Denice Zamboanga Relinquishes ONE Atomweight MMA World Title, Welcomes Motherhood

c/o ONE Championship

Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga has relinquished the ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Championship.

In a social media post on Tuesday, the first Filipina MMA World Champion announced her decision to vacate the throne after welcoming her first child with husband Fritz "Kid Tornado" Biagtan.

Out of respect for the division, she gave up the belt to allow contenders to pursue the title while she steps back to embrace motherhood.

“God has always had a beautiful plan for my life, and I trust His timing in everything. After much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to vacate my ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship,” Zamboanga wrote.

“This was not an easy choice, but I believe it is the right one for this season of my life and for the athletes in my division who continue to chase their dreams,” she added.

The 29-year-old Quezon City native has a 12-2 professional record, and is 7-2 in ONE Championship.

Zamboanga arrived at ONE in 2019 and quickly proved she belonged on the global stage. She rattled off three straight wins to open her promotional run, defeating Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan, Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, and Watsapinya “Dream Girl” Kaewkhong.

The path forward then took a detour. Zamboanga suffered back-to-back defeats to South Korea's Ham Seo Hee at ONE: Empower in 2021 and ONE X in 2022, respectively. Refusing to let the setbacks define her, she rebuilt herself from the ground up, returning a sharper and more dangerous version of herself.

The bounce-back was immediate and convincing. Zamboanga strung together three consecutive victories over “MMA Sister” Lin Heqin, Julie Mezabarba, and Noelle “Lil' Monkey” Grandjean, earning her way back to the top of the atomweight division and into contention for gold.

With a long-awaited showdown against then-ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion and former teammate Stamp Fairtex derailed by the Thai’s knee injury, Zamboanga was given an opportunity to challenge for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.

At ONE Fight Night 27 in January 2025, Zamboanga met Ukraine's Alyona Rassohyna with a lifelong dream within reach. She ultimately stopped Rassohyna in the second round via TKO, earning the interim belt and a US$50,000 performance bonus in the process.

The monumental victory etched her name permanently in the Philippine MMA history books, a triumph earned through years of delays and heartbreak.

Four months later, Zamboanga was elevated to undisputed ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion when Stamp suffered a setback in her knee rehabilitation in May 2025 and relinquished the lineal belt.

Zamboanga was slated to make her first World Title defense against Japan's Ayaka “Zombie” Miura at ONE 173 last November at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Medical concerns, which have since come to light as her pregnancy, forced her withdrawal.

The Filipina, however, made it clear she is not retiring. Zamboanga is turning her full attention to the most meaningful journey of her life, vowing to return when the time is right.

"While I am stepping away from the title, I am not stepping away from the sport I love. Fighting has shaped who I am, and the warrior in me will always remain,” Zamboanga said.

"Right now, my heart and focus are devoted to the greatest blessing God has entrusted to me. This season is teaching me that there are victories beyond championship belts, and I am embracing every moment of it with gratitude. This is not the end of my story. It’s simply a new chapter," she concluded.

Denice Zamboanga Unfazed By hometown disadvantage at upcoming ONE Championship event

Denice Zamboanga

Fighting away from home is nothing new for Undisputed ONE Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga. 

The first Filipina MMA World Champion will enter hostile territory when she puts 26 pounds of gold on the line for the first time at ONE 173: Superbon Vs. Noiri against top contender Ayaka “Zombie” Miura on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. 

While this epic five-round atomweight MMA battle will take place in the challenger’s backyard, Zamboanga remains undeterred about her chances of returning to the Philippines with her belt in tow. 

The TREX MMA standout has remained unfettered even when the odds were stacked against her for most of her incredible MMA career. 

Time and time again, Zamboanga has proven her doubters wrong, displaying unbreakable grit and unyielding determination to realize her lifelong dream of becoming a ONE World Champion. 

While the 28-year-old expects Miura to fight inspired and feed off the energy of the passionate Japanese crowd, the champ won’t let some hometown pressure get in the way of the legacy she wants to leave behind.   

Plus, Zamboanga knows her own loyal fanbase back at home in the Philippines will be cheering their lungs out and praying for her victory. 

The lady called “The Menace” shares:

“I know that fighting in Japan, Ayaka’s home, might bring added pressure — but as a proud Filipina, I carry the strength, dedication, and heart of every Filipino with me. We may be stepping into her territory, but our spirit and determination are built for any battleground.”

