Monthly Archives

January 2021

Lifestyle, News

Herco Trading gives fortune to the Communities in Bicol that was hit by Super Typhoon Rolly

Herco Trading donates tools to rebuild typhoon-hit communities in Bicol

The one of the most known and reliable hardware distributors in the country the Herco Trading Inc, which is also the absolute distributor of Greenfield Tools in the Philippines is partnered with Handyman Do It Best, as they donate tools and relief for the people in Bicol Region that was greatly affected by Super typhoon Rolly.

Recorded as one of the strongest storms observed worldwide last year, Typhoon Rolly caused massive devastation to Bicolanos and their livelihoods, with many still struggling today to rebuild their lives.

With local non-profit partners, St. Agnes Academy Alumni Association, the Social Action Center of Diocese of Legazpi in Albay, and the Ando Cua Foundation in Virac, Catanduanes, donations from Herco Trading were distributed to typhoon-affected families last December. Donated items consisted of food items, cleaning materials, Greenfield power tools, hand tools, and power tool accessories.

“Herco Trading is always happy to give back to the community in whatever ways we can. We would like to thank Handyman for giving us another opportunity to do so through our recent donation of Greenfield high-quality tools, which will help rebuild damaged houses in Virac and Legaspi,” said Wayne Coherco, Executive Vice President and COO of Herco Trading.

As an important partner for the initiative, Handyman Do it Best, on the other hand, underlined the value of “Bayanihan,” especially in times of calamities.

“Handyman Do it Best envisions itself to be a partner for Filipino families in building their homes, and in times of calamity, building back is all the more significant. Our hearts go out to those devastated by Typhoon Rolly. We thank Herco Trading and our local partners for making it possible for us to help Legaspi and Virac,” said Stanley Co, Group General Manager of Handyman Do it Best.

Jess Zapico, Greenfield brand manager of Herco Trading, could not agree more. He said that “Greenfield products are designed and built for professionals. To quickly rebuild and bounce back from the devastation, our people need high quality and super reliable tools and equipment. Greenfield Tools is, exactly, what will be needed. Greenfield Tools will be their invaluable partner in this effort.”

To learn more about Herco Trading, Inc., visit its website at https://www.herco.com.ph/.  

 

News

Meng Bo Calls Out Denice Zamboanga, Wants Her Spot in Ranking

Fresh off a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over Samara Santos at ONE: UNBREAKABLE on 22 January, #2-ranked women’s atomweight mixed martial arts contender Meng Bo already has her sights set on a possible next opponent.

The 24-year-old fighter from Changsha, China — currently unbeaten in the ONE Circle — is calling for a showdown with the #1-ranked Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga of the Philippines. Meng wasted absolutely no time, making her desire to face Zamboanga and take her spot in the official athlete rankings known immediately after her impressive performance last Friday night.

“We were supposed to fight last year, but COVID happened and it was cancelled. I couldn’t fly to Singapore at that time,” Meng revealed, before laying into Zamboanga with a scalding prediction.

“But I must say, Denice was lucky that fight got cancelled. If we were in the ring together, without a shadow of doubt, I would beat her up and take her spot as the #1 ranked atomweight in the division.”

Meng is today one of the hottest fighters in the atomweight division. Famous for being the only woman to have defeated UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion “Magnum” Zhang Weili, Meng has knocked out two of her last three opponents, both in the first round.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga’s resounding victories over top-ranked Jihin Radzuan and Mei Yamaguchi since joining ONE Championship in 2019 earned her pole position in the rankings. She currently sports an unblemished 5-0 record.

Meng, however, is hardly impressed by what “The Menace” has accomplished so far in the world’s largest martial arts organization. The 24-year-old Chinese standout feels she is a far better fighter, and wants to knock Zamboanga off her lofty perch.

“Denice is a stubborn and tough fighter. But if I was to identify her strength, she’s only good at punching, nothing else,” said Meng.

“(As for me) I learned a lot in the Samara Santos fight. One weak area I’ve discovered is my ground fighting skills. I need to improve my ground control and strength. My goal is to master all combat sports skills and become the most dangerous MMA fighter in ONE Championship.”

Both Meng and Zamboanga are expected to be participants in the much anticipated ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix, slated to commence some time later this year. Meng wants Zamboanga in a bad way, regardless. Without a doubt, both Meng and Zamboanga are on a collision course.

If it were up to the Chinese star, she wants to face Zamboanga in the Circle sooner rather than later, tournament or not.

“I think my stand up fighting techniques will be enough to give me the victory. I’m pretty confident that I can finish Denice with a flurry of punches and knock her out within two rounds,” said Meng.

“That would be more than enough to earn a shot at the World Title. Once I get Denice in the Circle and beat her, I will be ranked #1 in my division, and I’ll be next in line to fight the champion.”

ONE Championship returns with ONE: UNBREAKABLE II, a previously recorded event scheduled for broadcast on Friday, 29 January.

