Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, May 2, 2016

Chatri Sityodtong Brings MMA to the Mainstream in Asia

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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is considered by some to be the fastest growing sport in the world. Just in the past decade alone, viewership has increased from the hundreds of thousands to the millions. Though the allure and excitement of martial arts in a safe and competitive environment has drawn fans from all corners of the globe, the sport’s popularity in Asia can be attributed to one Thai entrepreneur from humble beginnings.

Meet Chatri Sityodtong, the 45-year-old businessman who spearheaded MMA’s success in Asia as one of the co-founders of the Singapore-based ONE Championship, today the largest sports media property in the region.

In 2011, ONE Championship was built with the aim of unifying all of Asia’s martial arts talent under one global MMA powerhouse. It began with a small fanbase of hardcore MMA fans excited at the possibilities of what would become a global phenomenon. Five years later, ONE Championship is broadcast to a potential 1 billion homes in over 70 countries worldwide. The organization is also working with various blue-chip sponsors to sign the top MMA talent and world champions in Asia to exclusive contracts.

“My passion and love for martial arts gave me the drive to bring ONE Championship to fans in Asia who yearned for exciting live MMA events in their own backyard. I have trained in Muay Thai and various other martial arts my entire life, and I felt compelled to showcase the sport’s beauty not just to Asia, but to the entire world,” said Sityodtong.

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The first Tourism Lifestyle & Business Expo at the Glorietta Activity Center held last April 26 to 28 filled the crowd with information and entertainment for the whole family.

The Makati Branch of the Center for Pop Music Philippines showcased their roster of talents during the first day, which includes the Center Teens and their rendition of popular songs. The Center for Pop Music is the training school popular singers such as Charice Pempengco, Sarah Geronimo, Rachelle Ann Go and more.

On the second day, the candidates of Miss Tourism Philippines 2016 did their Summer Fashion Show which gathered a big crowd of spectators, media and supporters at the venue. Afterwards, they roamed around the exhibits and checked out the products and services there.

The final day is filled with travel know-how as bloggers from different places have spoken about their experiences and cultures during the Usapan sa Glorietta Discussion Day. In addition, a raffle was done and gift certificates from Slimmers World have been given away to six lucky visitors.

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Like a lowly caterpillar wrapping itself in a cocoon with the hope of one day emerging into a beautiful butterfly, so is the vision for the long-abandoned Metropolitan Theater which fell into disrepair and left covered in dirt and rust after an ownership dispute five years ago.

Not much is left of the theater's former grandeur after decades of erosion and abuse. Its colors have faded with time. Graffiti were painted along its arcades and glass shards and pieces of broken tiles have reduced this once renowned monument into an urban ruin.

The theater’s bid to regain its former glory was not lost to some employees who volunteered recently for #METamorphosis, a clean-up and restoration campaign also participated in by UST College of Architecture students and several other individual volunteers. The main goal -- to clear the theater’s arcades, trim the surrounding grass, sweep the scattered debris, and collect trash – jobs which the volunteers happily accomplished.

Lyber Taruc was one of the volunteers whose interest in the arts led him to help in the restoration drive. “Although it will definitely take time for the theater to be completely restored, I still believe that if we make an effort to save this piece of cultural heritage -- one that has witnessed the growth of Filipino Art over the years -- perhaps one day, we can witness its complete metamorphosis unfold,” he said.