Lipeng extends Folayang's ONE Championship woes

 

Zhang Lipeng

ONE Championship became witness to an impressive debut, as Chinese veteran Zhang Lipeng made a successful debut with the outfit on Friday night.

Lipeng secured a unanimous decision victory over Eduard Folayang at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, capping off five exciting mixed martial arts matchups.

Zhang applied pressure early, taking Folayang to the ground successfully and controlling him on the mat. After securing the Filipino icon’s back, Zhang pounded away while threatening with a rear-naked choke.

Folayang tried to swing the momentum in the second round, using low kicks to chop his opponent’s legs. But Zhang made crucial adjustments and took the action back to the ground with a blast double.

In the third and final frame, Folayang had more success defending the takedowns as he continued to work Zhang’s legs. But a huge slam toward the end of the round sealed the deal for the Chinese stalwart. All three judges scored the bout for Zhang to win by unanimous decision.

Also lasting the distance is the matchup between Alex Silva and Miao Li Tao. Silva, the former ONE Strawweight World Champion utilized his expert grappling to stifle his Chinese opponent on the mat and earn a clear-cut unanimous decision. Silva threatened with submissions early in the first round, catching Miao in a deep armbar attempt. The grappling dominance continued in the second and third frames, allowing the Brazilian to pull ahead on the scorecards.

The heavyweight clash between Thomas Narmo and Alain Ngalani ended in a no-contest, after the latter committed an unintentional foul that left the Norwegian fighter unable to continue in the second round.

Eko Roni Saputra needed just ten seconds to finish his matchup against Liu Peng Shuai, as the Indonesian rising star landed a dynamite right hand to force a historic quick conclusion. The victory was Saputra's fifth consecutive first round stoppage, and is the fastest in the history of the flyweight division for ONE Championship.

Opening the card was Rahul Raju securing a second round submission victory over Otgonbaatar Nergui. After withstanding a strong and aggressive approach from his Mongolian opponent in the first round, Raju rode on his grappling in the next one, eventually setting up a rear-naked choke to secure the win.

The official results for ONE: Battleground II are as follows:

Mixed Martial Arts - Lightweight: Zhang Lipeng def. Eduard Folayang via Unanimous Decision
Mixed Martial Arts - Strawweight: Alex Silva def. Miao Li Tao via Unanimous Decision
Mixed Martial Arts - Heavyweight: Thomas Narmo vs. Alain Ngalani - No Contest (NC)
Mixed Martial Arts - Flyweight: Eko Roni Saputra def. Liu Peng Shuai via Knockout (KO) at 0:10 of Round 1
Mixed Martial Arts - Lightweight: Rahul Raju def. Otgonbaatar Nergui via Submission (Rear-naked Choke) at 3:54 of Round 2

Folayang-Aoki III approved for ONE on TNT IV

Folayang. Aoki. One more time.

Run it back, one more time.

The fourth edition of the ONE on TNT series scheduled for April 29 was tweaked, with a couple of fighters getting sidelined for different reasons. As a result, former ONE Lightweight World Champions Eduard Folayang and Shinya Aoki will face off for the third time, to likely settle things once and for all.

The one called "Landslide" had been slated to face off against Yoshihiro Akiyama, but "Sexyama" had to pull out due to injury. Meanwhile, the man called "Tobikan Judan" was scheduled to fight Sage Northcutt, but the latter had to step aside due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. With both fighters without opponents, ONE Championship opted to put those two together as a new matchup for ONE on TNT IV, the last of a four-part special series which will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Folayang shares, "This will be a monumental test for me. It’s a sudden change of our preparation, but I’m a professional athlete, so I have to be prepared for anything, at any given time. I have to be ready to calibrate for what will be served for that perfect aim." The Team Lakay standout adds, "I am not a pessimistic person, and I’m a warrior. Naturally, I’m not expecting to lose, but to get the big victory this time."