In the main event, former ONE Heavyweight World Title challenger Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli of Italy will take on Russia’s Abdulbasir “Dagestan Machine” Vagabov. Also scheduled for action is four-time Heavyweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Alain “The Panther” Ngalani of Hong Kong, who will face Senegalese sensation “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane.

 

Lifestyle, News

By the use of this new launched app it will help celebrate birthdays in a more joyful ways

Uplifting the accessible resources to connect their services to more countrymen, most of them are in far areas. PCSO in cooperation of Minedomain, Inc. is set to be set publicly Birthday Panalo a free and can be access easily application with enjoyable games that will make filipino enjoy important dates in their loves like anniversaries and birthdays, with exciting cash prices.

Made for Filipinos, by Filipinos

Designed with Filipinos in mind, the Birthday Panalo app banks on the deep-rooted culture of Pinoys in putting value in commemorating special dates like birthdays and anniversaries.

While millennials are the main audience targeted with the launch of the app, Seaver Choy, Minedomain Inc. IT officer shared that ease of use is one of the main factors their team considered in developing Birthday Panalo to make it enjoyable for users across various age groups.

“We want the millennials to love this game so we went for what millennials want most — ease of use. We only put in the necessary elements for users to be able to do what they need to do fast and immediately,” he said.

“We focused on the user experience when we were developing by having iterating designs that had constant user feedback. Birthday Panalo has gone through multiple design changes based on different user feedback across different groups,” Choy added.

The core group which made and designed the Birthday Panalo app was an all-Filipino team composed of professionals from the country’s top universities including De La Salle University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and University of the East.

“Birthday Panalo app was built with resilience and celebrations in mind. We made it fun and easy to bet but still overly secure,” Choy furthered, assuring users that the personal data and information they input within the Birthday Panalo app are protected according to industry standards.

Choy noted that the Birthday Panalo app has been tested by local and international cybersecurity companies like GLI, Bolton Labs, and Mantua, among others, to ensure that the app has the needed safety measures in place to avoid leakage of user data.

“Internally, we are also certified when it comes to how we operate and how we maintain the application,” Choy said.

Celebrations made even more rewarding

Within the app which carries design elements signifying Filipinos, ‘Kapanalo’ or users of the app can place a bet on a three-part number combination consisting of a month, a day, and a year. If the same combination gets to be picked during daily draws, a user can win as much as P100,000 as a cash prize.

After downloading the app, users can easily sign up using either their mobile phone or email address verified through a one-time password (OTP) sent by the app. Once done with the registration process, users can proceed participating in draws for as low PhP 10 which they can pay via mobile wallets like GCash and PayMaya. Winners of lucky date combinations which will be notified via the Birthday Panalo app may claim their prizes at the PCSO main branch in Mandaluyong City, or have it credited on their respective mobile wallets.

The Birthday Panalo app will soon be available for free download via the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Kapanalo from all over the Philippines can also look forward to playing the Birthday Panalo game in select PCSO outlets nationwide in the coming months.

 

Sports

ONE Championship Returns to US Prime Time on April 7 With ONE Flyweight World Title Bout Between Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson

Eddie Alvarez to Face Iuri Lapicus in Co-Main Event;
Rodtang Jitmuangnon Returns in Non-World Title Contest

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today announced its return to United States prime time on Wednesday, April 7, with a blockbuster card available to fans on TNT.

Follow this link to watch the video: https://youtu.be/zGUX-begfxo

The April 7 event is headlined by a highly anticipated World Title showdown between reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

In the co-main event, lightweight mixed martial arts legend Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez returns to the Circle against former ONE Lightweight World Title challenger and current #2-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus.

Also seeing action on this card is reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon, who faces the UK’s Jacob Smith in a non-World Title Muay Thai contest.

In addition, Johnson, Alvarez, and ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong will be participating in a live Global Media Video Conference Call on Wednesday, January 27 at 12 p.m. ET, with more news to be announced on that day.

You can RSVP for this virtual media conference here: https://forms.gle/X4J24apkAkQen8ms6

 ONE Flyweight World Championship
(C) Adriano Moraes vs. (1) Demetrious Johnson
Flyweight: 56.8 KG-61.2 KG

Mixed Martial Arts
Eddie Alvarez vs. (2) Iuri Lapicus
Lightweight: 70.4 KG-77.1 KG

Muay Thai (Non-World Title)
(C) Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Jacob Smith
Flyweight: 56.8 KG-61.2 KG

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

 

 

Travel

Unforgettable Experience on How I Get My U.S Visa

My US trip pictures (1996, 1998, 2006, 2011 and 2017)

As per continuation on my blog entitled Reminiscing the Good Old Days in America, this new blog of mine is about my journey in getting my visa. I will talk about the favored luck I had in getting my visa. Hope you like it and can get an idea on how to get one.

Getting a visa here in the Philippines is very hard even if you have a lot of money you can still be denied in the process of getting a visa. But in my application I declared fifty thousand in my bank account and I can say that I’m a lucky one it’s because I can easily get a visa even though I don’t have much resources I think because of my good credentials in terms of job and being part of the Philippine journalist is one of the factor why I get my visa easily.

