Official ONE FC 8 Kings and Champions Boku Vs Aoki Discussion

PRIDE NEVER DIE wrote:Will we be having a chat room meetup for this one?

Yes

ONE FC’s Eddie Ng Has Left His Dark Days Behind Him To Become an MMA Superstar in Asia

Eddie Ng is rapidly becoming one of the most recognizable faces in Asian MMA, a media darling who has the looks, personality, and, most importantly, the skills to be a genuine superstar.

Originally from Hong Kong but now based in Singapore, he spent his formative years in a small town in the North East of England, an experience which he credits with making him into the man he is today, telling Fighters.com, “As an Asian I was the victim of a lot of bullying purely because of the color of my skin. Chester Le Street wasn’t a very diverse place and being from Hong Kong I stood out and people let me know about it. At times it was tough but, good or bad, all my past experiences have made me the man I am today.”

Today Ng is in the news almost every day with the South China Morning Post, the New York Times and the Straits Times among the newspapers which have recently picked up on his incredible life story. He has gone from being an outsider to a fully fledged celebrity but his story would have been very different had it not been for the influence of one man.

“Bruce Lee was my hero. Seeing someone in these movies who came from the same place as me and had the same skin color as me really changed my life and made me want to be a martial artist for the first time because I thought if I could become an amazing martial artist like Bruce Lee then the bullying would stop,” explained Ng.

Ng currently holds a professional MMA record of 5-1 and is one of the stars of ONE Fighting Championship, Asia’s biggest MMA organization. If his life story were a Bruce Lee movie than the scene would inevitably arrive when he beat down the bullies who had made his life a misery but reality is not as simply as certain script writers would have us believe and this moment never materialized because Ng says, for him, martial arts has never been about anger or revenge.

“I’ve never been in a fight in my life outside of the cage,” he revealed. “Learning MMA definitely solved some of my problems but only because it gave me a sense of discipline and a new direction in life. If I had attacked someone who was prejudiced against me for being Asian it would only have made them more likely to be racist to other people in future and I wouldn’t want that.”

Ng seems remarkably mild mannered outside of the cage but once the bell rings he displays unadulterated aggression, an approach which has seen him stop his previous two opponents in less than 45 seconds. Next up is a highly anticipated bout with 9-2 Frenchman Arnaud Lepont and the 27-year old says the strategy will be exactly the same.

“Who I am away from the cage is completely different from who I am when I am fighting. Afterwards I can be friends with my opponent but once the bell rings I am going all out to finish the fight and I know Arnaud Lepont will be doing the same which should make for a war, something the fans will hopefully remember for a long time,” he said.

Since 2011 Ng has been based in Singapore where he is a member of the Evolve MMA Fight Team. He initially traveled there for a training holiday but someone soon spotted his potential and persuaded him to make the move permanent.

“I remember looking on the Evolve MMA website and seeing that all the trainers were world champions and I had never seen anywhere with such a decorated team of instructors,” Ng explained. “I thought it would be the perfect place to improve as a martial artist and after a few days there the owner, Chatri Sityodtong, invited me to become a full time member of the fight team and I accepted immediately.”

Since then the speed at which Ng’s career has developed has, despite some setbacks, taken him by surprise, stating, “When I joined Evolve MMA I knew I would be working with the best trainers in the world but I still have to pinch myself when I look across the gym and see I am training next to someone like Shinya Aoki, Rich Franklin or Dan Henderson. Fighting for ONE FC has also been an amazing experience, in England I was used to fighting in front of a few hundred people but now ten thousand people come to see my fights and they are shown on TV all over the world,” he said.

The most significant setback was a serious shoulder injury which put paid to the fight between Ng and Lepont which was scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur last June. Now recovered and ready to face the Frenchman at ONE FC: Kings & Champions at the Singapore Indoor Stadium the Hong Kong native is looking forward to fighting for the first time in over a year.

“It was devastating to get injured but the most important thing was to rest and recover and I have done that. I am 100% confident that I am physically ready to fight again and this will be my third time fighting in Singapore and I have never lost here so I definitely want to win again,” said Ng.

Among Ng’s teammates are two of ONE FC’s top lightweights in Zorobabel Moreira and Aoki, who will be challenging for the belt next year. The man known as ‘The Magician’ is grateful to have training partners in the same weight division but believes if he keeps winning fights then a title show will eventually come.

“If you look at me, Shinya and Zoro we are all at very different stages of out careers,” offered Ng. “I believe Shinya will win the title on April 5 and I hope Zoro gets another shot at it because he was very unlucky not to win last time. All I need to do is keep winning fights and my time will come.”

With his name plastered across newspapers and magazines many would feel that Ng’s time is already here. The man who was once victimized by bullies is now dishing out punishment to opponents inside the ONE FC cage and following in the footsteps of his idol Bruce Lee by becoming a role model to young Asian men everywhere.

http://www.fighters.com/03/20/one-fcs-eddie-ng-has-left-his-dark-days-behind-him-to-become-an-mma-superstar-in-asia

Aoki
Manhoef
Ueda
Belingon
Ng
Issa
Silva
Wiratchai
Butler
Low

French Fighter Arnaud Lepont is Proud To Call Kuala Lumpur Home

French fighter Arnaud Lepont has made Malaysia his home and is currently in Kuala Lumpur preparing for the fight of his life. The 32 year old is set to face off with Eddie Ng at Asia’s biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) event in the Singapore Indoor Stadium next month.

ONE Fighting Championship: ‘Kings & Champions’ is set for April 5th and will star some of the biggest names in Asian MMA but Lepont’s fight with Ng is one of the main attractions and he hopes that plenty of his fans from Malaysia will make the trip to come and support him,

“I hope a lot of my fans in Malaysia will come and watch. I love Malaysia. I love the mix of cultures, the community, the amazing weather, the food and the people. I am really thinking about asking my citizenship and being able to represent Malaysia because I would love to have the Malaysian Flag on my shoulders when I walk into the cage,” he said.

Lepont, who is nicknamed ‘The Game’, has previously lived in Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok and but decided to move his family to Kuala Lumpur in 2011 after being invited by a local martial arts school,

“I was living in Thailand at that time and MuayFit gym in Petaling Jaya was looking for fighters to train full time and represent them around the world. I was a young Daddy and the way of living of Malaysian was better for my family than the fever of Bangkok so I was happy to accept the offer,” he said.