Lito Adiwang joins Iron Bunny Philippines family

Lito Adiwang

The Iron Bunny Philippines secured another partnership, as Lito Adiwang becomes the latest Filipino mixed martial artist set to sport their gear.

Adiwang will be sporting their outfit in his upcoming rematch against Jeremy Miado at ONE Fight Night 16 this coming November 4 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

In establishing this partnership, the Thunder Kid shares, "I'm absolutely thrilled to have Iron Bunny Philippines as my official outfitter for my next fight in ONE Championship. Their unwavering support means the world to me, and I couldn't be more grateful for this partnership. Together, we're going to conquer new heights."

Known for his explosive fighting style, Lito hopes that having Iron Bunny as his outfitter will help him in his ascent up the strawweight division. The 30-year-old from Baguio is fresh from a 23-second stoppage of Adrian Mattheis last month to secure his fourteenth victory, with twelve of those coming via stoppage.

Iron Bunny Philippines owner Ricky Enriquez states, "We are thrilled to welcome Lito Adiwang to the Iron Bunny Philippines family. He embodies the core values of a true Filipino warrior—determination, passion, and an unwavering commitment to success. We look forward to supporting him on his journey to greatness."

Enriquez founded the company back in 2015 alongside digital marketer Vir Moore Moranta. Recognized for its dedication towards an active lifestyle and competitive sports, it also gained traction within the local mixed martial arts community through its quality and innovation.

Previous collaborators with the brand includes the likes of former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt and a couple of former Filipino champions in ONE Championship in Eduard Folayang and Joshua Pacio.

Lito Adiwang and Jeremy Miado set for upcoming ONE Championship rematch

A rematch twenty months in the making is now set, as Lito Adiwang and Jeremy Miado will face off at ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs Andrade on November 4 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

The battle between two Filipinos highlights either side's desire to be in the picture at the strawweight division.

From the Thunder Kid's perspective, this one became personal.

He shares, "I really wanted this rematch. When we first met, honestly, I wasn’t that excited because I knew I was facing a fellow Filipino and he wasn’t in the top five, so there really wasn’t any fire at all. But I’m now truly excited."

The first meeting at ONE X back in March last year saw Adiwang suffer an ACL tear during the bout. Rubbing it in was that Lito saw Miado's corner celebrating at the end, something that left a bad taste in the mouth and illustrating his desire to show that he is the superior fighter.

He states, "I’m on fire for this rematch and it’s because of him and his cornermen. Honestly, I was hurt with the way they celebrated when I got injured. He wasn’t even winning that fight and they were celebrating like that."

Moving on to HIIT Studio, Adiwang showed minimal ring rust in his return, needing just 23 seconds to knock out Adrian Mattheis at ONE Friday Fights 34.

With the upcoming rematch against The Jaguar, Lito notes, "In this rematch, I’m coming with my A game. I’m not going to hold back. Let’s finish this, and may the best man win."

Miado will be coming off a submission loss to Mansur Malachiev during ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs Menshikov back in June. He did secure a third-round TKO win over Danial Williams at ONE Fight Night 3: Lineker vs Andrade last year.

Jeremy is seeking to bounce back from that defeat, and a second victory against Adiwang could put him back on the rise.

Jhanlo Sangiao suffers first ONE Championship setback

Back to the drawing board for Jhanlo Sangiao, as he suffered his first defeat in ONE Championship on Saturday at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs Grigorian at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

The Machine was forced to tap to Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at the 2:53 mark of the second round, after being tagged with a right elbow to start it. The Mongol bantanweight then started to work with his right arm, setting the table for the eventual win.

The 21-year old was building on a strong start to the fight, using his array of strikes to do damage, managing to bloody Baatarkhuu's right eye. However, the veteran kept his bearings and remained focused on securing a submission victory.

Afterwards, he gave Sangiao credit. "I wish him the best. He’s a promising young athlete."

The defeat drops him to 6-1 in his developing MMA career, becoming the second Filipino that Baatarkhuu has dispatched, joining Adonis Sevilleno who suffered a unanimous decision defeat back in April.

Carlo Bumina-ang sizzles in ONE Friday Fights debut

Carlo Von Bumina-ang

 

Another Team Lakay standout impresses at a ONE Championship event, as Carlo Von Bumina-ang impressively secured his debut victory.

Bumina-ang did that with a first round stoppage against Reza Saedi during ONE Friday Fights 27 inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

Best known for his efforts at the Southeast Asian Games by snagging a silver medal in the men's 65kg division of vovinam, Carlo only needed 52 seconds to get the job done, tagging the Iranian with a left straight. He then followed that up with more straights, uppercuts, and knee strikes, which forced referee Herb Dean to call the fight.

