Official ONE FC 8 Kings and Champions Boku Vs Aoki Discussion

ONE FC 8
April 5th Singapore Indoor stadium

ONE FC Lightweight Championship Bout
Kotetsu Boku vs Shinya Aoki

Challenger
Shinya Aoki
"Tobikan Judan"
5'11'
155lbs
32-6-0
Association: Evolve MMA
Style: Jiu jitsu/ Judo
Strengths: Grappling, Submission, Takedowns
Last 3 Losses: Eddie Alvarez, Gilbert Melendez, Hayato Sakurai
Last 3 Wins: Antonio McKee, Arnaud Lepont, Satoru Kitaoka

Champion
Kotetsu Boku
"No Face"
5'9'
155
20-7-2
Association: Krazy Bee
Style: Striker
Strengths: KO Power, Striking, Presses Action
Last 3 Losses: Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Yusuke Endo, Joachim Hansen
Last 3 Wins: Zorobabel Moreira, Shin Kochiwa, Yukinari Tamura

Who Will Take home ONE FC'S Lightweight Title?

ONE FC CARD

Lightweight Championship Bout
Kotetsu Boku vs Shinya Aoki
Eddie Ng vs Arnaud Lepont
Leandro Issa vs Yusup Saadulaev
Bantamweight Tournamnet Semi Finals
Jens Pulver vs Masakatsu Ueda
Kevin Belingon vs Thanh Vu

One FC Champ Kotetsu Boku Won’t Back Down, Ready for Shinya Aoki’s Challenge

One FC lightweight champion Kotetsu Boku is busy preparing for his first title defense. He’ll square off with former Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki in the One FC: Kings and Champions main event on April 5 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.

Boku recently took some time out of his busy training schedule to answer a few questions for MMAWeekly.com:

MMAWeekly.com: You’ve only been able to fight a couple of times a year the past couple years. How has having fewer fights for each of the past couple of years affected you?

Kotetsu Boku: I would have loved to fight more as I’ll get paid more, but the times when I do not have a match scheduled is the best time for me to practice more and brush up on things which I would not have the opportunity to if I was fighting several times a year. In the end, it was probably for the best as my skills have brought me to the ONE FC lightweight title.

MMAWeekly.com: Following up on that, how many times do you expect to fight in 2013?

Kotetsu Boku: I hope to fight maybe three or four times in 2013 and defend my ONE FC title belt. I expect there will be many challengers who think that they can take my title, so ONE FC will probably have matches lined up for me to stay busy.

MMAWeekly.com: You have only fought once for One FC so far in your career, but what is your outlook on One FC and their importance to mixed martial arts in Asia?

Kotetsu Boku: I was amazed at the level of professionalism in the ONE FC organization. They take care of their fighters very well. It is very good to have a promotion in Asia that focuses mainly on Asian fighters, as it will grow the sport in the continent.

Becoming champion of ONE FC means that I am champion of the entire Asia continent, as they bring champions from all the countries to fight on the same card.

MMAWeekly.com: After having failed to win the title in your last couple attempts at a Shooto championship, how important was it for you to fight for and win the One FC lightweight championship?

Kotetsu Boku: It was very important for me to show that I am good enough to become champion. I feel delighted to win, but I did not put extra pressure on myself because of the last title loss. If I did that it would have affected me mentally and I would not have been able to perform how I like to.

MMAWeekly.com: Did your fight with Zorobabel Moreira go as you expected? Can you tell us a little about what went right and what went wrong in that fight?

Kotetsu Boku: A little bit of what I expected. I knew he had a long reach advantage, which he likes to use. I did not anticipate getting kicked so much and should have prevented them better. What went right is I never gave up and eventually connected with a punch flush on the chin and as long as I win in the end, I will not want to change anything.

MMAWeekly.com: Can you take anything from the Moreira fight into the upcoming fight with Shinya Aoki?

Kotetsu Boku: They train together under the same coaches, so maybe they will have some similarities, but not too much. Both are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, but their ground game is very different. They also have very different body types. Shinya does not have the reach that Moreira has, so I feel like I match up better with Shinya.

MMAWeekly.com: While you have been fighting longer than Aoki and are the One FC champion, much of the attention in this fight is focused on Aoki. Do you think this is deserved?

