Ev Ting Defeats Eric Kelly at ONE: Clash of Heroes

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), electrified the iconic Stadium Negara with another evening of world-class mixed martial arts action. Fight fans in Masdlaysia were on the edge of their seats as the best in local and international mixed martial arts talent battled it out inside the ONE Cage. In the Malaysia Warrior Bout main event, Malaysia’s own Ev “E.T.” Ting defeated the Philippines’ Eric “The Natural” Kelly by submission and took the time to call out reigning champion Marat Gafurov in the post-fight interview.

In the Malaysia Warrior Bout main event, an exhausted Ev Ting pulled out a gutsy victory over Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines, winning by submission in round three. Ting dominated the striking exchanges throughout the bout, blasting Kelly with various combinations. Kelly spent most of his time defending against Ting’s aggression, biding his time and pacing himself for a distance finish. In the third, Ting latched on a standing Guillotine that transitioned into a mounted Guillotine, leaving Kelly no choice but to tap out.

“Marat Gafurov I’m coming for you, where is that belt at?” said Ting, looking for a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship.

“With the new weight cut policy I wanna fight as much as I can and fight full time to feed my family. I want to fight Marat Gafurov. The fight was harder than I expected. I didn't know he could take so much hits. I respect Kelly as a fighter and it was a great fight,” Ting added.

Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of Baguio City, Philippines showcased Team Lakay’s famous Wushu base by dominating opponent Tetsuya Yamada of Japan over three rounds. Folayang completely shut down Yamada, keeping the Japanese fighter at the long end of his straight right hand and occasional spinning back kick. Folayang also landed various flush shots and stuffed numerous takedowns to earn the unanimous decision victory.

Former American freestyle wrestler Jake Butler returned to action against mixed martial arts veteran Tatsuya Mizuno to win by first round stoppage. Butler controlled the Japanese fighter with his world-class wrestling from the opening bell, pulling Mizuno down to the canvas on a successful takedown. From there, Butler unleashed a series of elbows from top position, finishing Mizuno with only a few seconds remaining in the first round.

Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio scored an electrifying first round knockout over Malaysia’s Saiful “The Vampire” Merican. After a brief moment where both fighters took the time to size each other up, Merican lunged in looking to put together a combination but Eustaquio took a step back and unleashed a counter left hook as Merican was coming in. With Merican face down on the mat, the referee stopped the bout after a technical ground kick landed for good measure.

Samir Mrabet of Brussels, Belgium remained unbeaten in a second-round submission victory over Sami Amin of Cairo, Egypt. Mrabet controlled the action on the ground, grinding away against Amin who tried his best to defend. The end came when Mrabet secured mount and worked on the Head and Arm Choke to seal the deal.

“I’m blown away by the support I get from this new family that I’ve made in Malaysia. It really humbles me,” said Mrabet.

Keanu Subba and Rayner Kinsiong brought some local flavor into the mix with an all-Malaysian lightweight bout. After a brief exchange of strikes, Subba dumped Kinsiong to the mat via an outside leg trip. From top position, Subba landed a plethora of downward punches as the referee intervened to stop the bout.

“I saw my opportunity and took him down, and capitalized on that. That was the plan, to take him down and land some big shots,” said Subba.

Former Pankration world champion, Christian “The Warrior” Lee made quick work of Egypt’s Mahmoud Mohamed, continuing his fast rise through the featherweight ranks with a crafty submission victory. Lee swarmed Mohamed with lightning quick punches from the opening bell. An emphatic slam put Mohamed on his back and from there, Lee put the finishing touches on a Single-Arm Chicken Wing, forcing Mohamed to tap out.

Colossal ONE athletes Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Malaysia and James Kouame of Canada induced a stream of cheers from the Kuala Lumpur crowd with their intense middleweight matchup. Thani impressed with various successful takedowns throughout the bout. In round two, after a slam led to full mount, Thani worked on ground-and-pound before seizing the opportunity for a fight-ending Rear Naked Choke.

Saygid 'Dagi' Guseyn Arslanaliev impressed fans in his ONE Championship debut with an all-out, aggressive style, taking care of business against Jakarta, Indonesia's Mishal Alfad in just under a minute. 'Dagi' put on a showcase of powerful strikes and emphatic slams and after a Suplex put Alfad on his back, 'Dagi' went straight for the ground-and-pound to force the referee stoppage.

