ONE Championship Rises As Largest Stand-Up Organization in the World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Fresh off the debut of its highly-anticipated ONE Super Series on 20 April at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, ONE Championship offered fans a taste of what’s to expect with its latest innovation -- an all-striking league showcasing the best of the world’s striking martial arts.

The premise is simple. ONE Championship wants to provide a proving ground for the world’s best strikers to face each other under a single banner -- a prestigious global platform to showcase the beauty of striking arts such as Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, Kung Fu, wushu, sanda, silat, lethwei, and more.

Last Friday night in Manila, ONE Championship showed fans a glimpse of the sort of action that they can look forward to with ONE Super Series -- and it was legendary.

Gracing the promotion’s all-new five-rope ring was kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, who put on an absolute clinic against opponent Jo Nattawut of Thailand. Also in action was Muay Thai legend and former 4-time Lumpinee Stadium champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao who took on France’s Fabio Pinca.

For those who don’t know, Petrosyan and Gaiyanghadao are two of the most famous legends in the world of striking martial arts. The mere fact that they appeared together on the same card is just mind-blowing. If ONE Championship’s aim is to introduce these striking legends to the world, it has certainly achieved its goal early on.

Needless to say, both Petrosyan and Gaiyanghadao lived up to their billing and turned in inspiring performances. For the first time in history, an audience the magnitude of ONE Championship’s 1.7 billion potential viewers in over 136 countries worldwide were able to witness the greatness of these athletes.

And there’s much more to come. Names such as Lerdsila, Yodsaenklai Fairtex, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, and Singtongnoi Por Telakun have also been announced as having joined ONE Super Series.

By having these monumental figures of striking martial arts, and encompassing multiple styles of martial arts, ONE Championship has effectively become the largest stand-up organization in the world.

Other organizations such as Glory Kickboxing or K-1 offer a similar product. But by having more than one “flavor” of martial arts on its menu, ONE Championship emerges as the undisputed pack leader. And with bigger names to boot, ONE Super Series will continue to draw massive audiences.

The next event to feature ONE Super Series bouts will be ONE: GRIT AND GLORY, which takes place 12 May in Jakarta, Indonesia. This is followed by ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS which happens a week later in Singapore.

Both cards offer a handful of compelling ONE Super Series contests. Singapore in particular will see the first ONE Super Series world champion crowned when Sam-A Gaiyanghadao takes on Sergio “Little One” Wielzen of the Netherlands for the inaugural ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship.

ONE Championship aims to gradually assimilate ONE Super Series bouts into its cards, and athletes will be able to select from a series of ring and cage rule sets where they wish to compete. This means that kickboxers could move into Muay Thai, or Lethwei, or Sanda, if they wanted to. The flexibility opens up a myriad of possible combinations that should have martial arts enthusiasts salivating.

The invitation is also open to its current roster of mixed martial artists. So it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think of maybe someone like ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera competing under Muay Thai rules against one of these striking legends. It’s a bold step forward in the right direction for ONE Championship, who prides itself in being the ‘Home of Martial Arts’. With ONE Super Series, the promotion certainly lives up to its reputation.

Eventually, the promotion envisions staging standalone ONE Super Series cards in the future. It’s an ambitious project that will take the combined efforts of ONE Championship’s elite team of professionals working behind the scenes to make sure each event is a smashing success. But one, that if it takes off, will turn out to be an idea of pure genius.

At its core, it is a celebration of the purity of striking. For fans who crave the sort of classic action and excitement that will leave them on the edge of their seats, they need look no further than ONE Super Series.

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

Legendary Duo Air Supply Takes Santa Rosa in May

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Iconic Australian duo Air Supply takes us back to the 80’s for a special one-night show on 31 May 2018 at the Santa Rosa Sports Coliseum in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This year’s Philippine concert is the first of several shows part of their Over Asia 2018 Tour following dates all over Canada and the United States.

Still supplying the classic hits 43 years since the release of their debut album, singer-songwriter and guitarist Graham Russell and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock celebrate their trademark soft rock sound by serenading us once again with their massive catalog of evergreen love songs.

Air Supply began its humble musical journey opening for Rod Stewart back in Australia and eventually across North America and Canada, breaking through a whole new U.S. audience. Subsequent to their fourth studio record, Life Support, was the success of many beloved songs, including “Lost in Love” which unexpectedly rose to Top 10 in Australia. Their refreshing take on soft rock music somehow found its way to the distinguished Arista Records in New York. Immediately after the duo signed with the label, "Lost in Love" became the fastest-selling single in the world, leaping to the top of the charts worldwide. The band’s second single, "All Out of Love," attracted more fans and reigned the charts even longer.

