Six Filipinos Will Punch Their Way To Become Legendary

ONE Championship is geared up for another exciting night of fights. The biggest mixed martial arts promotion in Asia stacked its fight card for their return to Manila, Philippines.

ONE: Legends of the World goes down November 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The card is set to showcase two high profile champions of their divisions go to war in the night’s main event. Lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang will be taking on fellow champion Martin Nguyen who moved up from Featherweight for a championship bout.

12 November 2016. The day the Philippines and Filipino fight fans were treated to a night of unforgettable fight as EDUARD LANDSLIDE FOLAYANG defeated MMA legend Shinya Aoki via TKO in a 5-round battle to claim the ONE Championship LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE in Singapore with ONE: DEFENDING HONOR at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The finish came in the third round as Aoki’s face planted on the canvas taking unanswered relentless punches from the face of Philippine MMA.

Eduard Folayang retained his ONE Lightweight World Championship with a masterful display of striking to defeat top Malaysian lightweight Ev “E.T.” Ting at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY last April at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.

Eduard Folayang successfully defended his lightweight strap

He will defend the crown against Martin Nguyen of Australia on November 10. Nguyen shocked the world by stopping Marat Gafurov in their rematch to become the ONE Featherweight World Champion last August. Now he look to become the first two-division champion in ONE Championship history.

That’s not the only world championship on the line in Manila. The ONE Flyweight World Championship pits the reigning titleholder Adriano Moraes against number two contender Danny Kingad at the co-main event. This big fight could give Team Lakay the third world champion in mixed martial arts honor and prestige.

An unbeaten flyweight contender from Team Lakay, Danny Kingad, has a perfect five win, no loss record. One of the top prospects to come out of the high altitudes of Baguio City, Philippines, Kingad is a tremendous striker, operating out of his world-class wushu base. In his last bout, Kingad emerged victorious against Muhammad Aiman of Malaysia by unanimous decision. His undefeated record was supposed to be challenged by Hexigetu of China four months ago, but their bout was cancelled twice. Now it’s time to touch gloves with his Brazilian foe for the World Flyweight Championship.

Kevin Belingon had a good timing when he dropped Reece McLaren at ONE: Quest for Greatness in August and gave barrage of punches earning Belingon a TKO victory. In January 2016, Belingon challenged the bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes in the main event of ONE: Dynasty of Champions. The title bout didn’t go as planned for the challenger as Belingon was submitted by Fernandes in the first round. Team Lakay’s heavy-hitter looks to extend his win streak to four against the undefeated Kevin Chung of U.S.A. “The Silencer” could be one win away from another title shot.

Joshua Pacio is also a former world title challenger. The testament to just how good the 20 year-old warrior from Baguio’s Team Lakay were his fights with the reigning and former world champions Yoshitaka Naito and Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichokei. “The Passion” is a very capable and persistent fighter taking all the sweat he have experienced inside the cage to become a better version of himself. He will show that he is able to sustain the growth as he try to get back in the win column as he take on compatriot Roy Doliguez next. Roy Doliguez showed the world last September that he is still one of the competitive strawweights by knocking out Yago Bryan at ONE: Total Victory in Jakarta.

The rose among the thorns, Gina Iniong, will attempt to get her second win in a row since successful ONE Championship debut at Kings of Destiny held in Manila. With a solid display of striking superiority, she added the Filipino-English fighter Natalie Gonzales Hills to her resume. French fighter Nathalie Heidel and Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi are also this Team Lakay’s atomweight standout notable victories. Iniong is looking to win her second ONE competition against Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Indonesia.

Make sure you don’t miss these fights. Be at SM Mall of Asia Arena! Let us support these Filipinos excelling in MMA as they take on their opponents in front of their home crowd.