Female ONE athletes Jenny Huang of Chinese Taipei and Amira Badr of Egypt kicked off the action at ONE: CLASH OF HEROES. Huang dominated both the first and second rounds with her boxing until she finished the bout by Triangle Choke submission in round two.

Official results for ONE: CLASH OF HEROES

Featherweight Malaysia Warrior bout: Ev Ting defeats Eric Kelly by Submission (Mounted Guillotine) at 1:58 minutes of round 3

Lightweight bout: Eduard Folayang defeats Tetsuya Yamada by Unanimous Decision

Catchweight bout (95kg): Jake Butler defeats Tatsuya Mizuno by TKO (Strikes) at 4:30 minutes of round 1

Catchweight bout (66.8kg): Geje Eustaquio defeats Saiful Merican by Knockout at 1:21 minutes of round 1

Lightweight bout: Samir Mrabet defeats Sami Amin by Submission (Head and Arm Choke) at 1:31 minutes of round 2

Lightweight bout: Keanu Subba defeats Rayner Kinsiong by TKO (Strikes) at 2:01 minutes of round 1

Featherweight bout: Christian Lee defeats Mahmoud Mohamed by Submission (Single-Arm Chicken Wing) at 2:20 minutes of round 1

Middleweight bout: Agilan Thani defeats James Kouame by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:12 minutes of round 2

Lightweight bout: Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev defeats Mishal Alfad by TKO (Strikes) at 0:32 minutes of round 1

Female catchweight bout (49kg): Jenny Huang defeats Amira Badr by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 3:09 minutes of round 2

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

*This is Press Release

NBA Establishes Jr.NBA Asia Advisory Council to Further Youth Basketball Development in Asia

HONG KONG, Jan. 28, 2016 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today the formation of the Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council as part of the league’s expanded efforts to encourage basketball participation and active lifestyles among children.  The council, which includes Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, will provide direction on Jr. NBA’s development and accelerate the program’s growth with the goal of reaching more boys and girls across the region to help address and combat inactivity among youth.  The Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council consists of prominent business and community leaders as well as basketball stakeholders from Asia.  In addition to Dikembe Mutombo, Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council members include: CEO/Asia, Forbes Media William P. Adamopoulos; Boonrawd Brewery Co., Ltd. Executive Vice President and Director Chutinant Bhimrombhakdi; Westports Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. CEO Ruben Emir Gnanalingam; GDP Venture and Kaskus CEO Martin Basuki Hartono; Xebio Co., Ltd. Executive Fellow Hiroko Morohashi; IDG Venture Vietnam Managing General Partner Henry Nguyen; YAN Media Group Chairman Rachan (Butch) Reddy; SM Prime Philippines President Hans Sy; Mayapada Group Indonesia Deputy Chairman Jonathan Tahir; Berjaya Corporation Berhad Chairman and CEO Dato’ Sri Robin Tan Yeong Ching; Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Founder, President and CEO Dennis A. Uy; and Alaska Milk Corporation President and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.  NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy will serve as the Advisory Council’s chairman.  “The Jr. NBA program involves boys and girls, parents, educators and policy makers throughout Southeast Asia, emphasizing the importance of leading active lives, making healthy choices and sharing the positive values of sport,” said Levy.  “Our commitment to the continued expansion of Jr. NBA has led to the formation of the Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council to steer and grow the program.  The council members’ passion for giving back to their local communities sets them apart as the perfect group to help us bring the life changing experience of the Jr. NBA to millions of people across the region.” “The goal of Jr. NBA is to inspire young boys and girls and develop them into healthy and well-rounded human beings,” said Mutombo.  “As a lifelong advocate of sport and a believer in its ability to positively affect change, I’m excited to join the Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council to work with some of the most prominent business leaders in Asia to help move the Jr. NBA program forward.” Jr. NBA is currently being conducted in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, reaching more than 1.4 million kids, parents and coaches.  Jr. NBA is presented by Royal FrieslandCampina in Southeast Asia through its Alaska Milk, Dutch Lady, Foremost and Frisian Flag brands.  Additional partners of Jr. NBA in Southeast Asia include Tahir Foundation, Spalding, Globe Telecom, CloudFone and Gatorade.  Jr. NBA is the league’s global youth basketball participation program, which has been conducted across Southeast Asia for the past two years.  The program is free across its four stages: open clinics for kids ages 5-14; competitive selection camps where top boys and girls ages 10-14 are identified to participate in the National Training Camp (NTC); the NTC where the top 15 boys and girls are selected as Jr. NBA All-Stars based on the values of sportsmanship, teamwork, attitude and respect; and the NBA experience where Jr. NBA All-Stars from all five countries embark on a unique, overseas trip to watch an NBA game, receive basketball training, tour the local city and play exhibition games.  The program also includes a “train the trainer” initiative designed to develop the skills of coaches and physical education teachers who return to their communities to share their knowledge with local kids.  The 2016 Southeast Asia Jr. NBA schedule tipped off in the Philippines on Jan. 23 and culminates in Indonesia on Aug. 28.  Details of the 2016 NBA experience trip will be announced at a later date. Registration for the 2016 Southeast Asia Jr. NBA will begin soon at www.jrnba.asia.  Follow the Jr. NBA on Facebook to learn more about the program.  For all things NBA, visit www.nba.comand “Friend” the NBA’s official account on LINE by adding @nba_global.  The full list of council members is as follows: Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council William P. Adamopoulos,  CEO/Asia, Forbes Media Bhirombhakdi Chutinant, Executive Vice President and Director, Boonrawd Brewery Co., Ltd. Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, CEO, Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd. Martin Basuki Hartono, CEO, GDP Venture & Kaskus Hiroko Morohashi, Executive Fellow, Xebio Co., Ltd Scott Levy*, Managing Director, NBA Asia Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Global Ambassador & Basketball Hall of Famer Henry Nguyen, Managing General Partner, IDG Ventures Vietnam Rachan (Butch) Reddy, Chairman, YAN Media Group Hans Sy, President, SM Prime Philippines Jonathan Tahir, Deputy Chairman, Mayapada Group Indonesia (Dato’ Sri) Robin Tan Yeong Ching, Chairman and CEO of Berjaya Corporation Berhad Dennis A. Uy, Founder, President and CEO of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, President and CEO, Alaska Milk Corporation *Denotes Jr. NBA Asia Advisory Council Chairman # # # About the NBA The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and the NBA app, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with nearly one billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