Kotetsu Boku: Aoki has always gotten more media attention than me, even in Japan. He was always the main event when we fought on the same card. I’m used to it. I was an underdog in the Zorobabel Moreira fight as well. But after this fight, I’m going to get more attention than him.

MMAWeekly.com: You’ve been around Aoki for a long time. Do you feel like Aoki’s style has evolved over the years?

Kotetsu Boku: He has improved his striking a little over the years, but his submission game will always be his bread and butter.

MMAWeekly.com: Do you feel like your own style has evolved over the years?

Kotetsu Boku: I feel like I’ve improved in every aspect of my game. I’m better all-around now than I was before and I enter fights with a better understanding of who my opponent is.

But I don’t think I’m that much different from how I’ve always fought. I bring everything every time and will never back down from a brawl.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/one-fc-champ-kotetsu-boku-wont-back-down-ready-for-shinya-aokis-challenge

Arnaud Lepont on Eddie Ng, pre-fight antics

If there is one thing that Jon Fitch's free agency proves, it is that mixed martial arts (MMA) is as much a form of entertainment as it is a sport. If you fail to entertain, whether inside or outside the cage, then sometimes even winning fights consistently is not enough.

Arnaud Lepont knows this and whatever you think of the French fighter's skillset, his charisma has made him a lot of friends, as well as a couple of enemies, since signing for ONE FC last year. The image which will linger longest in most people's memory is that of "The Game" at the weigh in with a "beating Aoki for dummies" book.

However his fight with Brian Choi was also memorable for all the right reasons as the two went toe-to-toe for the best part of three rounds with Lepont seemingly on his way to a clear cut decision loss when he somehow pulled a submission win out of nowhere.

There is no denying that the Frenchman, who now calls Kuala Lumpur home, has plenty of personality but he showed in the fight with Choi that he also has a lot of heart. He didn't get to display much of either once the fight with Aoki started as he was instantly taken down and submitted.

Lepont is looking to bounce back with a win over Eddie Ng at ONE FC: 'Kings and Champions' and, as he told MMA Mania, he is determined to make up for the disappointment of his last loss.

Your fight with Eddie has been a year in the making, did you always believe this fight would eventually happen?

I have to be honest with you James. He claimed he was hurt, that he had to go through surgery and that he cannot fight me. He has not been into surgery and was still teaching and training at his gym. So in my mind, no disrespect to him, but he was out of my head. You have the opportunity to fight me once, even with my damaged leg but instead I went to a fight with his friend Brian Choi. He asked for this fight, so be it. Seems like it's the fight the fans want to see.

Do you feel you have 'unfinished business' in Singapore after losing so quickly last time?

There is no unfinished business. I have been smashed by Shinya and I am ashamed of it. Especially in front of my Singaporean fans. It's a lesson which cost me a lot of money, emotions and family time. But it was worth the price. I will be stronger in my next fight. I was way too one dimensional before and it was time to face reality. I have to rebuild myself as a full MMA fighter, not just a boxer-brawler.

A lot of people enjoyed your antics at the weigh in and in the build up to your last fight and you always seem to be enjoying yourself inside the cage. Is fighting fun for you?

Exactly James. You know, through your training camp, you suffer a lot. I fight everyday single day at the gym and I am the hardest worker/trainer that you will ever find around. I want not to be ashamed, whatever will happen in the cage. I want to look into the eyes of my opponent and see that he is ready and that I am ready for him. When i step into the cage I am not scared. That's my reward.

What do you think are Eddie's main skills?

Eddie is a great guy, humble, respectful and hard in training. I think he work a lot his wrestling with Heath for this fight. The matter is that, I am rebuilding myself. I think he will be surprised by our game plan.

What do you think will be your key to victory in this fight?

My heart and my never give up attitude. Soon or later he will break. I will break him.

Do you have any predictions for this fight?

I think it will be a close fight, a tough and bloody one. A knockout or a decision.

Do you have anything special planned for the weigh in or for your ring entrance?

I always have! People and fans don't come just for fights. Modern MMA have to be entertaining! Some people hate my antics and some others expect it, wait for it. You can make fun and pump up the fight when you have shown your talent, when you are on a winning streak. This time i will prepare something, but i will be more humble. I just want to focus a little bit more on my preparation. I don't want to disappoint my fans.

Will many fans be travelling down from Kuala Lumpur to support you?

