONE Championship increases alongside it, it’s hard to think of too many more exciting venues than a truly ‘bought-in’ Macau.

Right now, the term ‘lucrative’ is almost synonymous with the ONE Championship brand. After an eight-figure investment from Heliconia, a part of the super-rich investment firm Temasek, combined with a string of sponsorships from genuine blue chip companies, it’s clear that MMA is no just a marginal sport in Asia – rather it has the potential to be one of, if not the most popular sports in the continent. Put it this way: ONE Championship is now the largest sports property media in the continent’s history, and we’re only five years in from Chatri Sityodtong’s vision of uniting the entirety of Asia under a sport inclusive of many countries most popular past times – namely, a huge variety of martial arts.

For those that have been to places like Thailand, weekends seem to revolve around combat sports. Thai kickboxing being chief among them in that particular nation, it’s clear martial arts are immensely popular – bars literally overflow on to the streets as spectators watch their favourite fights live, and this is a scene that can be found repeated across several countries in the region. Again, martial arts are not a marginal sport in Asia, and that’s what makes ONE’s ventures so intriguing. While the Western world remains on the periphery of the current focus of ONE, it’s clear something is stirring; and a new power is rising.

Despite a hiccup in the main event slot of ONE Championship: Heroes of the World with the news of an injury to Bali-based American Andrew Leone, the scheduled interim Flyweight Championship bout will still go ahead. Now, Brazilian ace Adriano Moraes (14-2) will face promotional newcomer Tilek Batyrov (10-1) of Kyrgyzstan.

On first glance, the fight appears to be a mismatch of sorts. Batyrov has not fought consistently at as high a level as Moraes, who holds submission victories over the likes of Yasuhiro Urushitani, Geje Eustaquio and most recently Eugene Toquero, but dig a little deeper and Batyrov looks less and less like a straight-forward sacrificial lamb. Boasting two world combat sambo championships, as well as an Alash Pride Grand Prix title in MMA, Batyrov comes in at just 24 years of age, and with a wealth of potential. A finisher, Batyrov holds 7 first round stoppages, and has been to the judges scorecards just twice in his career, with mixed results.

Against Moraes, though, he meets his most formidable foe to date. The story of ‘The Black Diamond’ started in despairing circumstances, as he was abandoned in an alleyway in his native Brazil, found, and taken to an orphanage – he would later find foster parents who would nurture his abundant energy and allow him to harness his natural athletic ability and agility through martial arts. Moraes started with judo, then added capoeira to his arsenal, before focussing on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Here, Moraes would flourish. Now a 4-time State Champion, a 2013 “On The Floor” Professional Challenge Champion, as well as a 2014 NAGA Champion in the No-Gi Pro Division, Moraes’ grappling credentials and well-rounded martial arts background lent him perfectly to a career in the more lucrative sport of MMA.

After dominating the competition in his native Brazil and leaving South America with a perfect 9-0 record and an extremely impressive stoppage win over highly-regarded Dileno Lopes, Moraes signed for ONE Championship in 2013, and has been a perennial contender at 125 lbs ever since. Despite a split decision defeat to Yusup Saadulaev on his promotional debut, Moraes rattled off four straight wins and captured the ONE Championship Flyweight strap with the aforementioned second round stoppage of Filipino talent Geje Eustaquio. He defended the belt successfully against Japanese import Riku Shibuya, before dropping a controversial split decision against Kazakh star Kairat Akhmetov. Since then, ONE have tried to reunite the two in the cage, but those attempts have resulted in false starts. Now Moraes fights for the interim belt, and though Andrew Leone was the originally slated opponent, the little Brazilian will now have to readjust his sights as he takes on two-time world combat sambo champion Batyrov.

The night’s co-main event will feature 15 year veteran Adrian Pang (22-8-2). Nicknamed ‘The Hunter’, Pang has is a former Legacy FC champion, and at 38 years of age remains one of Australia’s top lightweights. Having debuted for ONE Championship in late 2014, Pang now boasts a 2-0 record replete with a perfect pair of stoppages. While Dutch import Vincent Latoel endured the best part of two-and-a-half rounds before tapping to a guillotine choke, Pang’s most recent adversary Peter Davis lasted just 48 seconds before succumbing to a TKO (see above).

Now, Filipino stand out Eduard Folayang (15-5) will try to build on his current 5-3 record under the ONE Championship banner – a distinct possibility given his penchant for besting some of the sports most experienced veterans. With wins over Kotetsu Boku, Felipe Enomoto and A-Sol Kwon among others, Wushu expert Folayang is a multiple-time medal winner at the Asian Games and a gold medallist at the South East Asian Games, bringing a real pedigree to the fight. He will have his hands full, however, against Papua New Guinea-born Pang, who will seek to follow up his KO of the Night performance last time out.

Hong Kong-based lightweight Eddie Ng (7-3) will return to the ONE cage in need of a victory following successive stoppage losses to veterans Vincent Latoel and Ariel Sexton; a 4-fight win streak under the ONE banner now a distant memory. Nonetheless, one of the many exciting fighters on the ONE Championship roster, Ng knows he has the finishing ability to bring that run to a halt, having amassed 6 first round stoppages, and having never seen so much as a third and final round.

He will need to find something different against 3-6 ONE veteran and former ONE Championship Featherweight title holder Honorio Banario (9-6) of the Philippines, a man who snapped an extensive 5-fight losing streak with a decision win over compatriot Vaughn Donayre in April of this year. Banario, who has fought some of the best fighters in the ONE 145 lbs division, will need to recapture the form of old that saw him dethrone then-champion Eric Kelly by fourth round TKO back in 2013.

Before that, though, a fight featuring one of the hottest prospects in Asian MMA will see18 year old sensation Christian Lee (5-0) return to action for the fifth time this year as he takes on Martin Nguyen (6-1) in an intriguing featherweight tilt. The brother of ONE Championship Atomweight Champion Angela ‘Unstoppable’ Lee, Christian has taken Asian MMA by storm with a string of first round stoppages since his professional and promotion debut in December of last year. Nguyen undoubtedly represents his most dangerous opponent to date, however, possessing a 3-1 record for ONE, and having enjoyed stopping opponents with a perfect strike rate. Nguyen’s sole defeat came against reigning ONE Championship Featherweight Champion Marat Gafurov in September of last year, a figure both these combatants will be striving to challenge in the future. Should Lee win here, he will solidify his standing as one of the most exciting young fighters anywhere in the world.

A heavyweight fight not to sleep on will feature Alain Ngalani (2-2) against Alexandre Machado (7-2), with 41 year old Cameroonian striker Ngalani looking to build on a 69-second stoppage of Igor Subora last time out. Best known for his spectacular spinning heel kick KO of Mahmoud Hassan on his promotional debut, Ngalani is a 4-time Muay Thai world champion and possesses not only an outstanding striking acumen, but also an intensely exciting style. His opponent, Machado, came up short in his ONE Championship debut as Polish stand out Marcin Prachnio stopped him at 2:44 of the very first round, but with 5 first round stoppages to his name, the man from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will seek to harness the Olympic spirit coursing through his countrymen’s veins with a bounce-back win here.

Also on the card:

Jia Wen Ma (2-2) vs Jimmy Yabo (5-3)
Haobin Ma (2-1) vs Chan Rothana (4-1)
Joshua Pacio (7-0) vs Kritsada Kongsrichai (4-2)
Mei Yamaguchi (15-9-1) vs Istela Nunes de Souza (4-0)