Post-match, he shares to Gianni Subba, "This feels so good. It’s my first time here, and the people here are so nice, I’m so grateful I pulled it off and got the KO win, I’m so happy." Carlo also adds, "It took me five years to get here and it truly feels great."

Bumina-ang is the latest among the new set of Team Lakay fighters that have garnered recent success, which includes Carlos Alvarez, who was present in his corner for this mixed martial arts matchup.

Alvarez remains undefeated in ONE Friday Fights, having defeated Reza Abasi and Sadegh Ghasemi in previous editions of this weekly event at the fabled fight venue.

Jhanlo Sangiao potentially the new face of Team Lakay

 

new face of Team Lakay?

With all the changes that has happened involving Team Lakay, led by the departure of its veteran charges, it is no surprise that Jhanlo Sangiao is being looked now as the outfit's new face.

However, "The Machine" acknowledges that he still has a long way to go, sharing that "Kung sabihin nila na ako yung bagong face ng Team Lakay, pasalamat lang ako pero pinagtatrabahuan ko naman lahat ng ito."

He adds, "Nagte-training lang ako at ine-enjoy ko lang ito. Ipapakita ko kung ano yung kaya ko sa loob ng Circle. Yun lang naman yung goal ko eh."

The bantamweight will get to prove his point when he goes up against Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in the undercard of ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs Grigorian, which takes place on August 5 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, one that he expressed confidence in securing the victory.

Jhanlo is on a three-match winning streak, including a 58-second submission against Matias Farinelli at ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs Haggerty this past April.

With stablemate Carlos Alvarez coming off a second round submission victory over Sadegh Ghasemi at ONE Friday Fights 25 recently, he hopes that this is the start of the turnaround for the Baguio-based group.

Sangiao says, "Medyo nae-excite ako kasi nanalo yung isang teammate namin, si Carlos. Naha-hype na rin ako na lumaban ulit. Nakakatulong din na puro bago ang sparring partners ko kaya energized lahat. Mas focused kami ngayon sa gameplan."

Mark Sangiao, Team Lakay founder and father of Jhanlo, is just glad that the new generation of fighters under his stable remain steadfast and committed.

The elder Sangiao shares, "Our next generation of Team Lakay fighters are doing okay for the most part. I can see them working hard and they’re doing their training every day. That’s just how I see it. They train hard and the attendance has been solid."

From their perspective, Mark reflects, "Sa amin naman, tulungan lang talaga ang bawat isa. Kung sino ang may kailangan ng advice, shine-share namin yung alam namin. Nandyan pa rin naman si papa na matagal na sa sport na ito at best coach para sa akin, so ako ipapakita ko lang yung kung ano ang kaya ko sa Circle."

Knee injury forces Lito Adiwang to drop out of ONE Championship fight

Lito Adiwang

We will have to wait for the Thunder Kid's return a little bit longer.

ONE Championship announced on Wednesday that Lito Adiwang is withdrawing from his upcoming matchup against Masnur Malachiev.

The match had been slated to be a part of the card for ONE Fight Night 6, set to take place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on January 14.

The Filipino shared that the knee pain has been getting worse during his preparations for the fight, and was advised by doctors to check for medical attention and rest for sixty days. He shares, "It’s heartbreaking that I have to break a promise to my father to fight this January. Also [sorry] to our fans and supporters who are eager and excited to watch me back in action."

Lito adds, "My mind is 1000 percent ready to go to war but suddenly, my knee is not cooperating and it’s getting worse when I try to push it hard for training. As per the advice of my doctor, I’ll give it some time to recover and continue my therapy to strengthen it."

Adiwang tore his ACL against Jeremy Miado last March during ONE X, then undergoing surgery a couple of months later.

What followed is a long rehabilitation process, with the objective of getting the injured knee strengthened. It had been all systems go, until the pain started to bother Adiwang, thus the need to have it checked with physicians, which led to the decision to drop out of the fight.

Although disappointed, Lito chooses to view things half-full. "It’s heartbreaking to withdraw but I need to think for the best and look at the big picture. I may not fulfill my promise this time, but this made me focus to the bigger promise that I gave to both of my parents that one day I will become a World Champion," he says.

Lito also has this message to convey, "To ONE Championship, my opponent, fans and supporters, I’m sorry that I will not be able to compete this January in Bangkok but I will do my best to heal and recover as fast as I can and continue this fight. I’ll enter the Circle healthy and prepared to give the best show that I can give."

