Pinoy Active

Joshua “The Passion” Pacio , who hails from Baguio City, Philippines, captured the ONE Strawweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over former titleholder Yoshitaka Naito at ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES last September. It was an epic rematch between the two warriors, as Pacio put together the performance of a lifetime to claim the prestigious title. The 22-year-old Filipino has shown tremendous improvement over the past few years leading up to his title reign. With the ONE Strawweight World Championship firmly in his grasp, he looks to make a successful first defense at ONE’s first event of 2019. Standing in his way is Japan’s  Yosuke Saruta , a Shooto Strawweight World Champion who signed with ONE Championship after defeating several of the best athletes Shooto and Pancrase had to offer. Saruta has had one goal since he joined the world’s largest martial arts organization, and that is to become the ONE Strawweight World Champion. If he can defeat Pacio, he will ...

The Philippines has produced many notable boxers throughout the years, including Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. Although the country has become a breeding ground of world-class boxers, it is quickly carving a niche in other combat sports, particularly in mixed martial arts (MMA). The nation has been deeply involved with MMA since 1995 when Kung Fu practitioner Onassis Parungao made his professional debut in the United States, but it took seven years before the sport was formally introduced on local shores. For over two decades, it has been a dizzying rollercoaster ride for Filipino fighters as they encountered a mix of sweet triumphs and heartbreaks. However, it was a different story in 2016 as Filipino combatants glimmered like diamonds atop an international MMA stage. Over the course of 14 events in ONE Championship’s 2016 calendar, Filipino competitors tallied 24 victories, including a succes...

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced its blockbuster 2017 schedule. This past year, ONE Championship delivered world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) action to iconic Asian cities across the region, breaking into new Chinese markets while continuing to delight fans in key Asian destinations. The promotion also successfully held a live event at the Cotai Arena in glitzy Macau, and became the first-ever major MMA promotion to hold a live event in Bangkok, Thailand. Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “2016 has been a phenomenal year for ONE Championship. It was absolutely historic for the promotion and 2017 promises to be even better. “With the addition of key senior leaders to aid ONE with our growth plans, the promotion is in an unbelievable position to make some major waves in the global MMA industry. Together we aim to deliver fans a continuously unique experience that they will never forget. “ONE Champio...