Lepont’s fight with Ng, who hails from Hong Kong, is set for three rounds and with the fight potentially lasting for 15 minutes the Frenchman is undergoing an intensive fitness regime to ensure he is ready,

“I am still training at MuayFit three hours every afternoon, and I do some cardio on my own. I love running under the sun and I am also addicted to cycling. Sometime, so as not to lose my power, I go for some weight lifting at True Fitness. I am open minded and I think cross training is the key to success,” he said.

ONE FC has put on two cards in Kuala Lumpur to date and Lepont’s fight with Ng was originally for the first one last June but the Hong Konger had to pull out when he hurt his shoulder in training. Ng’s team mate Brian Choi stepped up to replace him but was submitted by ‘The Game’ in the third round of a thrilling fight which was witnessed by 9,000 fans at the Stadium Negara.

Lepont was still recovering from his October fight with Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki when ONE FC returned to Kuala Lumpur earlier this year and wasn’t ready to return to action in time to appear on the card which took place at Stadium Putra in February.

The next time Asia’s most prestigious MMA organization comes to town he hopes to be involved but in the meantime Lepont has the following message for all his fans in Malaysia,

“My next fight will be shown live all over Asia on Star Sports so if you can’t come and cheer for me at the Singapore Indoor Stadium please watch it on TV. I know all my friends in Bangkok will be watching and so will my family in Ho Chi Minh and I think this will be the first time that my son watches me fight and I will have him in my head and in my heart,” he said.

Ng vs Lepont is one of ten fights on the card at ONE Fighting Championship which will be headlined by a lightweight world title fight between Shinya Aoki and Kotetsu Boku.

http://combat-asia.com/index.php/french-fighter-arnaud-lepont-is-proud-to-call-kuala-lumpur-home/

SHINYA AOKI IN ONE FC TITLE MATCH: “THIS FIGHT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF MY CAREER”

Shinya Aoki: a household name in MMA around the world. In rainbow spats or an Evolve MMA cap, he is an iconic figure of a man who is lanky yet fierce, boyish yet threatening. Every moment of his career is hawkishly observed by both insanely fervent fans and enthusiastic naysayers. The polarity surrounding him is palpable when he fights in Japan, but in his new base of Singapore – throughout all of Southeast Asia, in fact – the phenomenon that is the Japanese MMA legend receives nothing but fanatical adoration.

With a career spanning ten years through promotions that have risen and fallen in Japan, Aoki has stayed at the top of the sport almost since his MMA nascence. Stints in Strikeforce and Bellator pitted him against the best rather than allowing entry level ladder climbing – pretty much a testament to Aoki’s worldwide ranking. Looking to continue his career in Asia, Aoki stepped out of the comfortable confines of being the top dog in Japan and moved to Singapore’s Evolve MMA, and eventually signed with the city-state’s own ONE Fighting Championship. In just their sixth event, Aoki debuted and was fed the fabulous Frenchman Arnaud Lepont, which made for an appealing appetizer but not much of a main course – Shinya ate him in just 1:25 of round one.

On April 5th, Aoki faces his next opponent for a title shot. ONE FC has chosen him as the (obviously) top contender for Kotetsu Boku‘s Lightweight strap. Boku’s Shootist family of Yamamoto Sports Academy – Krazy Bee is no stranger to the former Shooto champ Tobikan Judan, and they themselves have recently followed up with more title-collecting in Shooto with the Pacific Rim and World Lightweight belts, snapped up by Yusuke Yachi and Kyoji Horiguchi respectively. Aoki will be rolling deep with his own bevy of Evolve MMA stars at ONE FC: Kings and Champions as a total of four stablemates will join him on the card: Eddie Ng, Alex Silva, Leandro Issa, and Jake Butler.

Aoki’s next challenge pits the submission spider against a warhorse boxer. Aoki’s first time KO of Antonio McKee at DREAM 18 has shown the light on what could be a new facet of his abilities, and a level up of his game which certainly brings an added air of uncertainty to the championship bout. Aside from the names involved, the fact that two very well-known Japanese fighters from very respected camps are meeting each other outside of Japan heralds in a new age of global MMA, and it is focused in Asia. There is no better proponent of Asian MMA than Aoki to be a part of this. Shinya Aoki is one of the best there’s ever been, and at only 29 years old, possibly one of the best ever to be.

While in the final stages of his training camp for ONE FC 8 on April 5, 2013 in Singapore, MMA-in-ASIA had the chance to ask Aoki a few questions about his last fight, his time in Singapore, and his next opponent.

How is life in Singapore?

I love Singapore! Good team, good training, good food, good people.

You brought your family with you earlier. Are they staying in Singapore?

No, for training camp, I never see my family for two months. I only see them after the fight. This is normal for me.

Will you be staying at Evolve MMA for the entire period of time leading up to your next fight at ONE FC 8? It seems like a longer camp than normal.

Before a fight, my training camp is at Evolve for two to three months.

Please let me ask you a few questions about your last fight at DREAM 18. During the first round, Antonio McKee was able to withstand your takedown and submission attempts. Then he got a take down of his own and ended the round in control of your head. What were your thoughts about his style when you went back into the corner, and what did your corner say?

He is strong and a good wrestler. My team believed that my striking and submissions were better than McKee’s. Ryo Chonan, Chatri Sityodtong, and Yuki Nakai told me to take my time and to strike a lot before taking him down.

At any point, did you feel he was able to get the better of you?

I never felt any danger in the fight.

When you realized that you’d TKOed McKee, you seemed personally overjoyed, rather than celebratory. It was a different Aoki than in previous fights. Can you explain why?

I never knew that I could knock someone out. It was a strange feeling. It was the first time in my career to end a fight with my striking.

How do you feel about working on Muay Thai, stand up in general?

I am still learning. I am a beginner compared to the Muay Thai world champions at Evolve. I learn so much every day. I need to train harder.

Did your last fight motivate you in your stand up game?

I love Muay Thai. I am a big fan of Muay Thai fighters in Thailand.

How much of your training do you dedicate to it?

At Evolve, the Fighters Program is structured. We train six days a week two times a day. We train in Muay Thai, BJJ, Boxing, Wrestling, and MMA.

How much do you think you’ve improved in your stand up – and how – since you’ve moved to Evolve MMA?

