ONE Championship Event in Manila a Treat for Fans of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a sport that has grown in popularity over the past decade, made so by the rise of mixed martial arts in which BJJ is a major component. Filipino fans of the grappling sport are in for a treat this July 27th, when ONE Championship hosts ONE: REIGN OF KINGS at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, featuring three legendary figures in the sport of BJJ.

The biggest name on the card is 51-year-old legend Renzo Gracie (13-7-1) of the famed Gracie fighting family. The Brazilian is a former 2-time ADCC World Champion and a pioneer of mixed martial arts, having faced legends of equal stature since the early 90’s.

Gracie will face Japanese veteran, 43-year-old Yuki “Sora” Kondo (60-34-9) in what is being billed as the final farewell fight for both fighters.

Being from the first family of martial arts, it should come as no surprise that the sixth-degree BJJ black belt is considered a living legend.

Gracie faced an impressive list of fellow legends and mixed martial arts pioneers throughout his time, experiencing great success. Along the way, he has also produced and trained many world champions in both BJJ and mixed martial arts, to leave an immortal legacy.

Also on the card is former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki (40-8, 1NC) who takes on rising Thai superstar Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai (9-2).

Aoki is widely considered one of the greatest pure grapplers in all of mixed martial arts. He sports a sensational number of 25 submissions out of 40 total victories. An iconic figure, Aoki is best known for his ground game, which had already won him titles at WAMMA, DREAM, and Shooto before his ONE career exploded.

He has defeated some of the biggest names in the world, including Tatsuya Kawajiri, Caol Uno, and Eddie Alvarez. Needless to say, once Aoki has opponents on the mat or grabs a hold of an opponent’s limbs, it is extremely difficult to escape and survival is highly unlikely.

In addition, submission grappling superstar Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon (1-0) is set to make his return to the ONE Championship cage, following a successful mixed martial arts debut last March. Tonon will be taking on Singapore’s Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju (4-2) in a lightweight contest.

Tonon is a multiple-time No Gi BJJ World Champion known for his unparalleled technical expertise of the grappling arts. He began wrestling when he was just 14 years old, and eventually took up BJJ shortly after under world-renowned trainer Tom DeBlass. He won his first BJJ world title in 2008 at the age of 16.

Throughout his grappling career, Tonon was recognized as one of the top competitors in the world at every belt level. He earned his black belt in 2013, and continues to participate in the biggest grappling competitions today most notably the Eddie Bravo Invitational, among others.

The three BJJ superstars will all see action at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS, so fans can expect a very high-level and very technical feast for the senses in Manila when ONE Championship hits town.

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. ​

Isentia Wins 4th Straight Company of the Year at AMEC Awards in Barcelona

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Isentia has again been recognized for its leadership in research, measurement and insights at the 2018 AMEC International Communication Effectiveness Awards. Taking home the prestigious Research & Measurement Company of the Year for a fourth consecutive year, Isentia also received five other awards for its work with clients including Harbour City Estates and a large FMCG brand.
Khali Sakkas, Chief Executive of Insights for Isentia, said the awards were a fantastic result for all involved, demonstrating the exceptional work being done in partnership with clients across the business. 

“The AMEC Awards recognize the best measurement and evaluation on a global playing field. We are thrilled to achieve strong recognition for our groundbreaking projects. Our integrated approach and our ability to innovate for our clients is something we are passionate about” she said.
The 2018 results build on Isentia’s impressive AMEC record, with almost 50 wins since 2010. Isentia CEO John Croll also received the Don Bartholomew Award for services to the industry.

Isentia’s 2018 AMEC Awards wins include:

Winner – AMEC Communications, Research & Measurement Company of the Year
Winner – Grand Prix for the most effective media intelligence, research & insights company campaign
Winner – Most innovative use of measurement in a digital campaign: Isentia for Harbour City Estates: Unleashing the New Retail Experience
Winner – Most impactful client recommendations arising from a measurement study: Isentia for an FMCG brand: Impacting product development
Silver – Best use of social media measurement for a pharmaceutical company: Understanding Vaccinations
Silver – Best measurement of a business to business campaign for Commonwealth Bank of Australia: Gender equality in the banking sector
Bronze – Best use of social media measurement for Harbour City Estates: Unleashing the NewRetail Experience
Special recognition – John Croll has received the Don Bartholomew Award for services to the industry 

See the full list of 2018 award winners here: http://amecawards.com/2018-winners/

Erasing Painful Memory in Manila Motivates Eduard Folayang to Win Against Unbeaten Russian Foe

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When Eduard “Landslide” Folayang made his second defense of the ONE Lightweight World Championship in November of last year, it took place at the packed indoor sporting arena in Manila, Philippines.