Below is the night’s stacked fight card:

Main Card:

Eduard Folayang vs Martin Nguyen

Adriano Moraes vs Danny Kingad

Kevin Belingon vs Kevin Chung

Alex Silva vs Hayato Suzuki

Anatpong Bunrad vs Reece McLaren

Zhao Zhikang vs Thai Rithy

Prelims:

Gina Iniong vs Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol

Joshua Pacio vs Roy Doliguez

Xie Chao vs Kelvin Ong

Peng Xue Wen vs Phat Soda

Danny Kingad: Pursuing Dream in MMA While Working on Homewok to get a College Diploma

Danny Kingad Balances Life as College Student and World Title Contender

In a typical Filipino household, parents encourage their children to exert effort in their studies to have good grades on their report cards in order to eventually have a bright future.

When parents talk of a “bright future,” they refer to white-collared professions like donning a white medical gown with a stethoscope in hand, wearing a business suit in a corporate setting, or holding a blueprint on a high-rise site with a hard hat.

However, the story mood takes a dismally sharp turn when a child opts to instead wear four-ounce gloves to compete in three to five-round bouts for cold cash.

Prizefighting does not require an educational background, which is why most people connote a social stigma to it by assuming that all it takes is hard guts to endure the punishing blows inside a ring or cage.

On the contrary, homegrown Filipino talent Danny “The King” Kingad is bent on breaking the stereotype to prove that not all professional competitors fit into this erroneous category.

Team Lakay’s Kingad, who takes up a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of the Cordilleras, has pursued his dream to be a mixed martial arts athlete while diligently working on his homework to get a college diploma.

Similar to a comic-book superhero with two different lives, Kingad wears his school uniform in the morning with his books. Meanwhile, he puts on his training clothes to hit some punch mitts and kick pads in the afternoon.

Kingad admitted that it is not easy balancing his time between mixed martial arts and his studies, but he is prepared to do what it takes for his passion.

“I am still studying, but I learned how to manage my time with the help of my coaches and senior teammates,” he stated. “I love this sport. I love to compete because this is my passion.”

Kingad is still a second-year Physical Education major as he had to minimize his units per semester to properly manage his professional career and his studies.

At the tender age of 22, Kingad has reaped dividends from his sacrifice as his name is starting to get recognized in the world of mixed martial arts.

A true warrior from the mountains of the Philippines and one of the top prospects to come out of Baguio City with an immaculate record of 5-0, Kingad is a tremendous striker who possesses well-rounded grappling skills.

Due to his outstanding run in local promotions, ONE Championship noticed Kingad and gave him a spot on the undercard of ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS in Manila in April 2016.

Kingad came out on top of his maiden ONE Championship assignment by scoring a first-round technical knockout of Malaysia’s Muhamad Haidar.

The young Baguio City native had an impressive follow-up to his ONE Championship debut by submitting compatriot Eugene Toquero with a first-round armbar in December 2016.

In his most recent trip to the ONE Championship cage, Kingad turned in a complete performance, putting his wide range of techniques on full display in a unanimous decision conquest of Malaysia’s Muhammad Aiman this past April.

With Kingad becoming a highly-touted standout in the Asian region due to his remarkable winning streak, Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao believes that he could be the next big thing in the sport, following the footsteps of his senior colleague Eduard Folayang, who is widely regarded as the face of the Philippine mixed martial arts scene and currently reigns as the ONE Lightweight World Champion.

“There’s no pressure on my part. To me, it’s a privilege to hear that from Coach Mark. I believe in what he said because I train with the best,” said Kingad as a response to Sangiao’s remark.

Although the sport offers fame and fortune, Kingad insisted that education remains as his foremost priority, knowing that he will need to engage in another source of income as being a professional athlete is not a lifetime livelihood.

“Education is very important because my career as a fighter will not last for a long time. By the time I reach 38 or 40 years old, I need to retire and have another day job to support my family,” he conveyed.

“Even though I love fighting, there will be a time in my life as a fighter that I will have to call it a day in competing. Meanwhile, education is something that I can use as I grow older,” Kingad added.