Evolve is my life now. Since I moved to Evolve, I have become a better martial artist. My teachers tell me that I am improving. World champions in every discipline of MMA help me.

Can you please clear something up? Are you still the DREAM Lightweight Champion, or has it been vacated?

It depends on who you ask.

Please let’s talk about your next fight. You are fighting Kotetsu Boku for the ONE FC Championship belt. You’ve told me in our last interview that you don’t go into a fight with emotion. Has that changed? You’ve been staying you want to avenge your teammate, Zorobabel Moreira.

Yes, I have the feeling of revenge in my heart for this fight. It was painful for me to see my teammate get knocked out.

Have you and Zoro talked about his fight, and has he given you any advice?

No, we have not talked about Boku.

What is your opinion of Boku as a person and as a fighter?

He is a dangerous fighter with KO power in his hands.

Boku’s stand up is his strength, and yours is known to be submissions. Do you see this fight as a traditional grappler-versus-striker match, or are you eager to showcase more of a complete game?

I listen to my coaches, Heath Sims and Chatri Sityodtong. They give me the game plan and strategy.

What do you think of Krazy Bee?

Good team!

How do you see this fight ending?

I will finish Boku.

What is the importance of the ONE FC Lightweight Championship belt to you?

This fight is the most important of my career. The ONE FC belt is the most important of my career.

Please let me ask you a few more questions about your training at Evolve MMA. I believe there are many more people around during your training, or any time you are at the gym. What is the atmosphere like?

I love it. Everyone is a world champion at Evolve. Many, many world champions teach me. My game has improved a lot – Muay Thai, BJJ, Wrestling, even my MMA.

How do you feel about seeing more fans around when you are there? Does it affect your confidence or concentration?

No. I am a professional fighter. I have many fights.

Do you have a particular stand up trainer who is your personal favorite?

I love all my Thai teachers. Every camp is a different teacher. It depends on who Chatri selects based on the opponent. For this camp, Chatri gave me Attachai Fairtex. Attachai has been teaching me for the last two months.

How are the grappling sessions different from Japan?

The level at Evolve is higher than Japan. In Japan, no one can submit me. It is a different story here at Evolve. The Brazilians are more aggressive with submission mentality. Japanese are more gentle with a sweep or reversal mentality.

Are there any training partners in Japan whom you miss, and that you’d bring to Evolve if you could?

In Japan, I train with Ryo Chonan at his gym, Tribe MMA. They all want to come here to train at Evolve to learn. I love Evolve!

You’ll be fighting in Singapore again for your next fight. How do you feel about the MMA culture in Singapore?

I love Singapore! MMA is growing everywhere in Asia. I want to fight everywhere.

Do you feel you have a fanbase there like you do in Japan?

I love Singapore!

Are there other countries in Asia you’d like to fight in front of?

I will fight anywhere.

http://mma-in-asia.com/region/japan/shinya-aoki-in-one-fc-title-match-this-fight-is-the-most-important-of-my-career/

ONE FC 8's Jens Pulver: 'Just to be able to work, I'm lucky'

There are pros and cons to getting older in MMA, and Jens Pulver is finding that out these days.

Pulver (27-17-1) next week meets Masakatsu Ueda (16-2-2) in a bantamweight tournament semifinal fight at "ONE FC 8: Kings and Champions." At 38, Pulver is experiencing some of the rigors of a lifetime of training and fighting. But he also gets to do some globetrotting as his career starts to wind down.

ONE FC 5 takes place April 5 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Star Sports broadcasts the event in Asia, but it will be available elsewhere via online pay-per-view for $9.99.

"I have no injuries whatsoever, but my ankles and feet are tired," Pulver recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "They're road-worn."

Pulver, who was the first lightweight champion in UFC history, said years of not cooling down properly after a workout and trying to fight through the twists and turns and sprains of ankles and feet are catching up to him now.

"The days of twisting my ankle and trying to throw on a pair of socks and shoes and kick through it, that can't happen anymore," he said. "Stretching is the smartest thing someone could do, but it's got to be one of the most neglected things, at least in my world. After training, the last thing you want to do is sit there and stretch for 45 minutes – it's time to go eat and sleep. So I've really learned to sit down and take the time to stretch and limber up the old bones. People always talk about the physical side, and for me, it's my feet and my ankles. All those years of never icing it after you sprained it or whatever, I think that's what caught up to me."

Pulver will be looking for his first win streak in two years when he meets Ueda. In October, he took a decision from Ya Fei Zhao at ONE FC 6, his first win for the promotion after a TKO loss to Eric Kelly at ONE FC 4 in August.

Pulver endured a rough stretch of eight losses in nine fights, and five straight setbacks in the WEC before being released. Since then, he has gone 5-4, fighting at featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

It's these deeper weight cuts that the former lightweight struggles with now. But the flip side is, he said he's training better than he has in the past.

"This whole diet thing is weird," Pulver said. "I'm on a clock. Every two hours my phone is going off: gotta eat this, gotta eat that. It's driving me crazy. My whole life is sitting around the phone: Beep, time to train. Beep, time to eat. Beep, time to train. But I love it. I haven't been dedicated like this in a long time. So it's been a fun camp, absolutely."

That dedication will include a lengthy trip to Singapore – a necessary evil for "Lil' Evil" to be able to keep fighting for high-level promotions. And he believes ONE FC is one of those that is poised to do big things.

"They're trying to build," he said. "I remember PRIDE being real big, but this is Asia's new big show. They treat everybody really well, and they're just trying to get bigger and bigger. Most people are only used to the names that fight in the UFC or Bellator or something, and we don't know about all these different fighters over there. There are a lot of dangerous cats over there. This is the big one for Asian MMA. They do the lights and do the show, and the crowd is definitely crazy. It's pretty cool to be a part of it.

"And just to be able to work, I'm lucky."

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/03/one-fc-8s-jens-pulver-just-to-be-able-to-work-im-lucky

Just a week and a half away. Wish they would get a US TV deal. I will be ordering the PPV again but they should try to get on Showtime.

Shinya Aoki Intends to Capture Belt and Be One FC Champion for a Very Long Time

Shinya Aoki, upon signing with Asian fight promotion ONE FC, was immediately expected to become a centerpiece of the organization. He is one of the most popular fighters not only in Japan, but also in his era of mixed martial arts.

Having defeated Arnaud Lepont in his ONE FC debut, Aoki now heads into ONE FC 8 on April 5 to challenge Kotetsu Boku for the lightweight championship.