ONE: HEAVY HITTERS devoid of Pinoy fighters

Jeremy Miado

Much to the chagrin of Filipino mixed martial arts fans, COVID-19 health and safety protocols have taken out the two Filipinos set to take part in the upcoming mixed martial arts event of ONE Championship.

Strawweight fighters Jeremy Miado and Robin Catalan have been ruled out from their respective matchups at the ONE: HEAVY HITTERS slated to take place on Friday, January 14, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Miado was scheduled to face Senzo Ikeda, while Catalan had been slated to go up against Elipitua Siregar.

Jeremy was seeking his third straight victory and eleventh overall, fresh from a second round technical knockout victory over Miao Li Tao last October at ONE: NEXTGEN. The result is the benefits of his training with Marrok Force MMA in Bangkok, and ensured his entry into ONE's strawweight rankings.

He shared his thoughts about the decision. "I believe this happened for a reason. Yes, it's unfortunate that as an athlete, all of our efforts in training camp went to waste. But I believe God has His own plans."

Robin Catalan

Robin would have been coming off a year-long layoff after forcing to tap out against Ryuto Sawada at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III. He had been hoping to bounce back with a victory not only for himself but also for the Catalan Fighting System.

Catalan shares, "This is a sad news because I was really ready for this match and I was excited to head back to the ONE Circle and get the win. Unfortunately, we have to take this news and go back home, but we promise that once everything is ok, I'll go back to train to be able to fight again."

As a result of these events, Ikeda will face off against Siregar in a strawweight matchup in the main card.

The protocols have also forced the cancellation of the co-main event; the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World title fight between Roman Kryklia and Murat Aygun.

In spite of these, ONE: HEAVY Hitters still packs a punch, with the main event being Xiong Jing Nan defending her ONE Women's Strawweight title against Ayaka Miura.

Other main matches include a Muay Thai duel between Saemapetch and Tawanchai, as well as James Nakashima taking on Saygid Izagakhmaev in a lightweight scrap.

Opportunity arises for Roel Rosauro in ONE: Revolution

Roel Rosauro

With the stacked featherweight division at ONE Championship, one has to take advantage of every opportunity to be able to move up the ranks.

One such standout will try to seize that chance and run with it.

Roel Rosauro is looking forward for that exact opportunity when he faces James Yang in the lead card of ONE: Revolution, which will take place on September 24 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The Muay Thai specialist from Cebu says, "I expect it to be a bloody fight and may the best man win."

The man called "Akiyama" lost his first two fights in ONE Championship, suffering a first round submission defeat to Li Kai Wen in February 2018 and a unanimous decision to Sunoto three months later.

In spite of the back-to-back defeats, Roel continued to hone his craft, earning a gold medal at the 2018 Philippine International Jiujitsu Open, followed by a silver medal at the Philippine National Games. Those efforts eventually bore fruit with his first win in ONE Championship in January 2020, earning a unanimous decision victory over Yohan Mulia Legowo.

It was a match that fight fans were able to witness what Rosauro is capable of, using strikes, body shots, and low kicks to impress the judges.

Unfortunately for him, the COVID-19 pandemic halted the momentum the victory would have provided. The introduction of quarantine protocols limited movement and restricted activities, including training, since gyms were forced to be closed. It was something that Roel readily acknowledged. "My training has been on and off because of the pandemic. Some days, the gym would be open, but most of the time, it's closed. Sometimes, I'm forced to train at my home, which is also a difficult task on its own."

Amidst those struggles, Rosauro has done all what he can do to prepare against Yang, who is making his professional debut after going unbeaten in five amateur fights. Among the things the Cebuano fine-tuned is his striking, which came in handy in his last fight, as well as his grappling.

When asked about his upcoming opponent, who trains with Demetrious Johnson at AMC Pankration, he shares, "I know he's a good fighter, so I have to really be at my best. But I'm not worried at all because I know all I need is to give it my best."

Rosauro knows that a victory would allow him to move closer to the top contenders in the division, which includes the likes of former two-division champion Martin Nguyen, Christian Lee, and Garry Tonon, and led by its current champion Thanh Le.

Olsim rooting for Zamboanga in ONE: Empower

A tweak in the card forced Team Lakay fighter Jenelyn Olsim out of the historic all-female ONE Championship mixed martial arts event: ONE: Empower this week.