Extra-curricular activity: World title bout

As Kingad continues to juggle his attention between schoolwork and mixed martial arts, he is in what is perhaps the biggest bout in his three-year prizefighting stint so far as the Team Lakay representative vies for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.

Kingad is set to challenge division kingpin Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes in the co-headliner of ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD, which takes place at the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 10 November.

Much like a final examination before the end of every college semester, Kingad seeks to ace his tough test against Moraes, who is a more experienced cage competitor than him.

The 28-year-old Brazilian champion has a stellar win-loss standing of 16-2, owning eights triumphs by way of submission and three by knockout.

Rarely opposed inside the ONE Championship cage, Moraes thoroughly defeated archrival Kairat Akhmetov via unanimous decision in a rematch last August, snapping the Kazakhstani’s perfect 23-bout winning streak and unifying the coveted ONE Flyweight World Championship title.

“Adriano Moraes is the biggest challenge in my young career. I know he is a tough and experienced fighter in the cage. But I believe in what I am capable of. I think I can compete with him on the ground and especially in striking,” Kingad said of his Brazilian foe.

Kingad shrugged off skeptics’ opinion that he is ill-equipped for a world title shot, citing that athletes like him go through rigorous preparations with the objective of having their hands raised at the end.

“There are many who keep on saying that it’s too early for me to have this championship opportunity. We are trained for this. All fighters dream to fight for the title. It might be a little bit early for me, but I consider it as a blessing,” he explained.

If he will walk out of the SM Mall of Asia Arena with the gold-plated strap around his waist, Kingad plans to use it as a platform to remove the derogatory labels attached to prizefighters in general.

“I am giving everything I have in training for this fight. Bringing home the belt will be a testament that pursuing your passion is not a hindrance in securing your future through education. It is also one way of breaking the stigma that fighters have in our society,” he stressed.

Mixed martial arts appears to be a sport for the barbaric and uncivilized, but essentially it is not as it is a competitive field that relies on both brain and brawn.

Kingad desires to see himself among the growing number of world-class athletes that became titleholders in mixed martial arts with college degrees, proving that the word “unintellectual” has no relevance to the sport.

But for now, Kingad will sit on his armchair listening to his professor while waiting for the school bell to ring so he can trek to the gym and train.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit http://www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Filipino Standout Danny Kingad Sees Himself in a Future World Title Picture

Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov and Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes are arguably two of the most outstanding flyweights in the world today, and both men will slug it out for the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Championship title in the main event of ONE: CONQUEST OF KINGS in Surabaya, Indonesia on 29 July.

However, another exceptional flyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor is waiting on the wings to get his opportunity to vie for the coveted gold-plated strap.

A true warrior from the mountains of the Cordilleras and one of the top prospects to come out of Baguio City, Team Lakay’s Danny Kingad aims to cement his stature as one of the highly-regarded flyweights in the flourishing Asian MMA scene.

The 21-year-old Igorot warrior holds an unblemished professional record of 5-0, with one knockout victory and one submission triumph.

Kingad is a tremendous striker, who also possesses solid grappling skills. In his most recent ONE Championship outing, he met a tough test in Malaysia’s Muhammad Aiman, putting on a complete performance en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Part of the talented new breed of Team Lakay fighters, Kingad will have his fourth assignment as a much-regarded ONE Championship athlete on 29 July as he is set to take on China’s Hexigetu on the undercard of ONE: CONQUEST OF KINGS, which takes place at the GOR Kertajaya Arena in Surabaya, Indonesia.

“It will be an exciting fight. I will do my best. If he wants to strike, then I will strike with him. I cannot say I will knock him out, but I can only say I will win this fight,” Kingad confidently stated.

Kingad believes that his scheduled three-round flyweight encounter with Hexigetu could be his stepping-stone to the upper echelon of ONE Championship’s 61.2-kilogram weight class.