Prior to the fight, however, Aoki took some time away from his training to talk with MMAWeekly.com about ONE FC and his upcoming fight.

MMAWeekly.com: How important was it for you to sign with One FC, especially considering that the past few years have been very difficult for mixed martial arts’ survival in Japan?

Shinya Aoki: I decided to sign with ONE FC because I wanted to, not because I had to. ONE FC is the largest mixed martial arts promotion in Asia, and has the top fighters in Asia’s. I can compete with the best fighters here at ONE FC that I might not have had the opportunity to anymore in Japan. ONE FC is the future of MMA, not just in Asia, but in the world.

MMAWeekly.com: Although One FC keeps you fighting in Asia, the majority of your career was spent fighting in Japan. Recently you have fought in the U.S. and now in Singapore. What has it been like for you to have to go outside of Japan to seek out big fights and big opportunities?

Shinya Aoki: The fans in Singapore have been great. I was really shocked that there were so many people cheering for me the last time I fought in Singapore, and when I submitted my opponent, the entire arena went crazy. It was a moment that I would remember for the rest of my life and I’m grateful that ONE FC gave me this opportunity to fight in front of my fans.

MMAWeekly.com: Most people consider you the favorite to defeat Kotetsu Boku on April 5 to become the One FC lightweight champion. What type of expectations do you place upon yourself for the fight?

Shinya Aoki: I don’t think I’m the favorite because Kotetsu is the champion. I place the same kind of expectations on myself every fight. I fight not just for myself. I fight for my family, for my teammates from the Evolve Fight Team, who have supported me. I will go in there, and I will defeat Boku and become ONE FC Lightweight champion.

MMAWeekly.com: Although he hasn’t reached the level of fame or overall accomplishments that you have, Boku has been fighting as long as you have. What do you see as Boku’s greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses?

Shinya Aoki: I think Boku’s greatest strength was in his attitude. He is very resilient and will not break down even if things are not going his way. I think his weakness is that he will not be as good as me in grappling and I would be able to take him down and submit him.

MMAWeekly.com: Is your goal simply to win the fight and become the One FC champion, or do you have other things you wish to accomplish? What other goals do you have for the fight with Boku?

Shinya Aoki: I am going to be ONE FC champion for a very long time. I want to clean out the entire Lightweight division in ONE FC. I don’t care who they sign; I am going to beat all of them.

For the fight with Boku, my goal is to finish the fight early. I do not want to go to a judges’ decision.

MMAWeekly.com: Since moving your camp to Evolve MMA, you have worked with a wide array of the top fighters in the world. How has training at Evolve changed the way you approach fighting and what aspects of your style has it most helped?

Shinya Aoki: I have gotten a more diverse training at Evolve MMA. I can now work with Muay Thai legends and wrestling coaches and there are many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champions to train with. I feel like my striking game has improved the most. I even got my first victory by striking in my last fight. That is how confident I am now.

MMAWeekly.com: Dream was recently resurrected and you fought on the Dream NYE card. If One FC and Dream continue to work together, would you like to continue fighting on future Dream cards in Japan, and what does it mean to you to still be able to fight in Japan?

Shinya Aoki: I will always be proud to fight in front of my Japanese fans and I will never turn my back on them. I hope ONE FC holds an event in Japan so my fans there can watch me compete for the biggest promotion in Asia.

MMAWeekly.com: One FC on April 5 will be the first MMA event to be broadcast live on ESPN Star Sports. How important is it to you to be part of such a huge milestone for MMA in Asia?

Shinya Aoki: It is such an important date. ONE FC will now be broadcast live all over Asia on Star Sports and live stream around the world and many new fans will understand what MMA is about. I am in the main event and I would do my part and put on an amazing show that would leave the viewers wanting more. ONE FC is only beginning. We will become the biggest sport in the whole of Asia.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/shinya-aoki-plans-intends-to-capture-belt-and-be-one-fc-champion-for-a-very-long-time

Ronald Low Is Ready to Represent Singapore at ONE FC: ‘Kings & Champions’

ONE FC is headquartered in Singapore and, in articles from CNN to Yahoo, the country has been named as the capital of mixed martial arts in Asia.

Having Asia’s biggest MMA organization put on regular cards at the Singapore Indoor Stadium has massively boosted the popularity of the sport but it also puts a lot of pressure on local fighters.

The latest addition to the ONE FC roster is Ronald Low. The 25 year old flyweight is a member of the team at Fight G and has a professional record of 1-0 having already tasted victory at Ultimate Beatdown in Malaysia.

He is currently in Hong Kong training to take on Malaysian Yun Ting Chen at ONE FC: ‘Kings & Champions’. There will be 12,00 fans in the Singapore Indoor Stadium and Low says fighting in front of such a big crowd is a dream come true,

“I have wanted to fight for ONE FC ever since the first event and I hope I will be able to fight regularly.”

To secure future fights Loh will need to put in an impressive performance against Chen, an opponent he admits he knows little about. He is preparing for the fight in Hong Kong but has his trainer from Singapore with him,

“I am in Hong Kong because I am a full time student here. I’ve been here for about a month now, studying Gemology at GIA Hong Kong. My coach Darren de Silva from fight G is here and so is Chaitanya Gavali from Evolution MMA India who is fighting at Ultimate Beatdown on March 30th and I have been training with the kind folks at Triquest.”

Loh has a background in Muay Thai and BJJ and says he started learning MMA a couple of years ago because he wanted to become a more ‘complete’ fighter. The rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia is well documented and he will have the support of the crowd behind him but that brings with it pressure.

ONE FC: ‘Kings & Champions’ will be broadcast live all over Asia by Star Sports and the undercard is being streamed on sherdog meaning that a lot of people will be watching Loh fight but, rather than dwelling too deeply on the expectations, he is simply looking forward to the experience,

“I don;t feel any pressure, not at all. I feel pumped! I’m very excited to be doing this.”

http://combat-asia.com/index.php/ronald-low-is-ready-to-represent-singapore-at-one-fc-kings-champions/

Boku: I'll KO Aoki by making him stand and bang

Kotetsu Boku knows what he needs to do if he wants to avoid becoming the latest victim in a long line of lightweights to be submitted by Shinya Aoki and he is confident that he will be capable of doing it.