I hope so and I think so. Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is really close. I have a huge fan base here but i think Eddie will be surprised because I also have also lot of fans in Singapore. Sorry to be honest with him but this fight is not Singapore Vs Malaysia, it's France vs Hong Kong. So I think I will have a good support from people in Singapore. I love to be there. Singapore is a great place to fight. I was there a month ago and I even visited Evolve to show that there is no bad blood. Just sport!

This will be your third fight in a row against an Evolve MMA fighter. Do you think that could be a factor in this fight?

Exactly, and that's why i think Evolve want that fight. They think they see through my style. They have made a big mistake. Eddie is not Shinya....and i am not the same fighter that stepped into the cage against Aoki. I also think that because I am good at pumping the fights they see me as a stepping stone.

You submitted Brian Choi after he said that you definitely wouldn't be able to submit him, do you believe you can submit Eddie too?

Eddie is known to respect game plans better than anybody. He is a great fighter, but i really hope he will take me lightly. I can definitely create the surprise even if people think he will beat me.

In your fight with Brian Choi you appeared exhausted but somehow found a way to win and in the fight with Shinya Aoki you ended up unconscious because you refused to tap. Do you think that this warrior spirit helps you to win fights you might otherwise lose?

Exactly. Some have a great wrestling or amazing striking skills. I am just an average fighter...but i have a never surrender attitude, a win or die trying attitude....if you underestimate that...it can be a long night for you.

http://www.mmamania.com/2013/2/22/4016620/arnaud-lepont-pre-fight-antics-one-fc-bout-mma

I told everyone that this is why the last card was a little lacking in names, because this card is STACKED.

war eddie NG and Shinya!!!

at wekka ... i thought the last card was a local card? with the tournament? no?


The last ONE FC despite having no big names was freaking awesome!!

stu3ufc wrote:war eddie NG and Shinya!!!

at wekka ... i thought the last card was a local card? with the tournament? no?


The last ONE FC despite having no big names was freaking awesome!!

technically, it was no different than any other ONE card with the title fight, first FLYGP semifinal, and the last BWGP quarterfinal. Outside of the main event and Flyweight fight, it was pretty much a local card though.

The National Tournaments are supposed to be an every event thing from now on though, so you could probably expect a Singapore National Tournament on the next card.

ONE FC is very organized with there national championship tournaments, ONE FC network. This card will definitely be a great one! The significant's of having to asians(japanese at that) is should to get all of asia's attention.

Can't wait for this one. Aoki/Boku should be a good one. Upset could happen just like the Zoro fight but I am going with Aoki to take the title.

Yusup Saadulaev Looking to Work His Way Into ONE FC Title Contention With a Win Over Leandro Issa

Yusup Saadulaev introduced himself to MMA fans in Asia in a big kind of way when he knocked out Hideo Tokoro with a slam at DREAM: Fight for Japan. Coming off that victory meant he was one of the favourites to win the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix but the Russian suffered a surprising loss at the hands of Kevin Belingon.

It was a real blow to a fighter who felt he had a realistic chance of winning the entire tournament and Saadulaev admits that, at the time, it was a major setback.

“It was a pretty big disappointment telling the truth. I wanted to win Grand Prix very much. I was surprised by how strong Kevin came out but I believe he has big chance to win now because he is strong striker and counters take downs pretty good,” he told Fighters.com.

Saadulaev has been eliminated from that competition but he still has a chance to work his way into title contention through the conventional route and has a fantastic opportunity to make a statement about his championship credentials when he takes on Leandro Issa at ONE FC: Kings and Champions‘.

Issa fought for the belt once already and is one of the top fighters in the ONE FC bantamweight division having scored wins over Masakazu Imanari and Soo Chul Kim, the reigning 135 lbs champion. He is also a BJJ black belt who has won gold medals at the nationals and Mundials and Saadulaev knows he is not in for an easy ride when the two men face off on April 5.

“I know he’s strong fighter, and I told my manager Leo Khorolynsky ‘I will fight any fighter ONE FC propose to me’ because I have to challenge my self to get myself back into the sport. Actually I think that is interesting match up. I know he’s great at BJJ and grappling, pretty good at striking but I like to grapple and wrestle so I cant predict what will happen. We will find out in the cage!”

After spending several years training and fighting in the US, earning his BJJ purple belt in the process, Saadulaev is now back in his native Russia and has been training hard in preparation to face Issa.