With ONE Championship housing high-caliber flyweights such as Akhmetov, Moraes, Geje Eustaquio, Eugene Toquero, Stefer Rahardian, Saiful Merican and Gianni Subba, Kingad asserted that his main objective in Asia’s largest MMA organization is to compete for the prestigious ONE Flyweight World Championship belt.

“My goal is to be champion,” he said. “If I win this fight and ONE Championship wants to give me a chance to fight for the title, then I will be ready to do that. If not, then I will be training harder and I will continue to do my best.”

Although Kingad has become a fan-friendly flyweight staple inside the ONE Championship cage, the Team Lakay young gun has a tall order in front of him as he squares off with Hexigetu.

With an inherent ability to strike and grapple coupled with a highly-aggressive style, Hexigetu is a Wushu Sanda practitioner who trains out of China Top Team.

Ever since making his professional debut in 2014, the 32-year-old native of Inner Mongolia holds a 4-2 record, with three of those wins coming by way of submission.

Even though Hexigetu may pose a threat to Kingad’s emergent stature in ONE Championship’s flyweight bracket, the latter leans on the learning from the forthcoming showdown as it can benefit his maturity as a prizefighter.

In anticipation of his big match-up at ONE: CONQUEST OF KINGS on 29 July, Kingad is taking the knowledge he learned from his last bout and applying it to his training camp.

“Kingad trains twice a day, five days a week amongst respected veterans including ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang, former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario, and former bantamweight title challenger Kevin Belingon.

Moreover, he participates in a two-hour morning session with cardio exercise incorporated in the regime and then follows that up with a more extensive three-hour afternoon session. Meanwhile, Saturday mornings are reserved strictly for sparring.

“There’s always a right moment. Every fight is a lesson. We, as fighters, gain valuable knowledge every time we train and step into the cage,” Kingad shared.

“At the moment, my focus is to improve my skills in training. In my last fight, I learned so many lessons. In order to put a great performance on fight night, I have to invest a lot of time in training. I believe it’s paying off for me,” he added.

Kingad remains optimistic that the ONE Flyweight World Championship belt will be fastened around his waist someday.

“I am a fighter who always wishes to give you the best entertainment and the best show you will ever see inside the cage. I just want to savor each moment. That belt will be mine in God’s time,” he ended.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit http://www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Danny Kingad to put on a show to earn a shot at ONE Championship gold

Filipino prospect Danny Kingad believes that his three-round flyweight encounter with division newcomer Muhammad Aiman could be his stepping-stone to the upper echelon of ONE Championship’s 61.2-kilogram weight class.

Both men are scheduled to face each other on the undercard of ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY, which takes place at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 21 April.

Kingad sees his flyweight meeting with Aiman as the perfect platform to elevate him in the rankings of the division as his Malaysian counterpart is a former MIMMA featherweight titleholder.

In addition, Aiman is currently riding high on a two-bout winning streak, defeating Hisyam Samsudin by unanimous decision in his first match inside the ONE Championship cage while stopping Brazilian grappler Eduardo Novaes in his most recent outing.

“He had a great run in the amateur ranks as most of his wins came by submission. He was an amateur mixed martial arts champion with a 7-1 record. He has won two-straight fights as a featherweight. Now, he moves down to flyweight. It’s the perfect match-up if I want to climb the ladder of the flyweight division,” Kingad said of his opponent.

The 21-year-old Baguio City native describes his marquee match-up against Aiman as the right preparation for big bouts as he yearns to dance with the flyweight bracket’s notable names.

“In order to be the best flyweight in Asia, you have to face the best out there. Of course, I want to fight the big names of the division. Before I reach that level, I have to deal with my opponent on April 21st. He’s a remarkable fighter and always honing his craft. This is a good bout to prepare me for the big fights in the future,” Kingad stated.

With ONE Championship housing high-caliber flyweights such as Kairat Akhmetov, Adriano Moraes and Gianni Subba, Kingad asserted that his main objective in Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization is to vie for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.

However, Kingad bared that he is not in a hurry and would rather take the long road to a championship crack than prematurely vie for the gold-plated strap.