Eight Top 10 hits later, "Lost in Love" was named Song of the Year in 1980, and, with the other singles, sold more than 10 million copies.

Russell Hitchcock's soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell's pure yet majestic lyrics have created a warm signature sound that would live on for a very long time.

Other hits of Air Supply areMaking Love Out of Nothing at All, The One That You Love, Here I Am, Two Less Lonely People, Every Woman In the World, Sweet Dreams, I Can Wait Forever, Lonely Is the Night, Having You Near Me, to name a few.

(Air Supply Live in Santa Rosa is produced by Ovation Productions. Tickets available via www.smtickets.comand regular SM Tickets outlets. Ticket Prices are P4,500/ P3,500/ P2,500/ P1,500. For info call SM Tickets +632 470-2222 or Ovation Productions +632 532-8883.)

Proving Doubters Wrong is Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol’s Specialty

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Over the past decade, women’s mixed martial arts rose from relative obscurity to noticeable heights that many could not fathom in such a short span of time.

The once male-dominated sport has been infiltrated by women equipped with equal prowess to engage in high-testosterone action, at times even with more gusto than their male counterparts.

After years of being told that they “just weren’t good enough” and that there “wasn’t enough girls to form a legitimate bracket”, women are finally gracing the biggest stage of the sport.

Despite the rise to prominence of female competitors from different parts of the globe, many households in Asia still keep a conservative stance in viewing women as part of the constantly-evolving sport.

When Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol tells her friends or neighbors about how she makes a living, she gets more than a few quizzical looks.

Some are legitimately thrilled about her professional martial arts career, but many more, like her family members, believe that she should quit.

“Some friends are excited. But some just have questions like, ‘When will you stop? It is better to get another job rather than competing, because of your age.’ My family is very concerned for my safety,” she bared.

Gaol has been battling negative reputation of women’s participation in combat sports since she started training various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and Wushu at a young age.

Even though she brought home pride and glory to her country by becoming an international Wushu champion, the aforementioned undesirable perception had not left her.

Directing her career path to mixed martial arts over a year ago, Gaol explained that seeing a woman succeed in a sport wholly dominated by men for the past 25 years is just an example of what is possible.

“I would like to continue this campaign for everyone who doesn't understand the beauty of this sport. Martial arts is not about fighting. Its real aim is to empower both men and women. We’ve already seen what women can do inside the cage or ring. It’s a high time to unleash our full potential in this sport,” she asserted.

While it has declined inch-by-inch, Gaol pointed out that women’s role in mixed martial arts still needs to be consistently promoted and encouraged for the stigma to totally diminish.

“It needs more opportunity. I think that there are young girls who are probably interested in getting into it, and we need support from men and women to encourage and let them go to the gym,” she conveyed.

After going through a shaky start in ONE Championship, Gaol is in now making a name as an atomweight contender in the organization.

The 29-year-old native of Jakarta, Indonesia has won two-straight matches, defeating Audreylaura Boniface via first-round stoppage last January before submitting Filipina newcomer Krisna Limbaga a month later.

“When you have been through failure, you will have more confidence next time,” she said. “I am not the type of person who lacks a view of the future. Some people will lose the ability to fight once they lose, but I do not.”

“Once I fail, it gives me a different view of myself. It is like a mirror, where I can see clearly about many things, and I think that has made me a stronger person,” Gaol added.

Gaol looks to keep the momentum rolling as she is slated to square off with Filipina standout Rome Trinidad on the undercard of ONE: GRIT AND GLORY, which is set for 12 May at the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia.

Despite having the momentum going into her next assignment, she remains on her toes to bring her “A” game each and every time she sets foot inside the cage.

“I always learn from a loss,” she reflected. “Losing is a bitter pill, but it can be our best friend sometimes. It makes us feel bad, but at the same time, it lets us know what to do next time, so we can be better.”

There is plenty of ambition fueling her grind, including a shot at the coveted ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship.

Although Gaol acknowledges that it will take more time and more experience to achieve her dream, she seeks to exemplify the utmost confidence of a woman on a global stage at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

“I love it when I defy odds and prove my doubters wrongs. I am here for a reason. Someday, I will be a world champion. And I will use that platform to create more opportunities for women and my countrymen,” she concluded.

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