ONE Championship: Clash of Heroes

Eric Kelly: Nothing personal, just business

Filipino mixed martial artists have come a long way. Together with the fast rise of the sport, Filipino fighters have upped their games to be able to compete on the world stage. Focus on the grappling arts has taken priority while still maintaining signature striking capabilities.

Baguio City’s Eric “The Natural” Kelly (12-1) returns to the ONE Championship cage this Friday, January 29, at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia against hometown favorite Ev “E.T. Ting (10-3).

They will do battle in a three-round featherweight main event at ONE: CLASH OF HEROES that will bring the victor one step closer to a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship, held by reigning champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov.

“Training has gone well. I feel great. I’m ready,” said Kelly. “I feel strong and ready to bring honor to my country.”

Kelly, considered one of the best Filipino fighters currently on offer, came very close to a title shot back in 2014, following his scintillating victory over “Ruthless” Rob Lisita wherein he overcame sheer exhaustion and a broken nose to seal the deal via rear naked choke.

The shot at ONE Championship gold never materialized and Kelly was left nursing injuries and spent some time away from competition.

For his efforts, Kelly was rewarded with the first and only $50,000 ONE Warrior Bonus to date, given to fighters who demonstrate an incredible warrior spirit.

There was no doubting Kelly’s warrior spirit that night as ‘The Natural’ was certainly on point. Kelly regards himself as a natural fighter, born to fight and compete in the cage.

Against Ting, Kelly will be going up against a highly-experienced opponent with a solid amateur background. Ting is one of the top contenders at featherweight and will be one of Kelly’s biggest tests.

“There are a lot of good fighters in my division,” said Kelly. “But I like it that way. It’s more challenging for me. I love challenging myself and testing my abilities.”

Ting on the other hand has faced a Kelly before, but it wasn’t Eric.