"I have been working on my takedown defense. Everyone knows Aoki is very good with submissions, one of the best in the world, but to submit me he will first need to take me down and that will not be easy to do," said the reigning ONE FC Lightweight Champion.

Boku is a member of the team at Krazy Bee in Tokyo, a camp founded by Kid Yamamoto which has been extremely successful of late. He is in an unusual situation as despite being the belt holder he goes into this championship bout at ONE FC: "Kings & Champions" as an underdog and with a reputation which is dwarfed by that of Aoki.

It is a situation the 35 year old will have an opportunity to address at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 5th and he has every intention of retaining his title and stealing some of his opponent's glory at the same time.

"I am not the favorite for this fight but for me that is a good thing because it means that there is more pressure on my opponent. If I can keep the fight standing then I believe that I can knock him out. This is the biggest fight of my life but i have had a very good training camp and I am ready to claim the biggest win of my life against Aoki," he said.

Boku has spent the majority of his career competing for Shooto but signed with ONE FC in late 2012. The lightweight title was initially set to be decided in a fight between Zorobabel Moreira and Eduard Folayang but the Filipino was already booked to compete at URCC 22 and so the Japanese fighter got a surprise phone call from matchmaker Matt Hume.

"It was a surprise because I did not expect to fight for the belt straightaway but a very good surprise. I think because Moreira has already been fighting for ONE FC for a long time everyone expected him to defeat me but I was happy to be able to surprise them!"

With his beard, tattoos and permanent grin, Boku is clearly something of a character and away from the cage he is a keen artist. Fighting and art are not hobbies which traditionally go hand in hand but, born in Japan to Korean parents, his unusual combination of interests probably stem from a culturally diverse upbringing.

"My family is from South Korea but I grew up in Japan and went to a North Korean school. I have always wanted to fight in South Korea and I hope now I have signed with ONE FC I will be able to do that," he said.

A ONE FC card in Seoul is reportedly in the works so Boku might well get a chance to fulfill this particular ambition before the year's end. If he wants to return to his ancestral home as a champion though he will need to first prevail against Aoki.

That fight is the main event of ONE FC: "Kings & Champions" which will be the fourth card which Asia's biggest MMA promotion has put on in the country where it is headquartered. It will be the second time Boku has headlined a card in Singapore and he is relishing the experience.

"ONE FC is very professional and takes very good care of fighters, the hotel is good, everything is taken care of. I like Singapore very much and am looking forward to fighting there again," he said.

During Boku's bout with Moreira the commentators described the Zainichi Korean as looking like he was two weight classes smaller. Moreira is unusually tall for a lightweight but Boku could easily compete at 145 pounds and says this is something he might consider in the future.

"I was thinking about fighting at featherweight before ONE FC offered me a title shot but now I am champion at lightweight and my only ambition is to defend that belt."

The physical contrast between Boku and the tall, clean shaven and tattoo free Aoki is obvious and their styles are also at opposite ends of the spectrum with one a renowned submission specialist and the other a home run hitter with proven one-punch knockout power.

Aoki's superior ground game makes him the favorite but Boku has already come to Singapore as an underdog once and walked away with the belt. He will be looking to pull off exactly the same trick again at ONE FC: "Kings & Champions."

http://www.mmamania.com/2013/3/28/4152040/kotetsu-boku-shinya-aoki-one-fc-8-submission-mma

Friday's ONE FC 8 card set, Boku-Aoki title fight headlines online PPV

As a reminder, "ONE FC 8: Kings and Champions" takes place Friday, and the fight card is set for the event, which is available worldwide via online pay-per-view.

Following two free prelims, the main card is available for $9.99. The stream begins at 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT (7 p.m. SGT local time).

As previously announced, a lightweight notable returns to action as former DREAM champion Shinya Aoki (32-6) takes on current ONE FC lightweight titleholder Kotetsu Boku (20-7-2).

Boku, who won the title after defeating Zorobabel Moreira in come-from-behind fashion back in October, looks for his seventh win in eight fights when he meets Aoki, who's currently ranked No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA lightweight rankings.

Also on the card, former UFC and WEC competitor Brock Larson (36-7) meets middleweight and fellow big-show vet Melvin Manhoef (27-9-1) in the co-headliner. The ONE FC world bantamweight grand prix also continues with the semifinal round: Jens Pulver (27-17-1) vs. Masakatsu Ueda (16-2-2) and Kevin Belingon (10-2) vs. Thanh Vu (3-1). Two of the fighters will meet in the tournament final later this year, and the winner gets a shot at the title, which Soo Chul Kim currently holds.

The full ONE FC 8 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Online PPV, 8 a.m. ET)

Champ Kotetsu Boku vs. Shinya Aoki - for lightweight title
Brock Larson vs. Melvin Manhoef
Jens Pulver vs. Masakatsu Ueda - bantamweight tournament semifinal
Kevin Belingon vs. Thanh Vu - bantamweight tournament semifinal
Arnaud Lepont vs. Eddie Ng
Rene Catalan vs. Alex Silva
Leandro Issa vs. Yusup Saadulaev
Bashir Ahmad vs. Shannon Wiratchai

PRELIMINARY CARD (Free online PPV, 7 a.m. ET)

Jake Butler vs. Nuur Muhammad
Ronald Low vs. Chen Yun Ting

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/04/fridays-one-fc-8-card-set-boku-aoki-title-fight-headlines-online-ppv

What's Shinya Aoki hoping for in ONE FC title fight? Just a little satisfaction

Here's a mildly surprising fact: Shinya Aoki, the man who's fought for just about every Japanese MMA promotion worthy of the name, the man who bounced from Shooto to PRIDE to DREAM all while enduring a couple careers' worth of ups and downs, is not quite 30 years old.

His bout with Kotetsu Boku for the ONE FC lightweight title on Friday will be his 40th professional fight. And almost all of those have come on the other side of the Pacific, where he admits he would very much like to stay.

"I won't deny it," Aoki told MMAjunkie.com (mmajunkie.com) via email. "Fighting in Asia gives me an advantage. I don't have to make the long flight overseas and suffer jet lag. It is also harder to monitor your diet while you are in a foreign country. The fighters I faced there have been used to the other elements that affect a fighter, while I have to go there and adapt."