“I don’t race to be in line for that belt, but I’m racing to perfection in this sport. Every martial artist should have the sense of growth. This sport is consistently evolving, and every fighter should adapt to changes and improve their overall game,” he shared.

Although Aiman may pose a threat to Kingad’s emergent stature in the weight class, the latter leans on the learning from the forthcoming showdown as it can benefit his maturity as a prizefighter.

“I don’t want to rush things. There’s always a right moment. Every fight is a lesson. We, as fighters, gain valuable knowledge every time we train and step into the cage,” he stressed.

Kingad remains optimistic that the ONE Flyweight World Championship belt will be fastened around his waist someday.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, OSN and more.

Danny Kingad Prepares for Muhammad Aiman’s Best Version at Flyweight

A true warrior from the mountains of the Cordilleras and one of the top prospects to come out of Baguio City, Danny Kingad aims to cement his stature as one of the highly-regarded flyweights in Asian mixed martial arts (MMA) today.

The 21-year-old Igorot warrior holds an unblemished professional record of 4-0, with one knockout victory and one submission triumph.

Kingad is a tremendous striker, who also possesses solid grappling skills. In his most recent bout, he needed just one round to impressively submit Filipino flyweight contender Eugene Toquero.

Part of the talented new breed of Team Lakay fighters, Kingad will have his third assignment as a ONE Championship competitor on 21 April as he is set to take on Malaysian combatant Muhammad Aiman on the undercard of ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY in Manila, Philippines.

Aiman, a former MIMMA featherweight titleholder, will drop down to ONE Championship’s 61.2-kilogram weight class to lock horns with Kingad.

Kingad might be facing a bigger opponent with a physique of a natural featherweight, but he remains unfazed as Aiman is entering the flyweight territory.

“This is a different turf for him. The pace is different in this division. He might have the advantage in height, but athletes in this division can negate that with speed and power. Those two can make it an even playing field,” he said.

Although the match will be a flyweight bout, Kingad vowed not to be complacent after witnessing Aiman’s improvement in his last two fights under the ONE Championship banner.

Since encountering a setback in his first pro bout, the 22-year-old Malaysian standout has rallied to a two-fight winning streak, defeating Hisyam Samsudin by unanimous decision in his first fight inside the ONE Championship cage while stopping Brazilian grappler Eduardo Novaes in his most recent outing.

“Every single time that Muhammad Aiman is inside the cage, he brings something new to the table. It’s a challenge that can truly benefit my growth as a competitor in this sport,” Kingad stated.

Kingad divulged that he is giving it his all in training camp as he anticipates Aiman to bring his A-game at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY.

“Muhammad Aiman is well-versed, but so do I. He will be coming to this fight with all of his grappling and striking arsenal. I am prepared wherever the fight goes,” Kingad stressed.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit http://www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Spectacular fight card for ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY

20 March 2017 – Manila, Philippines: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced a spectacular fight card for ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY, which takes place Friday, 21 April at the 20,000-capacity Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The action-packed evening promises to feature the absolute best in local and international mixed martial arts talent. In the main event, ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of Baguio City, Philippines, will make the first defense of his title against top contender Ev “E.T.” Ting of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ticket information for ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY is available at www.onefc.com

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “In addition to the highly-anticipated matchup between local hero Eduard Folayang and top lightweight Ev Ting, ONE Championship has confirmed a handful of compelling bouts between Asia’s top superstars set to take place inside the ONE cage on fight night. Fans will not want to miss all the action that goes down in Manila, as we are already gearing up for an absolutely electrifying evening of world-class mixed martial arts.”

Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the legendary Team Lakay in Baguio City is one of the Philippines’ most experienced mixed martial artists. After nearly a decade of competing in various promotions, Folayang has amassed an impressive 17-5 professional MMA record. The 33-year-old veteran authored a career resurgence in 2016, winning three consecutive bouts against high-profile opponents while showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling arsenal. In his last bout, Folayang shocked the world by capturing the ONE Lightweight World Championship with a sensational victory over Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki. Folayang will now put his title on the line against Ev Ting.

