Skip to main content

Brandon Vera returns to ONE Cage to defend heavyweight title


ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera (14-7-0, 1NC) of San Diego, California is set to make his much-anticipated return to the ONE Championship cage next Friday, 2 December at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. The Filipino-American fighter is set to defend his title belt against undefeated Japanese challenger Hideki Sekine (7-0) in the main event of ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION.

The matchup headlines a stacked fight card featuring a posse of local homegrown Filipino mixed martial artists. Seeing action are Team Lakay standouts Geje Eustaquio, Honorio Banario, April Osenio and Danny Kingad. Also to see cage time are Eugene Toquero, Mark Striegl, and Filipino-Australian Reece McLaren.

Vera, 39, takes pride in leading the charge for team Philippines who are ready to put on a show in Manila.

The Philippines is just as much my home as the United States is, and I am truly blessed to be able to compete here in front of all the Filipino fans,” said Vera. “It’s an amazing country and we discover something new everyday. It’s an honor to be able to headline massive ONE Championship fight cards.”

Vera was last seen in the cage nearly a year ago, when he captured the ONE Heavyweight World Championship with a first round knockout victory over Taiwanese-Canadian fighter Paul “Typhoon” Cheng.

His opponent, the 265-pound Sekine is a new ONE Championship talent acquisition. He is currently unbeaten as a professional mixed martial artist. Six of his seven victories have come by finish, including three by submission and three by knockout.

With both fighters having a knack for exciting finishes, the bout is expected to not go the distance. Vera, who joined ONE Championship in 2014, is a winner of two straight with both wins coming by first round knockout.

Vera, who has been a mixed martial artist for the greater part of the last two decades, feels he is at the highest point of his career now.

“My mixed martial arts career has had its up and downs, highs and lows. But I feel that right now, I’m the best that I have ever been. I’m in my prime and I feel great,” said Vera. “The honor and prestige of being a world champion is something that I take very seriously. I am proud to wear the ONE Heavyweight World Championship belt around my waist.”

Vera promises fans who will come down to the MOA Arena next week that he will be at peak condition. Expect only the best performance said the Filipino-American.

“Training has been phenomenal. I train with the best fighters in the world at Alliance MMA and with some really top guys in the Philippines as well. I am always in shape and ready to go,” said Vera.

“I can’t wait to be inside that ONE Championship cage again. The big fight atmosphere in Manila is amazing. Filipino fight fans are a passionate bunch.”

*This is Press Release

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE LAUNCHES PFL FAST CHANNEL ON THE ROKU CHANNEL

NEW YORK  (July 22, 2025) - The  Professional Fighters League  has partnered with  Roku , America’s #1 streaming platform*, to bring PFL’s 24/7 FAST channel to the masses.  The free, ad-supported streaming channel will deliver premium PFL MMA content to fans in the U.S. through The Roku Channel. Roku’s owned and operated free, ad-supported streaming service that reaches approximately 145 million people. Fans tuning in to PFL’s FAST Channel on The Roku Channel can expect a curated, on-demand experience tailored to MMA enthusiasts. The channel will feature over 50+ hours of live, near-live, and VOD content including ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences, and condensed replays. Additionally, it will offer over 100+ hours of historic PFL events and a brand-new original series created by PFL Studios.  “The PFL FAST channel is designed to be a game-changer for MMA fans, giving free access to top-tier content for everyone to enjoy,” said Mike Chiodit...

First 116KM Community Run in the Philippines Logs 3.5 Million Steps to Champion Children’s Right to Safe Play

Manila, Philippines, 24 June 2025 – More than 3.5 million steps and over 2,500 collective kilometers were logged during the Move for Play: Infinity 116KM Run, the country’s first-ever open-road ultra-endurance community run. Organized by the non-profit organization  FundLife , the event held from June 14 to 15 brought runners from Clark to Makati in a call to action for safe, inclusive, and accessible play spaces for children in under-resourced communities. The run coincided with the United Nations International Day of Play and was conducted on active roads and highways, requiring participants to navigate traffic, potholes, heat, and city congestion. The 116-kilometer route symbolized the difficult and often dangerous terrain many Filipino children must cross daily to access education and recreation. A total of 31 ultra-runners registered to complete the full route, while over 40 additional runners joined for various segments. 20 completed the entire cour...

Chris and Charles Tiu Rally Fans to ‘Tiu Your Play’ as Daily Fantasy’s Newest Ambassadors

Daily Fantasy , the Philippines’ first licensed fantasy sports provider, is strengthening its connection with Filipino basketball fans by announcing the launch of its newest campaign, “Tius Your Play,” featuring popular basketball figures Chris and Charles Tiu as its ambassadors. The Tiu brothers will serve as the new faces of fantasy basketball gaming in the Philippines, leveraging their extensive experience to promote the platform’s latest campaign. It allows fans to get an insider experience through the Tiu brothers' expertise. By learning from Chris and Charles Tiu, both known for their basketball IQ and strategic mindset, fans can sharpen their skills and make smarter decisions in fantasy basketball. The "Tius Your Play" campaign stems from Daily Fantasy's core message, "Build Your Play," which encourages participants to make strategic, skill-based decisions using real-time player performance data. This campaign gives the passionate sports community a t...