A few months after Eric’s epic battle with Lisita, Ting knocked out Eric’s younger brother Edward via a well-timed second round head kick. Eric was in the cage to console his brother and also to congratulate Ting on the victory, knowing that one day they would eventually meet to settle the score.

Kelly however maintains that this upcoming bout is not about vengeance, it’s just business.

“I have nothing personal against Ev Ting,” said Kelly. “I trained hard and like a natural for this fight so I am prepared to beat him. Even if he beat my brother, this isn’t about revenge. I would rather just do my best so that I can win and make my brother proud.”

A victory for either fighter will bring them an inch closer to a title shot. In a stacked featherweight division, Marat Gafurov remains supreme but interesting matchups lie ahead. If Eric Kelly can defeat Ev Ting, a long awaited title shot could be just over the horizon.

*This is Press Release

JR. NBA/JR.WNBA Philippines 2016 Presented by Alaska to Encourage Youth Basketball Participation

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Jan. 15, 2016 – The Jr. NBA /Jr. WNBA Philippines 2016 presented by Alaska will return to the Philippines for the ninth consecutive year from Jan. 23-April 24.  The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program is free and open to boys and girls between the ages of 10-14. 

Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.  During the 2015-16 season, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 32 countries.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2016 presented by Alaska is comprised of four stages: skills clinics in schools and communities, Regional Selection Camps, a National Training Camp and an NBA experience trip.  The skills clinics will be held nationwide from January through April with stops in Bukidnon, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa, and first-time locations in Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite.  Select players from these clinics will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in tryouts during the Regional Selection Camps, which will be held in Baguio (Feb. 20-21), Davao (Feb. 27-28), Cebu (March 5-6) and Metro Manila (April 9-10).  The top 50 boys and 24 girls from the Regional Selection Camps will advance to the National Training Camp in Manila April 22-24.

An NBA and WNBA player or legend will be in attendance at the National Training Camp to help train and inspire the finalists.  The program will culminate with the selection of 10 Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars who will travel on an overseas NBA experience trip together with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia.  The 2015 Jr. NBA All-Stars traveled to China to watch the NBA Global Games in Shenzhen featuring the Charlotte Hornets and the L.A. Clippers.

“The Jr. NBA Philippines is the league’s longest-running youth basketball program outside the United States,” said NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson.  “The program continues to positively impact the lives of children, parents, and coaches, and reinforces the positive values that go beyond the four corners of the court.  Together with Alaska, we are committed to providing world-class basketball instruction to more communities to further our mission of encouraging an active lifestyle among Filipino youth.”

“These holistic programs train children to be confident, disciplined and hardworking because Alaska Milk Corporation aims to prepare them to be winners in life in the future,” said Alaska Marketing Director Blen Fernando.  “Moreover, this year’s program includes new locations such as Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite to reach more children and coaches and discover unique talents across the country.”

In addition to the player camps and clinics, the search for the 2016 Jr. NBA Coach of the Year will begin on Jan. 22 in Manila, which will be led by Jr. NBA Head Coaches Craig Brown and Chris Sumner along with Alaska Power Camp Coach Jeff Cariaso.  Ten Jr. NBA and four Jr. WNBA coaches will be selected as finalists and trained at the National Training Camp.

Through the promotion of proper nutrition and an active lifestyle, Jr. NBA /Jr. WNBA presented by Alaska continues to be an effective platform in implementing Alaska Milk’s NUTRITION.ACTION.CHAMPION. program that helps address the issue of overweight and undernourished children in the Philippines.

CloudFone, Gatorade, and Globe Telecom serve as Official Partners of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA in the Philippines, while Spalding is a Supporting Partner.  ABS-CBN Sports + Action, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV are the Official NBA Broadcasters of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA in the Philippines.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program is free and open to boys and girls ages 10-14.  Coaches and participants can now register online at www.jrnba.asia/philippines, where the program terms and conditions can be found. 

Fans can also follow Jr. NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines.  For all things NBA, visit www.nba.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba_philippines).

To learn more about the Alaska Milk Corporation, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.playph.com.