Ev “E.T.” Ting is a mixed martial artist with deep roots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Living and training out of Auckland, New Zealand, Ting owns a stellar 13-3 professional record, including four wins by submission and four exciting knockouts. A winner of his last four bouts over top-caliber opponents, Ting is one of the most talented mixed martial artists to come out of Malaysia. In his most recent bout last February, Ting overcame a tough challenge from MMA veteran Kamal Shalorus to win by split decision. The victory earned him a date with ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang in Manila.

Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the famed Team Lakay MMA in Baguio City, Philippines, is one of the country’s most talented mixed martial artists. With a professional record of 14-5, Belingon is known as a fierce competitor with the ability to finish opponents in a variety of methods. The 29-year-old wushu stalwart owns five knockouts on his resume and is one of the most feared strikers in his division. In his last bout, Belingon defeated top Tajikistan prospect Muin Gafurov by decision. He now faces another tough task in Toni Tauru.

32-year-old Toni “Dynamite” Tauru of Utti, Finland, is a professional mixed martial artist competing in ONE Championship’s bantamweight division. He owns a record of 11 wins and four losses, including one draw, with eight of his wins coming impressively by submission. A feared grappling specialist, Tauru submitted former ONE title challenger Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio via first-round submission. Now, Tauru is tasked to take on Eustaquio’s Team Lakay stablemate Kevin Belingon.

18-year-old Christian “The Warrior” Lee, younger brother of reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, began his professional mixed martial arts career on an absolute tear, railing off five straight victories by thrilling first-round finish while only encountering one setback. He has impressed fans with his ability to seek out stoppage wins over top-caliber opponents. Known as an unpredictable striker with unorthodox grappling technique, Lee is now set to return to the ONE Championship cage, this time against top Malaysian featherweight prospect Keanu Subba.

22-year-old Keanu Subba of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is a former amateur MMA champion and one of the most promising young talents in ONE Championship’s featherweight ranks. He is 5-2 as a professional mixed martial artist after making a name for himself as a former MIMMA featherweight champion. In his most recent bout, Subba trumped fellow top prospect Ahmed Mujtaba of Pakistan, winning impressively by first-round submission. Subba’s experience inside the ONE Championship cage as a young fighter has taught him great lessons that he says has helped him improve his overall game. He is set to face Christian Lee in a highly-anticipated clash of young stars.

Unbeaten flyweight contender from Team Lakay, Danny Kingad is a professional mixed martial artist with a perfect four win, no loss record. A true warrior from the mountains of the Cordilleras and one of the top prospects to come out of Baguio City, Philippines, Kingad is a tremendous striker, who also possesses solid grappling skills. In his most recent bout, Kingad needed just one round to impressively submit Filipino flyweight contender Eugene Toquero. He will take on Malaysia’s Muhammad Aiman next.

Former amateur standout and MIMMA featherweight champion, Muhammad Aiman of Malaysia is a professional mixed martial artist with a 2-1 record. Since encountering a setback in his first pro bout, Aiman has rallied to a two-fight win streak, defeating Hisyam Samsudin by unanimous decision in his first fight inside the ONE Championship cage while stopping Brazilian grappler Eduardo Novaes in his most recent bout. The 22-year-old is now considered one of Malaysia’s top featherweight prospects. He is set to take on his toughest test to date when he goes up against Danny Kingad.

Flyweight standout Eugene Toquero is a former celebrity mixed martial arts and fitness coach from Manila, Philippines. The 5’5” Filipino stalwart has a knack for executing highlight-reel striking techniques and is very unpredictable, operating at a pace opponents find hard to keep up with. In his most recent bout, Toquero fell to compatriot and rising star Danny Kingad, losing by first round submission in a tough contest. Now Toquero seeks to get back in contention when he takes on Stefer Rahardian.