"The Graceful" had been slated to face off against Grace Cleveland as one of two alternate bouts planned for the event on Friday night, but the American fighter had to bow out due to injury.

Even if it was arranged as an alternate bout, Olsim saw that matchup against the "Thai Kitten" as a golden opportunity for the world to witness what she can do at the atomweight division, especially with the centerpiece of ONE: Empower being the Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix.

The 24-year old was understandably devastated upon learning the news of the cancellation of her fight. She says, "It's just so sad. I, together with my team, were really preparing hard for this match."

Olsim was fresh from securing an impressive victory over Bi Nguyen at ONE: Battleground III, which had been shown on August 27, a performance that earned her a spot on the card as an alternate. Unfortunately, her American opponent had to bow out due to a potential case of vertigo. Cleveland went on social media platform to share her perspective.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grace Cleveland (@thai_kitten)

Amidst that disappointment, Olsim and her camp shared their concerns about their opponent's condition and wished for her speedy recovery.

Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao shares, "The whole team is praying for the fast and complete recovery of Grace Cleveland. Nobody wants to see these things happening, especially if it's a medical issue. So we can only pray that she can recover and that's really the most important thing for us at this time." He adds, "Yes, it's unfortunate because we were all looking forward to this fight and Jenelyn has really been training hard for this. But we fully understand the situation and all we're after is everyone's health and well being."

Even if her fight remains cancelled, Olsim remains fully prepared in case she gets the call to take someone's place in the Grand Prix. She says, "I'm staying positive despite what happened. I know that I am still an eligible alternate for the Grand Prix, and I know that there's still a lot of opportunities awaiting me, so I just have to be prepared every time."

Both Olsim and Sangiao also showed their support and wished the best of luck towards Denice Zamboanga, who is participating in the Grand Prix as one of the eight hopefuls. The so-called "Lycan Queen" will face the fifth-ranked atomweight contender Seo Hee Ham.

When asked about that particular matchup, Sangiao says, "Denice and Seo Hee Ham are both driven to win the Grand Prix, but I have to side with Denice. I believe that Denice has really prepared so much for this match and I can see that she will do everything just to win this match and the Grand Prix. So as fellow Filipinos, we're here to support her and looking forward to her next matches."

ONE: Empower is ONE Championship’s historic, all-female fight card featuring only women -- the first for a major global martial arts organization. In the main event, reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan defends her World Title against #2-ranked strawweight contender, Michelle Nicolini. The card will be shown locally through One Sports starting at 730pm.

Historic ONE: Empower event set for September 3

ONE: Empower

After being postponed due to the pandemic, ONE Championship has released a new date for its historic mixed martial event, ONE: Empower.

Originally booked for a late May date, the first all-women's fight card hosted by a major mixed martial arts outfit is scheduled to take place on September 3 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The main event features Xiong Jing Nan defending her ONE Women's Strawweight title against 2nd-ranked Michelle Nicolini, but the highlight lies with the four quarterfinal matchups that comprise the ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix.

Top-ranked atomweight contender Denice Zamboanga faces fifth-ranked Seo Hee Ham, with the latter making her ONE Championship debut.

Second-ranked Meng Bo takes on Ritu Phogat, with the Indian contender fresh from a victory against Lin Heqin.

Alyona Rassohyna and Stamp Fairtex face each other in a rematch from February.

Itsuki Hirata going up against ONE Championship newcomer Alyse Anderson.

Completing the main card for ONE: Empower is a kickboxing duel between Anissa Meksen and Cristina Morales.

For the lead card, Filipino-American striking sensation Jackie Buntan will go up against Daniela Lopez in the main feature as a ONE Super Series Muay Thai matchup.

Serving as a World Grand Prix alternate bout is a fight featuring Mei Yamaguchi and Julie Mezabarba, with another fight to be finalized by the end of ONE: Battleground III, as the winner of Bi Nguyen and Jenelyn Olsim gets to clash with Grace Cleveland.