About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and the NBA app, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 960 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About Alaska Milk
Alaska Milk recognizes the need of Filipino children for proper nutrition.  According to the 2011 National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), it was revealed that 3 out of 10 children aged 5-10 years were underweight while 8 out of 100 children of the same age were overweight, making malnutrition and obesity two of the most pressing nutritional problems in the Philippines today.  Alaska Milk is committed to help provide proper nutrition through its leading brands, Alaska Powdered Milk Drink and Alaska Chocolate Powdered Milk Drink.  It contains 20+ essential nutrients that help children reach their full growth potential.  Aside from proper nutrition, an active lifestyle is needed in order to shape and nurture healthier children.  Because of this, Alaska Milk encourages children to “go out and play” through its NUTRITION. ACTION. CHAMPION. programs: Alaska Basketball and Football Power Camps and Cups, Alaska IronKids Triathlon, Alaska Family Run and Alaska Cycle Philippines.  At the same time, Alaska Milk has a professional basketball team, the 14-time PBA champion, Alaska Aces, which continues to inspire the youth to become future champions who are guided by positive values.  Finally, Alaska Milk partners with excellent local and international organizations  who share the same objectives, vision, and values namely the Philippine Basketball Association, National Basketball Association, World Triathlon Corporation, Cycle Asia, Makati and Alabang Football Schools and Sunrise Events, Incorporated.

*This is Press Release

ONE Wujie, ONEFC, #ONEFC, ONE Fight Championship, MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, ONE Championship

Beijing featherweight champions Li Kai Wen (4-2) and Yang Sen (2-0) are set to stand across each other inside the ONE Championship cage this 23 January, at ONE Wujie: Dynasty of Champions which takes place in the Changsha Stadium in Changsha, China.

The bout will serve as part of the undercard to the main event between reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano "The Flash" Fernandes as he takes on Kevin "The Silencer" Belingon of the Philippines.

Li Kai Wen is on a nifty three-fight win streak, clinching the first instance of the Beijing Featherweight Tournament Championship with two wins in just one night.

He defeated opponent Nathan Ng by TKO in his most recent outing.

An explosive finisher, Li brings electricity to the crowd with his fast-paced and powerful striking and has the ability to end a fight at any given moment.

Li's opponent, Yang Sen enjoyed an eventful 2015, winning the second iteration of the Beijing Featherweight Tournament.

Yang's impeccable striking and well-calculated offense has brought him success inside the ONE Cage, as he looks to prove that Chinese fighters are truly world-class mixed martial artists.

It will be a battle of local martial arts superstars when Li and Yang finally step inside the cage, and one that fans are definitely looking forward to.

The Changsha event is part of an ambitious two-year plan laid out by ONE Championship, that sets to stage over 20 live events over the course of a two-year period. The promotion, Asia's largest and most prolific, has held successful shows previously in Beijing and Shanghai. They will look to replicate their success this time in Changsha, in what looks to be a great year for the organization.

Part of ONE Championship's phenomenal growth plan is developing local mixed martial arts heroes, particularly in China where the market is largely untapped but steadily booming. With the rise of heroes such as Li Kai Wen and Yang Sen, the promotion is headed in the right direction.

The growth of MMA in the region can also be attributed to ONE Championship's aggressive expansion.

Sparta's FIFA Certified 1-Star Indoor Football Field

Sports and Recreational Training Arena, otherwise known as SPARTA, has recently announced that the first and only FIFA certified 1-star indoor football field in the country will be open 24/7 beginning January 2016.

This is great news for football aficionados who would like to catch up with their soccer kicks after school or after work.

Located along Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong City, SPARTA has been at the forefront of sports facility development as it aims to capture various sports interests within its hectare-wide property located right smack in the metro.

It has also recently opened the SPARTA Calisthenics Academy and will also soon open the much-anticipated Maximus Athlete's Shop Café, which caters to Multi-sport athletes such as cyclists, runners, swimmers, as well as coffee connoisseurs.

For more inquiries, please call 6553799.


About SPARTA:
            SPARTA is a one-stop sports, lifestyle and wellness center built for the highly competitive athlete.  It is destined to become the most influential sports facility in the Philippines through its centralised location, expert trainers and programs developed for those who aim to dominate the competition.
            Apart from the Indoor Football Field and the Sparta Calisthenics Academy, users may also try Yoga, Zumba, Capoiera, Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Fluid Tactics and 360Pro.
            Sparta is located at 126 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City.

*This is Press Release