“For fight against Issa I’m training in Moscow in Lion Fight Club and Academy MMA Russia. I train with such Athletes as Gasan Umalatov, Akhmed Aliev, Ruslan Magomedov, Leonid Gatovsky and others.”

Dagestan, the region in Russia which Saadulaev comes from, is something of a hotbed for MMA with a lot of wrestlers making the transition. The 27-year old is one of the founding members of Dagestan Top Team and thinks it is only a matter of time before more fighters emerge from his hometown.

“Definitely there are lots of talented young athletes in Dagestan. Actually I have sent a few profiles to ONE FC match maker Matt Hume, I hope he will approve those resumes. There are already four fighters from Dagestan fighting in Bellator and three in UFC and all doing very well.”

ONE FC: ‘Kings and Champions’ is taking place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium which is the same venue where Saadulaev fought Belingon last October. He hopes that being familiar with the country and the arena will make life easier this time around and hopes to prove a point to the ONE FC fans by beating Issa.

“I liked fighting for ONE FC in Singapore very much even though I’ve lost. I’m looking forword to fight in front of Asian Fans again. I thing this time everything will be easier because I am used to it and that ,of course will take some stress away because I will be thinking only about my fight.. Leandro Issa is really a big challenge for me and by winning against him I will prove to myself and the fans that I deserve to be in ONE FC.”

http://www.fighters.com/02/25/yusup-saadulaev-looking-to-work-his-way-into-one-fc-title-contention-with-a-win-over-leandro-issa

^That slam was ridiculous at DREAM. He didn't look great in his last fight though.

Brock Larson vs. Melvin Manhoef added to April's ONE FC 8 event

Dutch slugger Melvin Manhoef (27-9-1) has suggested the UFC may be in his future, but his next appearance will be at "ONE FC 8: Kings and Champions."

ONE FC officials today announced that Manhoef meets UFC and WEC veteran Brock Larson (36-7) at the April 5 event, which takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Star Sports broadcasts the event in Asia, and it's available elsewhere via online pay-per-view ($9.99).

"'ONE FC 8: Kings and Champions' will be the biggest in ONE FC history and features the biggest names in MMA," ONE FC CEO Victor Cui stated. "I'm beyond excited to see two of the most thrilling middleweights in the world square off at the state-of-the art Singapore Indoor Stadium.

"Melvin Manhoef vs. Brock Larson has all the ingredients for a possible 'Fight of the Night' with one of the world's most-feared strikers squaring off against a grappler who has submitted 24 opponents in his career. I know fans cannot wait to watch these warriors collide."

"No Mercy" Manhoef owns 25 knockouts in his 27 career wins and is currently building on the strength of a three-fight win streak. His past two wins include a pair of first-round knockouts. Meanwhile, Larson has also earned three straight wins, though two of those victories come by first-round submission.

The latest ONE FC 8 card includes:

Kotetsu Boku vs. Shinya Aoki - for lightweight title
Brock Larson vs. Melvin Manhoef
Arnaud Lepont vs. Eddie Ng
Jens Pulver vs. Masakatsu Ueda - bantamweight tournament semifinal
Kevin Belingon vs. Thanh Vu - bantamweight tournament semifinal

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/02/brock-larson-vs-melvin-manhoef-added-to-aprils-one-fc-8-event

what a horrible fight......

larson is one of the most boring fighters in history vs manhoef, horrible matchmaking by one fc...

complete bull shit, larson is not even a mw

And Larson STILL has a chance to win. Luckily for Manhoef, Larson has shown a relatively weak chin.

wekka wrote:And Larson STILL has a chance to win. Luckily for Manhoef, Larson has shown a relatively weak chin.

true he does have a chance to win if he can take Melvin to the ground and keep him there

After Injury Nightmare Eddie Ng is Ready to Resume the Brutality at ONE FC: Kings and Champions

Eddie Ng has only fought twice in Asia but he is already establishing himself as one of the most powerful and explosive fighters in the ONE FC lightweight division courtesy of two quickfire stoppage wins.

The only frustration for fans is that they have not seen more of the man from Hong Kong, whose idol is Bruce Lee, with Ng’s two fights lasting a combined 88 seconds. An injury in training last year put the 26 year old out of action for around nine months, a nightmare scenario for someone who has exercised and kept in shape since long before he took up fighting.