The complete ONE: Empower card is as follows:

ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship
(C) Xiong Jing Nan vs. (2) Michelle Nicolini
Strawweight: 52.3 KG–56.7 KG

Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix
(1) Denice Zamboanga vs. Seo Hee Ham
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

Mxed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix
(4) Stamp Fairtex vs. (3) Alyona Rassohyna
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix
(2) Meng Bo vs. Ritu Phogat
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix
Itsuki Hirata vs. Alyse Anderson
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

Kickboxing
Anissa Meksen vs. Cristina Morales
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

LEAD CARD

Muay Thai
Jackie Buntan vs. Daniela Lopez
Strawweight: 52.3 KG–56.7 KG

Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix Alternate
Mei Yamaguchi vs. Julie Mezabarba
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

Mixed Martial Arts – Atomweight World Grand Prix Alternate
Bi Nguyen/Jenelyn Olsim vs. Grace Cleveland
Atomweight: 47.7 KG–52.2 KG

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

ONE Championship enters NFT space with Theta Drop

ONE Championship is set to enter the crypto realm with its exclusive global partnership with blockchain platform Theta Network.

The outcome of this partnership will be ONE.ThetaDrop.com, the online marketplace for ONE's non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These NFTs will be celebrating ONE's superstar athletes and their most memorable moments.

No official launch date has been set, but interested fans can already pre-register there for the first batch of limited ONE NFT packs once they are released.

Top-ranked NFT owners not only will get to own a piece of ONE Championship history but also have the opportunity to reap benefits like backstage passes, ringside seats, as well as other personalized fan experiences.

Group ONE Founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shares, "Our exclusive NFT partnership with Theta Network is part of our long-term vision that fan engagement and commerce around our World Champions — and ONE’s commitment to heroes, values, and stories — will transform live sports entertainment. Theta was the best choice of blockchain platforms to build this vision. We look forward to launching ONE NFTs on the Theta blockchain platform, starting with our pre-registration process."

Theta Labs Co-Founder and CEO Mitch Liu adds, "We’re thrilled to welcome ONE Championship to the Theta Network and see a big opportunity to mainstream NFTs powered by Theta to millions of global ONE users. This partnership paves the way to establish Theta as the de-facto standard for video and media NFTs, as the fastest and greenest blockchain built for media and entertainment. We’re at the beginning of Theta’s hyper growth and global adoption heading into 2022 and our partnership with ONE and other upcoming brands will accelerate this."

The collaboration with ONE Championship is the latest in Theta Network's strategy of combining live entertainment and NFTs. They already have a partnership with the World Poker Tour established this past April, and just recently announced an exclusive deal with Katy Perry in conjunction with her upcoming Las Vegas residency next year.

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Turner architect joins ONE's Board of Directors

David Levy

Group ONE Holdings, otherwise known to many as ONE, is tapping an industry vet to help shepherd the Asian global sports media platform to bigger levels.

ONE has appointed David Levy, currently serving as the Founder of sports consulting and investing firm Back Nine Ventures, LLC as well as the Chairman of sports data analytics firm Genius Sports Group, into its Board of Directors, specifically as a Lead Director.

As a Lead Director, David is expected to be heavily involved with the group's efforts in developing and executing their strategy towards live events and content platforms, as well as extending their reach in key international markets, including the United States, with responsibilities also incorporating ONE's expansion of media rights.

Levy comes with four decades of experienced leadership, most of which came at Turner Broadcasting, Inc. His tenure at Turner was highlighted by the rise of Turner Sports as a media rights giant, having secured association with the likes of the NCAA, NBA, MLB, and the PGA Tour. Turner's revenues reached as much as $9 billion during his six-year tenure as president. Its acquisition of the rights from UEFA for the major continental football tournaments in Europe: the Champions League, Europa League, and the UEFA Super Cup, served as the foundation for which it would eventually set up the direct-to-consumer streaming platform B/R Live. Turner also became one of the first to arrange multi-faceted agreements extending beyond television rights for its deals.

Group ONE founder, chairman, and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shares, "David is an industry pioneer who helped redefine how millions of people enjoy sports and entertainment programming. He is the perfect addition to our Board with his proven track record of working with the largest sports leagues in the world, putting together innovative rights packages that create value for broadcast partners, corporate sponsors, athletes, and fans, and deep understanding of how to deliver engaging content across digital platforms to capture a younger, on-the-move generation. We look forward to working with David as we accelerate our strategy to bring our popular martial arts and gaming content to the U.S. and other international markets."

With this announcement, David says, "ONE has built a remarkable content platform around its martial arts and esports businesses that is captivating global audiences, especially younger, tech-savvy viewers and fans. In just 10 years, the Company has achieved a level of worldwide popularity that took other sports franchises many decades to build, and I am honored to join the Board at this exciting time in its history. ONE has an incredibly talented and visionary Board and management team, and I believe my complementary experiences and relationships will enable us to capture the significant opportunities that lie ahead as the demand for live sports and creative programming reaches new heights across traditional and digital channels."