Top Indonesian prospect Stefer Rahardian impressed in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear-naked choke to become the tournament winner. In his last outing, Rahardian outperformed Jerome S. Paye to win by unanimous decision in three rounds. Now unbeaten at five wins and no losses, Rahardian puts his unblemished record on the line against flamboyant Filipino striker Eugene Toquero.

Bantamweight fighter Chan Rothana of Phnom Penh, Cambodia is a 31-year-old former Khun Khmer practitioner who transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2014. He currently sports a 4-2 professional MMA record which includes one submission victory and three wins by knockout. Known as a devastating and relentless striker, Rothana is a winner of two of his last three bouts. He returns to the ONE Championship cage against Chinese standout Xie Bin.

19-year-old Xie Bin of China is one of the most talented young fighters to come out of Tianjin. He started off his mixed martial arts career with a victory over compatriot Ma Shuang and has since gone 2-2 as a professional. In his last fight, Xie outworked hard-hitting Indonesian fighter Mario Satya Wirawan to win via three-round unanimous decision. He now takes on Cambodia’s Chan Rothana next.

Top Filipino women’s mixed martial arts contender Gina “Conviction” Iniong has finally found her way to ONE Championship. The Baguio City native is a member of the renowned Team Lakay and owns a professional mixed martial arts record of four wins and two losses. Three of her four victories have come by thrilling finish, which includes two impressive submissions. In her last bout, Iniong submitted her opponent in another promotion. Now, Iniong is set to debut at atomweight, and will take on Natalie Gonzales Hills.

29-year-old Filipino-English fighter Natalie Gonzales Hills is a female mixed martial artist competing in the ONE Championship women’s atomweight division. Nicknamed “The Kilapino”, Hills has already appeared in two memorable bouts inside the ONE Championship cage. At her best, Hills is a well-rounded fighter with solid striking and grappling technique. She will once again put her skills on full display when she returns to competition, this time against ONE Championship newcomer Gina Iniong.

Women’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Michelle Nicolini is a 35-year-old mixed martial artist competing in the ONE Championship women’s strawweight division. An eight-time BJJ world champion and Hall-of-Famer, Nicolini’s elite grappling skills have brought her great success since transitioning to MMA, as she now owns a solid 3-1 professional record which includes two impressive submission victories. Nicolini made her ONE Championship debut last November, figuring in a first-round submission victory over Mona Samir. An extremely technical grappler, Nicolini recently relocated to Singapore to join the Evolve Fight Team. She is scheduled to take on Irina Mazepa in her next appearance.

Unbeaten 33-year-old fighter Irina Mazepa of St. Petersburg, Russia, is on an incredible run inside the ONE Championship cage. In her first two fights for the promotion, Mazepa defeated two of the most talented fighters in the strawweight division, dominating both Ann Osman of Malaysia and former boxing world champion Ana Julaton of the Philippines. A six-time wushu world champion and a K1 world champion kickboxer, Mazepa is set to make her highly-anticipated return to the ONE Championship cage to once again show off her devastating striking skills, this time against Michelle Nicolini of Evolve MMA.

26-year-old Robin Catalan of the Philippines is a member of the Catalan fighting family and a professional mixed martial artist competing in the ONE Championship strawweight division. He currently owns a record of five wins and two losses, which includes two wins by submission and two by knockout. In his last bout, Catalan made his ONE Championship debut, going head-to-head with top grappler Alex Silva of Evolve MMA. Now, the Filipino is set to make his second appearance, this time against compatriot Jeremy Miado.

Unbeaten Filipino strawweight prospect Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado of Manila is a professional mixed martial artist with an unblemished 6-0 record. After six straight victories, including two highlight-reel finishes, Miado is now ready to debut for Asia’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Excited to fight in front of his hometown crowd, Miado will step inside the ONE Championship cage for the first time against fellow Filipino warrior Robin Catalan.