“I have been training martial arts for a little over ten years now, prior to training I was also very active in sport, I competed in football, basketball, cricket, table tennis and athletics. Being active and involved in physical activity has played a huge part of my life and not only was I absolutely heart broken that I would be unable to fight due to injury for a substantial amount of time, but not being able to resume any physical activity made matters all the more worse,” he said to Fighters.com.

Ng will make his comeback on April 5 at ONE FC: Kings and Champions when he takes on Arnaud Lepont. The match up was originally set for last year and the French fighter recently suggested that Ng might have used the injury to get out of fighting him, something he refutes entirely.

“I damaged and tore two areas of my shoulder,” Ng explained. “I went through hours of physical therapy, massage therapy, active release and numerous visits to the hospital for prolotherapy injections. I continued this way for months, I had weekly check ups with my surgeon and physiotherapist. If he wants to believe I wasn’t injured that’s up to him, it is not my job to convince anyone about what is true or not, as long as I know the truth then I can live with that.”

In his last fight Ng tore through Lepont’s Muayfit team mate Jian Kai Chee, dropping the Malaysian Muay Thai champion with a left hook and straight right hand and then finishing him with some devastating ground and pound. It was a similar story when he took on RUFF title contender Yuan Chun Bo on his ONE FC debut with the Chinese fighter left unconscious in the wake of a ground and pound onslaught.

Ng believes that the power he has developed can be put down to the training he is getting in his new home of Singapore, stating, “I think all fighters have the dream where you are hitting an opponent as hard as you can and the punches just bounce off them and have no effect, fortunately in my mast two fights the opposite has happened. I work with the best trainers in the world at Evolve MMA and I am improving all the time and what you see in my ONE FC fights is just a result of that work.”

Growing up in the North East if England he was often bullied due to his Oriental appearance. Having returned to his roots and relocated to Asia Ng is now one of the most recognizable fighters on the ONE FC roster and is amazed by how his life has been transformed.

“I still can’t believe I am fighting for the biggest MMA organization in Asia, in front of tens of thousands of fans on a show which is going out live to 28 countries including Hong Kong” he said humbly. “It means so much to me knowing that my family in Hong Kong will be able to watch my next fight, I started out fighting on tiny shows in England so to be on the most watched show in all of Asia is a dream come true.”

His Evolve MMA team mates Shinya Aoki and Leandro Issa will also be in action and the training is intense but Ng says he has returned to full fitness again and is coping fine with the fight preparation.

“Recovering from injury is as much a mental process as a physical process but my shoulder is fine and, just as importantly, I am completely confident that I can use it to train and fight,” he revealed. “Having world class fighters like Shinya and Leandro to work with every day really helps, if you want to be the best you need to train with the best and I am lucky to get to train with the best in the world at Evolve MMA.”

This will be Ng’s third consecutive fight in his adoptive home of Singapore and he is becoming a firm favourite with the fans there. Lepont is also set to bring a lot of supporters from Kuala Lumpur where he is based but the Hong Konger does not think the crowd will be a factor for him.

“I really appreciate the support I get from all my students at Evolve MMA and everyone in Singapore, it means a lot to me because this is my home now and I am very happy here. This fight was originally supposed to take place in Kuala Lumpur but I don’t think that will make a difference because once the cage door closes you can’t hide behind the crowd. It is just about me and my opponent and we will find out who the better fighter is.”

ONE FC: Kings & Champions is taking place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 5th and is headlined by a lightweight title bout between Aoki and Kotetsu Boku.

http://www.fighters.com/02/28/after-injury-nightmare-eddie-ng-is-ready-to-resume-the-brutality-at-one-fc-kings-champions

Kevin Belingon Believes He Can Go All The Way in the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix

Losing back to back fights is enough to knock the confidence of most fighters but Kevin Belingon has never been short of belief and being beaten by Mazakasu Imanari and Soo Chul Kim only made him more determined than ever to succeed with ONE FC.

He not only showed that he could compete with the best when he took out Yusup Saadulaev early in the opening round at ONE FC: ‘Rise of Kings’, he also booked a spot in the semi finals of the Bantamweight Grand Prix and went from fighting for his ONE FC future to being one of the favourites to win the highly competitive tournament.

