ONE FC 9: Rise to Power - Fight Card Updates

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

Belingon versus Ueda Among ONE FC: Rise to Power Additions


ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC), presented by Casino Filipino and in association with Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), announced today three additional bouts for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. Kevin Belingon will battle Masakatsu Ueda in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. The winner will get a shot at the ONE FC Bantamweight Title. Plus, Eduard Folayang is back in action against Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) veteran Kamal Shalorus and fan favorite Phil Baroni will return to the famed ONE FC cage to take on the KO artist from Japan, Nobutatsu Suzuki. All the action takes place live on 31 May from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: RISE TO POWER will feature some of the biggest names in Asian MMA as we return to the fight capital of Asia. I’m beyond excited to see Honorio Banario back in action in front of his home crowd at the state-of-the art Mall of Asia Arena. Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki has all the ingredients for a possible Fight of the Night with one of the world’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters squaring off against a Japanese submission artist who is known for his impressive grappling game. I know fans cannot wait to watch these warriors collide on 31 May.”

The Bantamweight Grand Prix Final is also set and both fighters are ready to showcase their skills in Manila to earn a shot at the biggest Bantamweight title belt in Asia.

Bantamweight GP Finalist Kevin Belingon is a Filipino MMA champion and one of the best MMA fighters ever to emerge from the Philippines. It took him a few fights to become accustomed to competing inside the ONE FC cage but once he found his rhythm, the result was spectacular as he blasted through Yusup Saadulaev and Thanh Vu in less than a round to earn a slot in the Bantamweight Grand Prix Final. Known as “The Silencer” because he prefers to let his fists and feet do the talking, Belingon is a Wushu specialist with fast hands and devastating low kicks. He says that he is in the best shape of his life and nothing can stop him from earning a shot at the coveted ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship Title. His opponent is a veteran who is not at all concerned about fighting on Belingon’s home soil on 31 May.

Masakatsu Ueda is a Bellator veteran and former Shooto Featherweight Champion, a belt he defended successfully three times. He has an outstanding 17-2-2 record which makes him one of the best Bantamweights in the world. He was a very successful college wrestler who won numerous national wrestling competitions in Japan as well as the all Japan Shooto Grappling Championship. A very well-rounded fighter, he submitted MMA legend Jens Pulver at ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS to earn a slot in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. Ueda understands the magnitude of this fight and knows very well that Belingon will be the toughest test of his career.

A Lightweight bout that is sure to get the crowd on their feet will pit Filipino MMA legend Eduard Folayang against UFC veteran Kamal Shalorus.

Folayang is a legend in the Philippines where he is universally regarded as MMA’s equivalent to boxing phenomenon Manny Pacquiao. A former school teacher, he is renowned for being humble and respectful outside the cage but a determined and relentless competitor inside. The Baguio-born mixed martial artist is never in a boring fight and the sight of Folayang struggling in a tough battle, but somehow finding a way to win in the end, is one which fight fans have become accustomed to. Folayang will square off against the resilient submission specialist from Iran, Kamal Shalorus.

Shalorus was born in the city of Khalkhal in Iran. He began wrestling as a teenager before moving to the United States to train in MMA. He is a UFC and WEC veteran with notable wins over Justin Milles and Bart Palaszewski. Shalorus will need to bring it all when he steps into the ONE FC cage for the first time at ONE FC: RISE TO POWER.

Manila’s favorite slugger Phil Baroni will be back in action on 31 May when he battles up and coming Japanese mixed martial artist Nobutatsu Suzuki. Baroni has faced some of the toughest opponents in the world and is renowned for his one-punch knockout power. Despite being one of the hardest punchers to ever compete in MMA, it’s not just Baroni’s hard-hitting fists that the fans come to see. His brash and charismatic personality and inimitable swagger down the fighter’s entrance makes him one of the biggest showmen in MMA. Suzuki is the complete opposite in personality but identical in fighting style. Eight of his fights have been won via impressive KO. On 31 May, he will look to make Baroni number nine.

ONE FC: RISE TO POWER is headlined by a ONE FC Featherweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario against number one contender Koji Oishi and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki for the ONE FC Bantamweight Interim Title. All the action takes place live from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

ONE FC has announced the final two main card bouts for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. Rey Docyogen will battle Yasuhiro Urushitani and Geje Eustaquio will take on Andrew Leone.