ONE has been recently making inroads with regards to its global expansion. Back in April, in partnership with Turner Sports, they conducted a series of mixed martial events broadcast in primetime in the United States called "ONE on TNT." These events were considered as the second most-viewed combat sports property on American cable that month.

Then in June, Nielsen revealed that ONE is part of the top ten sports properties worldwide with regards to viewership and engagement. They also added that ONE has the highest global follower growth and is fourth in total video views across major digital channels, third in cumulative reach, and in the top ten in broadcast hours during the pandemic last year.

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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.

Drex Zamboanga confident in Denice’s Grand Prix chances against Seo Hee Ham

Denice Zamboanga

Count Drex Zamboanga as one of the more interested observers in the upcoming ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix, whose eight-woman field was revealed a couple of weeks ago and is set to kick off on May 28 during a historic all-female fight card called ONE: EMPOWER.

Drex's younger sister is Denice, the top-ranked women's atomweight contender in ONE Championship. She is set to face off against veteran mixed martial arts campaigner Seo Hee Ham in the quarterfinals.

About that particular matchup, Zamboanga says, "I think it's a great matchup. Obviously, having trained martial arts with Denice basically since we were young, I know her capabilities. She's not just talented, she also has work ethic and I know she's working hard towards achieving her dreams."

He adds, "Seo Hee Ham is without a doubt the most dangerous opponent for Denice in this tournament. But I have complete confidence in my sister. She can beat the odds and take out the biggest threat in the Grand Prix. Denice is preparing well right now."

The ONE Flyweight contender believes that Denice's training camp for this fight will dictate how things will go against Ham, who is considered by some as the "darkhorse" of the tournament.

Drex says, "Denice is younger than Seo Hee Ham, so she has youth on her side. Yes Ham has the experience, but there are other factors important in this game. Physical conditioning is going to be super important. Denice needs to come into this fight in the best shape of her career. It's going to take a tremendous effort to defeat Ham, but Denice is up for the challenge. We're working on a strong game plan for this fight."

The ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix champion will likely have the right to face current ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee later in the year.

Zamboanga believes that his sister is ready to seize on that opportunity, and eventually be able to wrest the title away and bring it back to the Philippines.

"I'm very proud of my sister. There's nothing she can't achieve and I see how hard she has worked in her career. Now we're here. We're in a great position to shock the world again. I believe Denice will beat Ham, win the Grand Prix, and take out the atomweight champion later this year," he says.

Denice Zamboanga faces tough opening matchup in ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix

The road for Denice Zamboanga to get a crack at the ONE Women's Atomweight championship is already set, with the recent reveal of the matchups for the World Grand Prix.

The lady called "The Menace" is slated to face Seo Hee Ham in the quarterfinals. The Korean was the Atomweight Champion at Rizin before joining ONE Championship. Ham can also count on her experience in Deep, Jewels, Road FC, and even the UFC.

Upon learning of the matchup, Denice shares, "Ham is a very experienced fighter, the most experienced out of all of us. I'm not taking her lightly by any means. She's held multiple world titles in different organizations, and she's a legit, well-rounded striker."

Zamboanga and her camp is taking their upcoming matchup seriously, and is very much aware of Ham's capabilities, one that qualifies as her toughest test so far in her stint with ONE Championship.

Denice adds, "My team and I are studying her previous fights for sure, looking for anything we can exploit. But I don't see any weaknesses in her. She's a complete fighter. We know she's incredible with her hands, and she's a southpaw. I don't have much experience facing southpaws. Her straight punch is her most dangerous weapon."

She also says, "It's going to be a tough challenge, no doubt. I think this is the biggest challenge I could face in this tournament, especially for a first-round matchup. But this is what I live for, to test myself against the best. I didn't get to where I am by facing easy opponents. I'm heading into this fight with the best Denice Zamboanga you've ever seen."

Aside from Zamboanga-Ham, the remaining quarterfinal matchups will see Meng Bo against Ritu Phogat, Stamp Fairtex against Alyona Rassohyna II, and Itsuki Hirata against Alyse Anderson. These matchups will comprise the undercard of ONE: EMPOWER, ONE's all-female fight card set for May 28.

The main event of ONE: EMPOWER involves ONE Women's Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan, as she defends her title against Michelle Nicolini.

The ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix champion secures a title opportunity against current World Champion Angela Lee later this year.

Adiwang excited for ONE: FISTS OF FURY

Count Lito Adiwang as among those who have expressed excitement in the upcoming ONE Championship mixed martial arts event: ONE: FISTS OF FURY.