Aoki shares the same sentiment. "This is the last event of the 'ONE on TNT' series, so it’s meant to be, and it’s going to be a great one for fans. A lot of people have been waiting for this trilogy with Folayang. Looking back at the past two fights against him, I am very motivated to perform well. This fight is a great one for ONE Championship. I think this fight has a lot of meaning. It's fate that we meet again. As always, I will fight anyone, because I am a proud wrestler and fighter."

The first meeting back in 2016 saw Folayang secure a third round technical knockout to become the ONE Lightweight World Champion. The second meeting saw Aoki end Folayang's second title reign in 2019, doing so through an arm triangle choke submission.

Folayang-Aoki III is part of the undercard for ONE on TNT IV, which features current ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang defending his title against Vitaly Bigdash.

ONE Championship reveals six-fight card for October 30 event

Eduard Folayang has a scheduled fight this month.

ONE Championship has shed some light on their upcoming schedule, formalizing their mixed martial event at the end of the month.

To be hosted at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, ONE: Inside the Matrix, will take place on October 30, with six matches on the card, including four title fights and the involvement of a Filipino fighter.

Serving as the main event is current two-division champion Aung La N Sang defending his ONE Middleweight title against the undefeated Reinier de Ridder.

Hometown bet Christian Lee will defend his ONE Lightweight title against the undefeated Iuri Lapicus, while Martin Nguyen will defend his ONE Featherweight title against former Thanh Le.

Capping the title fights is a rematch, with Tiffany Teo seeking revenge against Xiong Jin Nan for the ONE Women's Strawweight title. Teo and "The Panda" faced off back in January 2018 to determine the first women's strawweight champion, with the Chinese claiming victory over the Singaporean in Jakarta.

Our very own Eduard Folayang seeks to get himself back into the title scene with a win against Antonio Caruso, while completing the card as the opening fight is Ritu Phogat against Nou Srey Pov.

ONE: Inside the Matrix seeks to continue to gains from ONE: Reign of Dynasties last October 9, which was the first pilot production by the outfit in partnership with the Singapore government. The country has implemented measures to mitigate the presence of COVID-19, and such measures will also be in place for this event.

Like recent ONE Championship events, it is a closed-door activity, with only the athletes, officials, and crew allowed inside SIS.

Make sure to check out ONE Sports on its social media platforms for details on the telecast of ONE: Inside the Matrix.

ONE Championship fighters among PSA honorees

Team Lakay brandishing four ONE Championship titleholders

The Philippine Sportswriters Association is set to fete the best of Philippines sports in the past year at their Annual Awards Night tonight, and among those being celebrated are the recent feats of Filipino fighters in the mixed martial arts realm.

Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Geje Eustaquio, Joshua Pacio, and Brandon Vera will be receiving citations from the PSA after securing titles in ONE Championship in 2018, winning all twelve matches they participated in.

Folayang shares, "It's an honor, definitely. It's always a blessing to be in this position and be recognized for what we do. We hope that through this, we will continue to inspire others."

The man called "Landslide" reclaimed his ONE Lightweight World Title with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Khan at ONE: Conquest of Champions this past November. It is that same event where Vera successfully defended his ONE Heavyweight World Title in, defeating Mauro Cerilli.

The Silencer became the ONE Bantamweight World Champion after a split decision victory over Bibiano Fernandes last November in a much-anticipated rematch.

Eustaquio kickstarted a strong 2018 for Filipino MMA with a unanimous decision win over Kairat Akhmetov back in January to claim the ONE Flyweight title in ONE: Global Superheroes. He would then face off against rival Adriano Moraes in two title defenses, first defeating the Brazilian via split decision in ONE: Pinnacle of Power back in June before dropping the title last month with a unanimous decision loss at ONE: Hero's Ascent, to complete the first trilogy in ONE Championship's history.

Pacio claimed the ONE Strawweight World Title by defeating Yoshitaka Naito in ONE: Conquest of Heroes back in September, but would then drop the belt in a controversial split decision loss against Yosuke Saruta in ONE: Eternal Glory last month.