And, if we're being honest, Aoki hasn't adapted terribly well in his handful of attempts. In three North American fights – two in Strikeforce and one in Bellator – he's just 1-2. Depending on how you want to look at it, that could be a commentary on the difference in quality of competition between Asian and North American MMA, a cautionary tale about the horrors of jet lag, or, as his opponent Boku put it, merely a sign that "Aoki didn't have enough experience in the cage."

But with MMA in Japan "unfortunately ... declining," according to Aoki, it's only reasonable to wonder what kind of home he can carve out for himself in the Singapore-based ONE FC promotion. The options on his side of the Pacific have narrowed considerably in the past five years, so what would it mean for one Japan's best-known fighters to hold the ONE FC title now? What exactly can he accomplish there, and will it be enough to keep him satisfied into his next decade?

If you ask Aoki, he'll tell you that "the level of fighters in ONE FC ranks among the best in the world." If you ask Boku, that rhetoric is reeled in just a bit ("It's getting more and more," he said of ONE FC's lightweight prospects).

Still, you look around at the lightweight rankings and you don't see a ton of ONE FC fighters on the list. It makes you wonder whether a fighter of Aoki's caliber will find enough to do to keep him satisfied. Then again, maybe it also makes you consider the possibility that our goals may not be his goals.

Take his forays into North America, for example. It's easy to look at those and assume that it was Aoki's attempt to take on better, more consistent competition. He has a different explanation.

"In the past, there was no alternative but to seek fights in the United States," Aoki said. "But now that there is ONE FC, the largest mixed martial arts promotion in Asia, I no longer need to search for fights elsewhere."

Of course, "need" is a tricky word for fighters. There's need in the financial sense, then there's need in the competitive, what-will-they-say-about-me-when-I'm-gone? sense.

If you believe Aoki, however, the former is only a slightly more pressing issue than the latter.

"I do not need to earn a lot of money," he said. "As long as I can provide my wife and son a comfortable life, then I am satisfied."

That, at least for the moment, seems to be something that ONE FC can provide him. If he becomes the organization's lightweight champ with a win over Boku, we may soon get to find out whether that really is all he requires.

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/04/whats-shinya-aoki-hoping-for-in-one-fc-title-fight-just-a-little-satisfaction

ONE FC 8 “KINGS AND CHAMPIONS”: EXPLORING THE UNDERCARD MATCHES

ONE FC 8 on April 5, 2013 will see Lightweight Champion Kotetsu Boku make his first title defense againt Shinya Aoki, and the Semifinals of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. It will also showcase the region’s new talent.

With eight eight events in four countries under its (very expensive and heavy title) belt, ONE Fighting Championship is the no-longer-burgeoning behemoth based in Singapore that is now getting its name mentioned alongside the other international heavy-hitters in forums and newsprint alike. It has culled many of the top Japanese fighters such as Shinya Aoki, Masakazu Imanari, Masakatsu Ueda, and its Lightweight Champion Kotetsu Boku. International journeymen are consistently joining the ranks like Melvin Manhoef, Phil Baroni, Rolles Gracie, and Jens Pulver. However, the longevity of the promotion depends upon discovering and developing regionally-based talent.

While countries like Japan, Korea, and the Philippines have a longstanding MMA culture and thus many more young fighters from whom to choose, ONE FC is not limiting itself to easy pickings. They are scouring to find fighters from countries where MMA is practically a brand new sport, most notably Malaysia, as well as Thailand, Pakistan, and Indonesia, where MMA was once televised but has lapsed almost ten years. In its home base of Singapore, MMA may be new but there is already an established fight team amassed at Evolve MMA, which in itself could field an entire ONE FC card (and in fact claims five spots on ONE FC 8). They are starting to crank out some new talent, and they are not alone in Singapore, as the rising MMA tide has brought out several new fighters from other gyms in the country.

With the Wizard Matt Hume at the helm of the matchmaking, and a business plan to take over all of Asia, there’s definitely a strategy to ONE FC fight cards. However, it is all people-based. To understand how ONE FC aims to put together an international fight card that captures local, regional, and international appeal, look no further than the guys who are fighting on the undercard. The undercard of ONE FC 8, with its multiple 1- or 2-fight competitors, provides a very good look at the future of ONE FC, and that of MMA in Asia.

#1 – Flyweight
Chen YunTing (0-0) Muayfit, Malaysia versus Ronald Low (1-0) Fight G, Singapore

Chen YunTing is a young Muay Thai fighter with an amateur record of 3-0 from a single afternoon event in September of 2012. He dominated his opponents standing and when it went to the canvas he followed through with ground and pound techniques. Training out of Muayfit, he has the fortune of going through his fight camp with Coach Arnaud Lepont, who is also fighting in the event on the Main Card against Eddie Ng. He’s also seen other ONE FC fighters do their camps at Muayfit – his coaches: Eric Kelly and Peter Davis.

Raymond Low is a Muay Thai fighter with 7 wins out of 7 matches, and won his first MMA trial in the first round. He has been training for almost ten years, and has transitioned from the stand up arts to BJJ and now MMA. ONE FC is launching his career in his hometown of Singapore. Low has a calculating mind, and is very calm in competition. He’ll be playing to Coach Darren de Silva’s game plan, and approaching the fight with focus that belies his experience.

#2 – Light Heavyweight
Jake Butler (1-0) Evolve MMA, USA versus Swain Cangco (2-0) MCA MMA/Predator Combat, Saipan

Jake Bulter was the captain of the varsity wrestling team at Princeton University. He left a lucrative career in finance to pursue the fight dream, and took up residence at Evolve MMA in Singapore. When he stepped in the ONE FC cage for his inaugural MMA match, he already looked and performed like a seasoned MMA fighter. Butler’s training clips are scary. If his striking has developed as it looks, he is the future of the light heavyweight division.

Swain Cangco is a two week replacement for Butler’s previous opponent. He has fights beyond his given record, all wins. Other than coming into the fight with more MMA experience in cages than Butler has, Cangco has trained with a stable of big guys who compete in MMA regularly. He has gone the distance proving he has endurance, and KOs showing he has finishing power.

#3 – Featherweight
Bashir Ahmad (1-0) PAKMMA, Pakistan versus Shannon Wiratchai (2-0-0-1) BurnShell Team, Thailand

Bashir Ahmad returned to Pakistan with a sole mission – grow MMA. He has opened a gym, found sponsors, and started a fight promotion, all while training diligently day in and day out through rolling black outs in 40 degree temperatures. The last two years of his life have literally been spent immersed in MMA. Ahmad has a 5-2 Muay Thai record and a blue belt in BJJ, proving he has the foundation to be an MMA fighter. In his first fight, he submitted his opponent in 28 seconds. In the lead up to this event, Ahmad is staying at a mosque and training locally.