The semi finals are set for ONE FC: ‘Kings & Champions’ in Singapore on April 5th and Belingon is going up against Vietnamese Australian bantamweight Thanh Vu. At stake is a spot in the final and the 25 year old Filipino feels he has what it takes to go all the way and win the entire competition,

“I did not perform well in my first two fights for the ONE FC and I made some mistakes but that gave me more motivation to train hard and succeed. My performance in my last fight was better and I believe if I perform as I did I will also be able to beat Thanh Vu,” he said.

The other semi final sees former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver go up against Former Shooto Featherweight Champion Masakatsu Ueda and Belingon had originally hoped he would find himself facing the American,

“I wanted to fight Pulver because he was UFC champion before and is a legend, maybe we will still meet in the final but Thanh Vu is a skilled opponent who will not be easy to beat,” he said.

Belingon could easily have found himself fighting for the UFC but is happy to have been given a chance to shine by the biggest MMA promotion in Asia,

“After I beat Nam Jin Jo I was told that the UFC wanted to sign me and before my goal was to get in the UFC but now my dream is to be champion of ONE FC because it is number one in Asia and I can perform in the biggest stadiums in Manila,” he said.

ONE FC: ‘Kings and Champions’ will be broadcast live to 28 Asian countries, including the Philippines, by Star Sports. In future all ONE FC events are likely to be shown live by this channel with shows likely to be moved from a Saturday night to a Friday night to avoid clashing with other major international sporting events and this is a move which Belingon welcomes,

“First Team Lakay fighters showed everyone in the Philippines that we were strong by winning titles with the URCC, now we have shown people in Asia that we are strong by winning a title with ONE FC and I am happy that more people will be watching me fight. A lot of my friends and my family will be watching my fight live and I hope to make a good fight so that they can be proud,” he said.

Belingon’s team mate Honorio Banario became the first Filipino to win a ONE FC world title when he stopped Eric Kelly in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year and the bantamweight warns that this is just the beginning,

“We have not won every fight but I hope we can have a chance to redeem some of our losses. I believe Eduard (Folayang) can be lightweight champion, either Rey (Docyogen) or Geje (Eustaquio) can be flyweight champion and I hope to have a chance to fight for the bantamweight belt,” he said.

If Belingon wins his next two fights he will add the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix Trophy to his URCC Pinweight Title and is also likely to be given an automatic shot at the title which is currently held by Soo Chul Kim. He will have to beat some quality opponents to make this a reality but is determined to achieve these goals,

“Before the fight with Soo Chul Kim I cut myself in sparring and was not able to prepare properly and I hope to fight him again in the future, and I also want to fight Imanari again because I made a bad mistake in that fight and believe I can beat him. But now my focus is on Thanh Vu because if I beat him then I am in the final, I think my strengths are my speed and my stamina and if I fight to my potential I believe I can win this tournament,” he said.

After Singapore ONE FC is strongly rumoured to be returning to Manila and moving to the biggest indoor stadium in the country, the 20,000 capacity Mall of Asia Arena. Belingon would love nothing more than to fight for the Bantamweight Grand Prix Trophy on this card but is taking it one fight at a time,

“Last time I fought for the ONE FC in Manila I did not show my skills to the Pinoy fans and I hope to get another opportunity. To fight for a world title, or to win a tournament in the Philippines would be the biggest moment of my career but I am not thinking about that now because first I must win in Singapore. If I can do that then maybe my dream will come true,” he said.

http://combat-asia.com/index.php/kevin-belingon-believes-he-can-go-all-the-way-in-the-one-fc-bantamweight-grand-prix/

Full Fight Card Released for ONE FC: ‘Kings and Champions’

ONE Fighting Championship this morning released the full fight card for ONE FC: ‘Kings & Champions’ at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 5th. It is an important landmark for Asia’s biggest MMA promotion because it will be the first show to be broadcast live by Star Sports.

That means that viewers in 28 countries across the continent will be able to watch the event completely free of charge on a cable channel which is widely available. ONE FC has switched from a Saturday night to a Friday night to avoid clashing with major sporting events such at the English Premier League and this looks set to be the most viewed event ever hosted by an Asian promotion.

The live broadcast will commence with a featherweight fight between Bashir Ahmad and Shannon Wiratchai. Both are unbeaten and will have the added pressure of knowing that the contest is being screened live in their respective home’s of Pakistan and Thailand.