Other notable awardees set to be feted at the SMC-PSA Annual Awards Night include current WBO mini-flyweight champion Vic Saludar and trainer Buboy Fernandez.

2018 Asian Games gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), Margielyn Didal (skateboarding), Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Lois Kaye Go (golf) are set to be named as the Athletes of the Year.

Brandon Vera set to defend ONE FC title in Manila

The ONE Championship Heavyweight Champion

Brandon Vera finally gets a title defense.

ONE Championship has announced that its current Heavyweight World Champion will be headlining its latest MMA event at the Mall of Asia Arena: ONE: Conquest of Champions this coming November 23.

Vera claimed the strap back in December 2015 with a knockout victory over Paul Cheng. He has had just one title defense since, defeating Hideki Sekine via technical knockout in the first round a year later to raise his record to 15-7 with 1 NC. The upcoming fight will be his first fight in almost two years.

Seeking to dethrone "The Truth" on his home turf is Mauro Cerilli. "The Hammer" from Italy is the current Heavyweight Champion of the London-based MMA outfit Cage Warriors and will be making his ONE Championship debut at ONE: Conquest of Champions. Toting a 12-2 professional record, Cerilli is fresh from dispatching Karl Moore back in March for his first title defense, needing just 15 seconds to stop the Irish fighter in London during Cage Warriors 92, extending his winning streak to five matches.

In making the announcement, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shares: "The Philippines is a country that is extremely passionate about sports, especially martial arts. We have some of the greatest martial artists in Asia that call the Philippines home. One of those athletes is our ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera. Brandon has been itching to get back in action to defend his heavyweight title for some time now, and I am thrilled to announce that he will be returning at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS. Brandon will have a very tough challenger in front of him in the form of Mauro Cerilli. The two provide an explosive matchup and a good contrast of styles."

Sityodtong also shared his excitement for the co-main event for ONE: Conquest of Champions, as the ONE Championship will be crowning a new lightweight champion, with Eduard Folayang and Amir Khan duking it out. He notes that it will be "an electric evening at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila."

Folayang has bounced back well since losing the title to Martin Nguyen last year, notching unaninous decision victories over Kharun Atlangeriev back in May and Aziz Pahrudinov this past July to get himself back into the title picture with Nguyen forced to vacate the title a few weeks ago.

Khan, on the other hand, has won eight of his last nine bouts to figure in the title picture in this competitive division, including a first-round submission victory over Honorio Banario last September.

For further details on ONE: Conquest of Champions and other upcoming ONE Championship events, one should check out www.onefc.com.

Folayang returns to Singapore to restart comeback bid

Eduard Folayang in his last fight

The last time Eduard Folayang fought in Singapore, he claimed the biggest victory of his professional career.

His win over Shinya Aoki at ONE: Defending Honor back in November 2016 was a result few, if not no one, expected. Folayang drove a hard knee to the then-ONE Lightweight World Champion, then unleashed a barrage of punches that eventually forced referee Yuji Shimada to stop the fight in the third round. Aoki had been considered as one of the most dominant Asian mixed martial artists in recent years.

Fast forward to May 18, the man called "Landslide" returns to the city-state to fight the undefeated Russian prospect Kharun Atlangeriev as part of the undercard for ONE: Unstoppable Dream inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Eduard says, "Singapore is where I won the title. I was the underdog in that title bout against Shinya Aoki, but I managed to pull off the upset win. It was so memorable. The country will always be dear to my heart." He adds, "Singapore is an awesome country. The venue is so awesome. It’s truly world-class. The energy is palpable. I won’t say it’s my home court, but it gives me the motivation and inspiration because it is the place where I became the champion."

After losing his title to Martin Nguyen, Folayang admitted that he was at a loss as to how he could address his defeat. He bares, "It was hard to talk about it for a time Finding the right words to describe what I was feeling was a challenge, even for myself." He adds, "I think that is just how it goes for me after a tough loss. Losing is not new to me, but it is also an opportunity for me to take a step back and try to pick up the pieces."