Slated to take place on February 26 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the card will feature some of the best strikers in the world, including current ONE Kickboxing flyweight champion Ilias Ennahachi, who will defend the belt against 2nd-ranked Superlek Kiatmoo9 in the main event. 

The Team Lakay fighter believes it is a "must-watch event," noting the presence of the biggest names in kickboxing on the card.

Adiwang expressed particular interest for the Ilias-Superlek matchup, which he says will "give fans a good show," noting the high level of striking expected to take place. When asked for a winner, he believes Ennahachi will be successful in defending his title, noting that "I  can see him controlling the fight and not letting Superlek dictate the pace. I think he can finish Superlek as well with his punches."

The co-main event features kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan in a rematch against Davit Kiria. Adiwang had this to say about "The Doctor:" "... he’s a living legend in the kickboxing world. He’s earned the people’s respect by proving himself, fighting and beating the best of the best. For me, what’s so good about him is his composure, because no matter what style or game plan you prepare for him, you can’t take his composure away. He’s just out there imposing his will, and that for me is just special. It’s hard to beat a well-focused and composed fighter. I see him applying this in his upcoming fight again and getting the win."

Aside from the aforementioned matchups, ONE: FISTS OF FURY will feature a couple of interesting debuts.

Reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon will make his ONE kickboxing debut, as "The Iron Man" faces off against Tagir Khalilov.

About this particular matchup, Adiwang had this to say, "Rodtang jumping to kickboxing is no surprise to me, because we all saw how he absolutely decimated his opponents in Muay Thai until there was no one left. Knowing his fighter mentality, he wants to further cement his legacy in the striking world. He doesn’t just want to be the Muay Thai champion, he wants that kickboxing belt as well. I believe he will succeed, but he will definitely go through some tough challenges in ONE Super Series. It all depends on how he can quickly adapt to and adjust to the rules of kickboxing. Perhaps we can also see a rematch between Rodtang and Tenshin Nasukawa in the future too."

The other major debut involves the newest member of the Lee family, as Victoria will go up against Sunisa Srisen in an atomweight matchup.

"The Prodigy" made headlines by turning pro late last year at the age of sixteen. She is the younger sister of current ONE World Champions Angela (Atomweight) and Christian (Lightweight).

Adiwang believes that she has what it takes to make it. "For me, Victoria Lee is a next generation superstar. She has some incredible people behind her, with her parents supporting her, and her older siblings already proven world champions. I have no doubt that she will also become a world champion one day, and maybe even surpass Christian and Angela."

With regards to her age in making her debut, he adds, "In my opinion, 16 is an okay age for cage fighting. It’s just the right time to get experience as long as you prepare well, and put in double the effort to work on al areas. Naturally, your body will reach athletic maturity even if you are just a teenager. We’ve seen this before in elite athletes who started young, like Manny Pacquiao, for example, or Lebron James. It’s not about the age. It’s about the skill and the physical capacity. As they say, age is nothing but a number."

Brandon Vera ready for future title contenders

Brandon Vera

With the upcoming ONE: UNBREAKABLE II coming tonight with its two heavyweight matchups serving as its main features, the current ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera is most definitely an interested observer.

Serving as the main event of this previously recorded event is a former title challenger to Vera in Mauro Cerilli, who will face Abdulbasir Vagabov, while the co-main event involves four-time Muay Thai and Kickboxing Heavyweight World Champion Alain Ngalani against Oumar Kane.

All four men are angling for a shot at the current champ, who has yet to yield the belt since becoming its first champion in 2015. A win would potentially cement a title opportunity.

About the prospects of facing one of these four individuals soon, Vera says, "All of them are future opponents. Everyone is when you’re the champ."

He adds, "These guys are amazing heavyweights, each with their own attributes to solve and figure out. I’m excited to see this event, and even more excited to watch and learn. I’m beyond hyped for all the recent signings of world-class heavyweight talent. It makes me nervous, which in turn, makes me train even harder."

The man called "The Truth" is expected to face Arjan Bhullar for his third title defense, and his first fight since his TKO loss to Aung La N Sang back in October 2019. Vera has stayed in Guam during the pandemic, although he is currently in the Philippines to attend to his non-fight commitments.

Although there is no date yet scheduled, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has indicated that Brandon's upcoming title defense is looming in the horizon.

Brandon did affirm, though, that fans should expect it to take place during the first half of the year.