Shannon Wiratchai, like Ahmad, is himself a proponent of MMA in Thailand. He is also a judoka, a Chinese bagua practitioner, as well as experienced in BJJ and Muay Thai. Like his opponent, he is also highly educated and choosing the warrior lifestyle. Wirachai showed a markedly developed skillset when he entered the ONE FC cage for the first time against Mitch Chilson. Developing himself even further, he chose to do a fight camp with Tiger Muay Thai and the likes of Roger Huerta.

#4 – Flyweight
Alex Silva (1-1) Evolve MMA, Brazil versus Rene Catalan (0-0) Fighting Empire/FCI, Philippines

Alex Silva is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who took gold in the Mundials, medaling several other times as well. His humble upbringing taught him to be dedicated in the pursuit of skill. Like his teammate Butler, he picked up and moved to Singapore to train with Evolve MMA in the hopes of jumpstarting an MMA career. His first outing was a quick submission win, but his second was a decision loss against another up and comer who happened to be a striker – Geje Eustaquio. Silva has had a year to focus on what he learned from that fight and improve. His love for and attention to his Muay Thai game have most likely given him a vast improvement.

Rene Catalan mirrors Silva’s combat accolades, only in striking as opposed to ground work. He has 4 gold medals in the World Wushu Championships and 3 in the Asian Games. Catalan tirelessly devotes his life to combat sport. Through the sickness and eventual tragic losses of both parents and his wife, he continued to fight for their medical care and the financial support of his entire family. Catalan knew his career would take him to MMA and he has been training his skills to develop in all areas for it.

ONE FC 8 “Kings and Champions” takes place in Singapore on April 5, 2013. For information on ticketing and PPV, see the event website at www.ONEFC.com.

Full Fight Card

#1 – Flyweight
Chen YunTing (0-0) Muayfit, Malaysia versus Ronald Low (1-0) Fight G, Singapore

#2 – Light Heavyweight
Jake Butler (1-0) Evolve MMA, USA versus Swain Cangco (2-0) MCA MMA/Predator Combat, Saipan

#3 – Featherweight
Bashir Ahmad (1-0) PAKMMA, Pakistan versus Shannon Wiratchai (2-0-0-1) BurnShell Team, Thailand

#4 – Flyweight
Alex Silva (1-1) Evolve MMA, Brazil versus Rene Catalan (0-0) Fighting Empire/FCI, Philippines

#5 – Bantamweight
Leandro Issa (10-3) Evolve MMA, Brazil versus Yusup Saadulaev (9-2-1) Uflacker Academy, USA

#6 – Lightweight
Eddie Ng (5-1) Evolve MMA, Hong Kong versus Arnaud Lepont (9-2) Muayfit, France

#7 – Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinals #1
Kevin Belingon (10-2) Team Lakay, Philippines versus Thanh Vu (3-1) Martial ARts Development, Australia

#8 – Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinals #2
Jens Pulver (27-17-1) Team Extreme, USA versus Masakatsu Ueda (16-2-2) Paraestra Tokyo, Japan

#9 – Middleweight
Melvin Manhoef (27-9-1) Mike’s Gym, Netherlands versus Brock Larsen (36-7) Get Sum/MIQ, USA

#10 – Lightweight Championship Defence
Kotetsu Boku (20-7-2) Krazy Bee, Japan versus Shinya Aoki (32-6) Evolve MMA, Japan

http://mma-in-asia.com/promotions/one-fc/one-fc-8-kings-and-champions-the-undercard-matches/

Jens Pulver Looks to Add a ONE FC Title to His Accolades: “Might Be the Final Opportunity”

It’s no secret that former UFC lightweight titleholder Jens Pulver’s fighting career is creeping toward an end. Finally fighting in the best weight class for his physical frame, Pulver entered the ONE FC Bantamweight Tournament hoping to win another title to cap off his career.

“It will mean the world to me. I’m not oblivious to the fact that my career is coming to an end. Winning this Grand Prix earns me a title shot,” Pulver told MMAWeekly.com. “This might be the final opportunity for me to win a major title and winning this will, without a doubt, be the pinnacle of my career.”

Pulver began his mixed martial arts career in 1999. Most of his 45 fights were fought in the lightweight division. Pulver fought for the world title as a featherweight, losing to then-champion Urijah Faber. He has taken fights in divisions as low as flyweight, but feels bantamweight is where he should have always been.

“Bantamweight is the perfect weight class for me. I feel like finally I am fighting at the weight that I should have always been fighting at,” said Pulver. “I don’t feel like I am outsized and outmatched, while I also do not cut so much weight that it drains me on fight night. I do have to follow a strict diet and, if I do that, I barely have to cut anything on the day of weigh in.”

Fighting in ONE FC and as a bantamweight has rekindled Pulver’s fighting spirit, but he approaches the rest of his career with a realistic perspective and is taking it one fight at a time.

“What ONE FC is doing is amazing for the sport. Right now, in the MMA industry, there are only two real promotions. ONE FC is the largest promotion in this side of the world, and right now there is really no better promotion in the world. Everything they do is world-class, from the production level to the way they treat their fighters. They have many grand plans ahead and they have all the potential to become the best in the world,” he said.

“Right now, I’m taking it fight by fight. I will stop fighting when one day I wake up and I have no motivation to go train. That is when you know your career is done. Since fighting for ONE FC, I have found a renewed passion. I am now competing at the highest level of the sport and as long as I can continue to win, I will find the motivation to train and compete,” added Pulver.

He faces Masakatsu Ueda on April 5 in the semifinals of the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix. Ueda (16-2-2) is a former Shooto 132-pound champion.

“He’s quite a big name in the Asian MMA circuit. We are the two big names in the semifinals of the Grand Prix and whoever wins this bout will enter the final as the favorite,” said Pulver about his opponent. “I have watched some of his fights and he is a grinder in the true sense of the word. He has a power to break his opponent’s will to fight.”

Pulver didn’t have a prediction on how the fight will play out, but did envision himself as the eventual winner.