The top end of the card contains some of the biggest names on the ONE FC roster with Shinya Aoki taking on Kotetsu Boku in the main event with the lightweight title, and the right to be called the best 155 lbs fighter in Asia, on the line.

The co-main event sees Melvin Manhoef, who is riding a three fight win streak, take on American wrestler Brock Larson in a middleweight match up. The Dutch kickboxer is coming off back to back first round KO wins and has promised the Singaporean fans they will see more violence on April 5th.

There are also the semi finals of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix which will see Jens Pulver take on Masakatsu Ueda and Kevin Belingon go up against Thanh Vu while fan favourites Eddie Ng and Arnaud Lepont meet in a lightweight match up and Yusup Saadulaev faces Leandro Issa at 135 lbs.

http://combat-asia.com/index.php/full-fight-card-released-for-one-fc-kings-and-champions/

^Nice. Some great fights on this card. Can't wait for Aoki/Boku, Manhoef, Ueda, Belingon,...

Vietnamese-Australian Bantamweight Thanh Vu on His Rapid Rise to Prominence in Asia

Thanh Vu was plying his trade on small local shows in Australia until the call came from ONE FC last year. Since signing with Asia’s leading MMA promotion he has tasted victory on the biggest MMA show to ever take place in Malaysia and is set to fight in front of an even bigger crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium next month.

It’s been an incredible journey for the 21 year old, who is of Vietnamese descent, and it continues on April 5 when he takes on Kevin Belingon at ONE FC: Kings & Champions. The Filipino is a URCC champion and coming off an emphatic first round stoppage win over Yusup Saadulaev and Vu knows he will not be in for an easy night.

“I know he is tough, so I expect a good fight, but I’lll be coming in guns blazing and expect the same,” he said to Fighters.com.

The fight will be one of two semi finals of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix taking place in Singapore, with Masakatsu Ueda facing Jens Pulver in the other. Vu progressed to this stage of the competition courtesy of a first round stoppage win over Mohd Faizul in Kuala Lumpur but it was a fight which was only arranged at the 11th hour after one opponent had pulled out with injury and two replacements had failed pre fight medicals.

It all made for a frantic few hours for ONE FC matchmaker Matt Hume but Vu said he did not let the constant changes in opponent affect him,

“I accepted three other opponents until they found my final opponent but it didn’t affect me at all, myself and the team at M.A.D always prepare a well rounded game. At one stage I was worried I wouldn’t get a fight but I had faith in Matt Hume and ONE FC and they assured me they would have a match up, so I just prepared all the same,” he explained. “I was just happy to fight and get the win, whether it was a known opponent or not didnt matter to me as I respect anyone who steps into the cage.”

Vu made his professional debut in 2011 and, up until recently, had been competing exclusively in small clubs or conference centers in Australia. His last fight was witnessed by 10,000 fans in Kuala Lumpur and there is expected to be almost 12,000 in the audience when he takes on Belingon, on a card which will be broadcast live to 28 countries in Asia by Star Sports.

It’s an amazing step up, from the fringes of the Australian scene to the spotlight of the biggest MMA promotion in Asia, and Vu admits to being amazed at how quickly his career has taken off, stating, I never expected any of this to happen, it has been a great learning and building experience so far and I look forward to getting more opportunities to show case what I can do to the world. I have never fought in these sort of conditions, in front of TV cameras and sold out stadiums. It was an unbelievable experience to be able to go in there and put on a show for the ONE FC fans.”

ONE FC is expanding all over Asia and Ho Chi Minh City is on the list. If Vu beats Belingon then he will book himself a place in the final of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix in a fight which could potentially take place in Vietnam. He’s not getting carried away about this possibility just yet but it is something which is very much on his mind.

“It’s a massive motivation to have that in the back of my mind but at the end of the day I take one fight at a time and right now Kevin is at the top of that list,” he admitted.

ONE FC: Kings & Champions is taking place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 5th and is headlined by a lightweight title bout between Shinya Aoki-Kotetsu Boku.

http://www.fighters.com/03/10/vietnamese-australian-bantamweight-thanh-vu-on-his-rapid-rise-to-prominence-in-asia

cant wait for this card!

I love cards that are truly international with talent!!

This is the type of card you like to see from One. I'm guessing Silva won't be Urushitani's opponent in the second Flyweight semifinal. The rumor of Karayev might be true!

Will we be having a chat room meetup for this one?