Folayang suffered an excruciating defeat at the hands of ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen, who uncorked his signature overhand right at the Filipino superstar after he attempted to deliver a spinning back-kick.

The punch connected right on the Team Lakay veteran’s chin, ultimately knocking him out in the second round and costing him his world title.

In the aftermath of his unsuccessful second title defense against Nguyen, Folayang admitted that he did not exactly know what to say or how to address the loss.

“It was hard to talk about it for a time. Finding the right words to describe what I was feeling was a challenge, even for myself. “I think that is just how it goes for me after a tough loss. Losing is not new to me, but it is also an opportunity for me to take a step back and try to pick up the pieces,” he bared.

Aside from finding the right words to express himself, Folayang also took an extended break to understand the errors that he made during the lightweight championship contest.

“I needed the time off to realize where I went wrong – whether that was in my preparations or in the fight itself. I wanted to know where I had miscalculated. I reviewed every angle, and I really took the time to look at my mistakes,” he disclosed.

Folayang stressed that he needed to relax and ease his mind before he could even think about returning to Team Lakay and resume training for another bout.

“I am a firm believer that this game is mental, first and foremost. After you get your mind right, then you can start to work on the physical aspect of it all. It does not matter how strong you are; if you are not in the right frame of mind, you cannot move forward,” he asserted.

The heartbreaking knockout setback could have swallowed Folayang whole, but it only ignited the fire within him to continue his illustrious professional career.

Using his defeat to Nguyen as a defining moment to learn, Folayang was able to ace his comeback bout with flying colors, defeating previously-unbeaten Russian stalwart Kharun Atlangeriev by way of unanimous decision this past May.

As he regains his position as one of the top lightweight contenders in ONE Championship, Folayang could not avoid returning to the place where he experienced his painful loss.

Folayang is penciled to square off with Russian newcomer Aziz Pahrudinov on the undercard of ONE: REIGN OF KINGS, which takes place at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on July 27.

The 34-year-old Baguio City native seeks to erase his painful memory at the aforementioned state-of-the-art showground by having his hand raised against Pahrudinov.

“The last time that I was in Manila, I let everyone down with my performance. It has haunted me ever since. Come this fight, I am coming back for redemption. I am going to war and win it,” Folayang said.

The man standing Folayang’s way is Pahrudinov, who holds over eight years of prizefighting experience under his belt and owns an immaculate mixed martial arts record.

Pahrudinov is even considered as one of the toughest Russian lightweights in the sport as he has constantly punished his opponents and grinded out 20 impressive victories, with 13 coming by way of submission and six by knockout.

Folayang seems to respect Pahrudinov’s experience and accomplishments, but he is confident that he will give his opponent some problems in the striking department.

“This is going to be a good, exciting fight, and I am excited. I will do my best to keep every advantage and win. He does not have many weaknesses, but I would like to test his striking. Let’s see if he can keep up with me on the feet,” he stated.

According to Folayang, his familiarity with Russian mixed martial artists will play a pivotal factor in the three-round lightweight encounter with Pahrudinov.

“He is another tough Russian opponent, with the typical Russian style – aggressive and calculated. He has great wrestling and solid striking, and excellent all-around skills,” he explained.

“It is hard to face these kinds of fighters because you have to be on your toes the entire bout. Get too close, and there is the threat of the takedown. I will be prepared to face this style once again,” Folayang added.

Folayang believes that a convincing triumph over Pahrudinov will keep him relevant in the stacked 77.1-kilogram weight class of the promotion.

“Lightweight is one of the deepest divisions in the organization, and there are so many great guys all wanting to get to the top. I have to keep winning so I can stay in the mix,” he ended.

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