“I can’t really predict how a fight will go. There are just so many unknowns and permutations that a fight can unfold differently every single time it is done,” he said. “I am just confident that I will bring my skills and leave it all in the cage like I always do. He will not break me and I will be the one with my hands raised at the end of the day.”

www.mmaweekly.com/jens-pulver-looks-to-add-a-one-fc-title-to-his-accolades-might-be-the-final-opportunity

Shinya Aoki will be dropping down to Featherweight

DREAM Champion Shinya Aoki has been a staple at the lightweight rankings for quite some time now, but it looks like he is already planning to make an even bigger impact on a different division. Just less than 48 hours before his lightweight championship bout against Kotetsu Boku this Friday, the submission specialist has told BloodyElbow.com that he will be dropping down to featherweight regardless of the outcome at ONE FC 8.

"I will go to 145 lbs. I want to win all the world titles at featherweight," Aoki tells us as he talked about his plans after this upcoming bout.

Evolve MMA coaches told us just two days before the weigh-in that the Japanese standout weighed in at 71.5 kg for his lightweight bout, which meant he wouldn't even need to cut much water weight to make tomorrow's 70 kg limit.

"Heath, Shinya and I have talked about this for the last year or so, and all three of us have decided that it is best for Shinya's future," said Chatri Sityodtong, the founder and one of the head coaches at Evolve MMA, "He can easily make 145. He is too small to be a lightweight, and he will be a huge featherweight. His body type at 145 is akin to Jon Jones with a huge wingspan and reach."

Aoki is listed at 5-foot-11, and if he cleanly drops to featherweight, he could be one of the bigger and stronger guys in the division, an advantage that his coaches felt that he hasn't for quite some time now. The move also makes sense for the team as it creates a clearer path to the title for Shinya's other 155 lb teammates such as Zorobabel Moreira and Eddie Ng.

The "Master of Flying Submissions" will fight for the promotion's lightweight crown this Friday, and win or lose, it looks like he will also be gunning for that featherweight crown which will be defended at ONE FC 9 next month.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/4/3/4178134/asian-mma-shinya-aoki-to-featherweight-145-one-fc

Looks like I'll be making a apperance...

ONE FC CEO says Aoki vs. Boku a sellout, Aoki has 'cult-like' following

A lightweight title match pitting champ Kotetsu Boku against ex-DREAM champ Shinya Aoki is drawing big attention in Singapore, according to ONE FC CEO Victor Cui.

Cui said the fight, which headlines ONE FC's eighth event, "ONE Fighting Championship: Kings and Champions," has prompted a sellout at the Singapore Indoor Stadium hosting the show.

"Everyone knows Aoki," Cui recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I can only describe it as a cult-like following."

Aoki (32-6), who made his ONE FC debut this past October with a first-round submission win, attempts to halt the surging Boku (20-7-2), who upset Zorobabel Moreira to take the inaugural lightweight belt.

"The guy just does not give up," Cui said of the champ, whose resume is heavy on decisions and knockouts.

That could provide a perfect foil for Aoki, who boasts a laundry list of submission wins. The once top-ranked fighter has been stopped by seasoned strikers who managed to avoid the mat.

"The thing that I really like about Aoki and Boku is that both of these guys are seasoned fighters," Cui said. "They know everything about each other. They see each other fight, they know each others games, and they know what they're stepping into the cage with. The buzz here has been crazy."

In addition to the sellout, Cui said the fight has garnered attention from major newspapers in Singapore, which previously has hosted three ONE FC events.

But for those who aren't able to make the trip, Cui said more people than ever will be able to watch online at the promotion's website, which will stream the first two fights of the 10-bout card free.

The event's co-main draw features K-1 and Strikeforce vet Melvin Manhoef against UFC vet Brock Larson, and former UFC champ Jens Pulver meets Japanese vet Masakatsu Ueda.

"We've always been live around the world, but now we're going to be live on Star Sports in 28 countries in Asia, and a little over 70 worldwide," Cui said. "The show this April 5 is in front of about 600 million (potential) viewers."

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/04/one-fc-ceo-says-aoki-vs-boku-a-sellout-aoki-has-cult-like-following

ONE FC 8 weigh-in results: Champ Boku, challenger Aoki official

All main-card fighters competing at Saturday's "ONE FC 8: Kings and Champions" event today successfully made weight for the show.

Headliners Kotetsu Boku (154 lbs.) and Shinya Aoki (155), who fight for Boku's lightweight title, made the 155-pound limit with no issue, as did bantamweight tourney fighters Jens Pulver, Masakatsu Ueda, Kevin Belingon and Thanh Vu.

Friday's event takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. The main card streams at www.onefc.livesport.tv ($9.99), and the first two prelims are available for free.

The evening's first two fights stream live free of charge.

The full weigh-in results included:

Champ Kotetsu Boku (70 kg/154 lbs.) vs. Shinya Aoki (70.1 kg/155 lbs.) - for ONE FC 7 lineup
Brock Larson (83.9 kg/185 lbs.) vs. Melvin Manhoef (83.9 kg/185 lbs.)
Jens Pulver (60.9 kg/134 lbs.) vs. Masakatsu Ueda (61 kg/135 lbs.)
Thanh Vu (61 kg/135 lbs.) vs. Kevin Belingon (61.1 kg/135 lbs.)
Arnaud Lepont (69.9 kg/154 lbs.) vs. Eddie Ng (69.9 kg/154 lbs.)
Yusup Saddulaev (61.1 kg/135 lbs.) vs. Leandro Issa (61.1 kg/135 lbs.)
Rene Catalan (56.1 kg/124 lbs.) vs. Alex Silva (56.5 kg/125 lbs.)
Bashir Ahmad (65.7 kg/145 lbs.) vs. Shannon Wiratchai (65.8 kg/145 lbs.)
Swain Cangco (92 kg/203 lbs.) vs. Jake Butler (92.9 kg/205 lbs.)
Chen Yun Ting (56.3 kg/124 lbs.) vs. Ronald Low (56.4 kg/124 lbs.)

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/04/one-fc-8-weigh-in-results-champ-boku-challenger-aoki-official

I'm hoping for some soul shattering soccer kicks, the last Pancrase had some solid kicks so hopefully ONE FC can deliver some as well.

Sonatine's picks for the day:
Aoki
The Hoef
Ueda
Vu
Ng
Yusup
Silva
Wiratchai
Butler
Low

^ any reason for picking Vu over Belingon?