Ultimately, the Team Lakay standout decided to take an extended break in order to understand and break down the errors that cost him the title. "I needed the time off to realize where I went wrong – whether that was in my preparations or in the fight itself. I wanted to know where I had miscalculated. I reviewed every angle, and I really took the time to look at my mistakes."

He also acknowledged that the extended break allowed him to relax and ease his mind. "I am a firm believer that this game is mental, first and foremost. After you get your mind right, then you can start to work on the physical aspect of it all. It does not matter how strong you are; if you are not in the right frame of mind, you cannot move forward."

Armed with a fresh outlook, Folayang declares that he is ready for the quest to reclaim the title. "I am more motivated than ever. I am definitely looking forward to what 2018 is going to bring. I am laser-focused, and I am confident that I can get the world title back."

His road towards reclaiming the title will not be easy, as his first fight since losing the title will be against the man called "the Predator." Atlangeriev has won all eleven of his fights, with only one of them going the full distance.

Folayang says, "I won't take any opponent for granted, especially not someone as talented as my opponent on May 18. I still have much to do in the sport of mixed martial arts. I'm going to kick off the next chapter of my career against one of the top prospects in this promotion"

He concludes, "You win some, and you lose some. It is part of being an athlete. Despite the losses, I remain as motivated and as determined as ever. One loss will not stop me from reaching for the stars and chasing my dreams. I am working harder than ever to get back to championship form. A different ‘Landslide’ is ready to emerge from the rubble."

Martin Nguyen makes ONE Championship history, claims Lightweight title

The Main Event of ONE: Legends of the World

Fans were left at the edge of their seats at the latest ONE Championship mixed martial arts offering, ONE: Legends of the World on Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena, highlighted by the dramatic ending to the main event, as Martin Nguyen became the first simultaneous two-division champion in ONE FC history.

The Situ-Asian pulled off that feat with a second round knockout of the incumbent champion Eduard Folayang, with Nguyen uncorking his explosive signature right hand while "The Landslide" was launching his patented spinning backfist. This was both fighters were plastering each other with hard strikes all fight long.

As a result, Nguyen adds the ONE Lightweight title to the ONE Featherweight title he claimed back in August. He then said that his main objective was to get either a TKO or a submission. He adds, "Eduard, I still love you like a brother, I hope you're fine and I hope you come back stronger. I'm still your number one fan."

In the co-main event, reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes successfully defended his title against Danny Kingad, doing so with a first round rear naked choke submission. "Mikinho" neutralized the striking advantage of "The King" early on, using his high-level ground game, eventually putting in the rear-naked choke that forced the Filipino to submit with seconds remaining in the round.

Moraes praised Kingad's performance in what he viewed as a tough fight, noting that "He has a big future ahead of him." However, he adds that this is still his time, his house, his belt, and his class.

Other than the two losses to end ONE: Legends of the World, the rest of the Filipino contingent was relatively successful in the card.

Kevin Belingon solidified his claim as a top contender in the bantamweight division with a unanimous decision victory over Korean-American dynamo Kevin Chung, as used his stand-up skill set to produce right crosses and lashing kicks, while fending off whatever grappling skills the "Oldboy" tried to use.

Fil-Australian Reece McLaren claimed a submission victory over Anatpong Bunrad in his flyweight debut. "Lightning" managed to catch his opponent in an anaconda choke that he would then turn into a D'Arce choke, forcing the Thai to tap with seconds remaining in the first round.

Gina Iniong extended her winning streak in ONE Championship with a second round finish of Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, as she delivered a flurry of ground punches to the Indonesian whilst in a crucifix to force a referee stoppage

In an all-Filipino matchup, Joshua Pacio bounced back from his submission loss to Hayato Suzuki in Macao last August with a smashing second round knockout of Roy Doliguez, doing so with a well-timed spinning back-fist to "The Dominator."