ONE FC 9: Rise to Power
May 31, 2013
Mall of Asia Arena
Pasay City, Philippines


Honorio Banario vs. Koji Oishi - ONE FC featherweight title bout
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Koetsu Okazaki - ONE FC interim bantamweight title bout
Kevin Belingon vs. Masakatsu Ueda - bantamweight grand-prix final
Rey Docyogen vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani
Phil Baroni vs. Nobutatsu Suzuki
Eduard Folayang vs. Kamal Shalorus
Geje Eustaquio vs. Andrew Leone

[Keithlewis]

ONE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP FINALIZES ONE FC: RISE TO POWER CARD WITH THREE EXCITING UNDERCARD BOUTS


LOWEN TYNANES VS FELIPE ENOMOTO
TIM SYLVIA VS TONY JOHNSON
RYAN DIAZ VS YUSUP SAADULAEV

LIVE ON 31 MAY FROM THE MALL OF ASIA ARENA IN MANILA PHILIPPINES, CATCH ALL THE ACTION LIVE ON STAR SPORTS IN ASIA AND ON PAY-PER-VIEW AT WWW.ONEFC.LIVESPORT.TV AROUND THE WORLD



ONE FC, presented by Casino Filipino and in association with Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), announced today three undercard bouts for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. Up and coming Lowen Tynanes will battle the seasoned Felipe Enomoto while MMA veteran Tim Sylvia is back in action against Tony Johnson and fan favorite Ryan Diaz will take on Russian ace Yusup Saadulaev. All the action takes place live on 31 May from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

As a young MMA fighter, Lowen Tynanes has already made a big impression by winning fights against top opponents in the Philippines, Japan and Malaysia. The high school wrestling champion silenced the home-crowd in Manila by incapacitating crowd-favorite Eduard Folayang with a vicious elbow which caused the doctor to instantly stop the fight. In his last outing at ONE FC, Tynanes also defeated Hong Kong-based South African fighter Vuyisile Colossa via rear naked choke. A proud American, he loves nothing better than to travel to Asia to take on the best local fighters in their own back yards. Tynanes is once again looking forward to showcasing his skills when he takes on Swiss-Japanese fighter Felipe Enomoto.

Each time Felipe Enomoto has entered into the ONE FC cage, he has been the underdog. This time, it is no different. Having established a reputation as being one of the toughest and most durable fighters in Asia who always leaves it all in the cage, Enomoto will undoubtedly be looking to silence the crowd with a decisive victory in the early rounds. Any fight which involves Enomoto is going to be a treat for MMA fans because this fighter never backs down no matter who the opponent is or which round he’s in.

One of the most frightening figures the MMA world has ever witnessed in combat sports action is Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia. Towering at over two meters tall, this brute of a man poses a serious threat to every heavyweight fighter in the world. Sylvia has fought over 30 times, won numerous championships and knocked out countless opponents. Sylvia’s unusual combination of size and quickness has ushered in a new era of monstrous, weight cutting heavyweights who seek total domination of their smaller counterparts. Sylvia is looking for a spectacular KO when he squares off against Tony Johnson on 31 May.

Tony Johnson is an imposing heavyweight fighter. Considered a top prospect in the heavyweight division, Johnson is famed for being one of the fastest strikers in the division and is currently on a two fight win streak. At ONE FC: RISE TO POWER, he will be looking to make an impressive debut in the famed ONE FC cage.

Ryan Diaz has been training in MMA for over ten years and already has thirteen professional wins to his name. Over a long career, Diaz continues to perfect his background in BJJ, Muay Thai and boxing. He possesses incredible power and strength. Diaz is much more experienced of the two fighters and will be looking to use his strength to overpower his Russian opponent and return to the USA victorious. After 2 outings in the ONE FC cage, Russian wrestler Saadulaev is still searching for his first ONE FC victory and will enter the cage for the third time with the determination to prevent a Diaz win at all costs.

ONE FC: RISE TO POWER is headlined by a ONE FC Featherweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario against number one contender Koji Oishi and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki for the ONE FC Bantamweight Interim Title. All the action takes place live from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

[Keithlewis]

Here is the final fight card:

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