Speaking of Suzuki, the Japanese prospect lost his first match in his professional mixed martial arts career, losing to Alex Silva. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion black belt used his grappling skills to his advantage to force a first round submission via armbar.

Completing the cast of winners in ONE: Legends of the World are Zhao Zhi Kang, as "The Ghost" forced Thai Rithy to tap via rear-naked choke in the first round, Xie Chao, who dispatched Kelvin Ong in the second round with crisp elbows, and Peng Xue Wen, who defeated Phat Soda in the first round via knockout.

Official ONE: Legends of the World results:

ONE Lightweight World Championship bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Eduard Folayang by Knockout (KO) at 2:20 minutes of round 2

ONE Flyweight World Championship bout: Adriano Moraes defeats Danny Kingad by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:45 minutes of round 1

Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Kevin Chung by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Strawweight bout: Alex Silva defeats Hayato Suzuki by Submission (Armbar) at 1:22 minutes of round 1

Flyweight bout: Reece McLaren defeats Anatpong Bunrad by Submission (D’arce Choke) at 4:52 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Zhao Zhi Kang defeats Thai Rithy by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)  at 2:31 minutes of round 1

Women’s atomweight bout: Gina Iniong defeats Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol by TKO (Strikes) at 2:12 minutes of round 2

Strawweight bout: Joshua Pacio defeats Roy Doliguez by Knockout (KO) at 0:38 minutes of round 2

Featherweight bout: Xie Chao defeats Kelvin Ong by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) at 1:48 minutes of round 1

Strawweight bout: Peng Xue Wen defeats Phat Soda by Knockout (KO) at 2:15 minutes of round 1

Folayang to face Nguyen in ONE: Legends of the World main event

ONE Championship earlier this week officially announced the main event of their MMA event in Manila, called ONE: Legends of the World.

To take place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on November 10, ONE: Legends of the World will feature reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang, as he makes his title defense against another current champion, ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen.

In making the announcement, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong says, "ONE Championship continues to push the boundaries of sports and entertainment with each event, and our next show in Manila is going to be absolutely phenomenal. Two world champions in their respective weight classes are set to go head-to-head in a cross-divisional showdown that will be talked about the world over. Newly minted ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen will take on reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang in a bout that is sure to produce fireworks."

In separate statements, both Folayang and Nguyen gave their respective thoughts about the match.

Folayang: "As a martial artist, I am constantly in search of the biggest challenges, the biggest tests of my skills. As champion, I welcome any and all challengers. Martin [Nguyen] is one of the best in the world and it is an honor to share the ONE Championship cage with him. This is a bout for the fans, and I can’t wait to perform in front of my hometown crowd in Manila once again. I have complete respect for my opponent’s skills and together with my brothers at Team Lakay, my coach Mark Sangiao, I’m preparing to showcase the best version of Eduard Folayang on 10 November."'

Nguyen: "New Year's will be coming early this year, because in this fight there will definitely be fireworks. I'm out not only to make a statement, but to go down in history as the best to ever compete under the ONE Championship banner. I have the utmost respect for the lightweight champion, and will definitely not take his skills for granted. But this is going to be a dog fight. It's the first time two champions in different divisions go head-to-head in ONE, and I am excited to give the performance of a lifetime. The real winner of this bout will be the fans at the Mall of Asia Arena."

A member of the legendary Filipino fight stable Team Lakay, the "Landslide" is one of the most experienced Filipino martial artists, amassing an 18-5 professional record spanning almost a decade. He's currently on a four-match winning streak, including a TKO win over Shinya Aoki to claim the lightweight title. Folayang is fresh from successfully defending his belt against Ev Ting this past April.

On the other hand, "The Situ-Asian" is fresh from the biggest victory of his career, stopping Marat Gafurov to clain the featherweight title last August. Toting a 9-1 record, Nguyen is looking to crack double digit victories and a chance to secure a second title.

For further details on this matchup, as well as other news from ONE Championship, check out www.onefc.com.