Nowadays it’s really hard to get a visa, back in 2019 when I get mine I went to the embassy early in the morning it’s 4:30 am and I used to wait for a little more to process my visa and I’m just so lucky in the manner because I always end up being permitted. I have a lot of friends that got denied even though they already did their best in their bank statement, important documents and other stuff. I guess there’s no right formula on it, it takes luck to have one. In my case I always bring the necessary documents, bank certificates and they should find a reason for you to come back home in the Philippines. Like for me I am employed, maybe that’s one of the reasons I got easily accepted.

One of the reasons I went abroad was to travel, have my vacation and in the mere fact that my visa will soon expire. I took the initiative to use it and visit another country since I already retired on my job. My visa will just be effective for just 6 months before expiration. I decided to go to America. First I really want to stay in America for good and look for jobs that suit me but my visa will expire after 6 months and it will be illegal for me to stay longer. That’s why I go back to the Philippines and my mother always ask me to go back home and maybe it is really in God’s plan because I wouldn’t know what my life would be in America in this time of pandemic.

What I’ve learned from my experiences and journey, especially in taking up a visa is that it’s not always easy. You will be facing a lot of hurdles all throughout, there are documents that are incorrect and you will revise some of your papers and such. So you should always be ready. Indeed when getting a visa you should be thoughtful, also be polite, don’t talk when you are not asked, it’s not about how smart you are it’s about the dedication you put into and also be presentable so that they will approach you positively. Don’t be over acting, be honest on your documents and also don’t stay longer in the place you want to go because hassle will occur afterwards and I can tell it’s much more difficult to face that hassle. If I were you, enjoy your vacation and use it well but don’t overstay for you to prevent more interrogations in the embassy.

 

Sports

ONE: UNBREAKABLE Post-Event Interviews: Shinya Aoki, Lito Adiwang, Meng Bo, Gadzhimurad Abdulaev, Namiki Kawahara

ONE Championship™ (ONE) athletes at ONE: UNBREAKABLE spoke to members of the media in their post-event interview sessions just after the show concluded. Find out what each athlete had to say.

Visit the official ONE: UNBREAKABLE photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos

In the evening’s co-main event, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki put forth one of the finest performances of his career, submitting former ONE Welterweight World Title challenger James Nakashima in the latter’s lightweight debut. Aoki talked about his performance against Nakashima, continuing his legendary career, and his incredible neck crank finish.

Shinya Aoki (Full Post-Event Interview):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ikc6n5n2ylkst/AAAD8ST4z-lMCbntMocdqCTha?dl=0&preview=SHINYA+AOKI.mov

Filipino phenom Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang put together another thunderous performance to kick off the action at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, stopping highly regarded Namiki Kawahara inside the distance of their strawweight mixed martial arts clash. Adiwang talked about his impressive knockout, his game plan leading up to the finish, and a potential rematch against Hiroba Minowa.

Lito Adiwang (Full Post-Event Interview):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ikc6n5n2ylkst/AAAD8ST4z-lMCbntMocdqCTha?dl=0&preview=LITO+ADIWANG.mov

Second-ranked mixed martial arts atomweight contender Meng Bo remained a step ahead of former ONE World Title challenger Samara “Marituba” Santos throughout three close rounds to win by unanimous decision. Meng talked about her difficulty making the atomweight limit and how it affected her performance, her thoughts on opponent Santos and the lessons she learned, and a potential bout against Denice Zamboanga.

Meng Bo (Full Post-Event Interview):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ikc6n5n2ylkst/AAAD8ST4z-lMCbntMocdqCTha?dl=0&preview=MENG+BO+.mov

Undefeated ONE Warrior Series product Gadzhimurad Abdulaev made quick work of former ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam, finishing the Swedish fighter from the back with a vice-like face crank in round one. Abdulaev talked about his thoughts on Kadestam giving up the back, chasing a shot at the ONE Welterweight World Championship, and wanting to fight Sage Northcutt.

Gadzhimurad Abdulaev (Full Post-Event Interview):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ikc6n5n2ylkst/AAAD8ST4z-lMCbntMocdqCTha?dl=0&preview=GADZHIMURAD+ABDULAEV.mov

Unfortunately for Namiki Kawahara, things didn’t exactly go as he planned in his ONE Championship debut, as the Japanese stalwart lost via second round knockout to Lito Adiwang. Kawahara talked about his thoughts on his performance against Adiwang, his dream of becoming a ONE World Champion, and his overall experience competing in ONE Championship for the first time.

Namiki Kawahara (Full Post-Event Interview):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ikc6n5n2ylkst/AAAD8ST4z-lMCbntMocdqCTha?dl=0&preview=NAMIKI+KAWAHARA.mov

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

 

 

Sports

Capitan Petchyindee Academy Dominates Alaverdi Ramazanov To Capture ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title At ONE: UNBREAKABLE

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), kicked off 2021 with a spectacular show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. ONE: UNBREAKABLE featured a series of impressive performances in the Circle from the world’s top mixed martial artists and kickboxers.

In the main event, Thai superstar Capitan Petchyindee Academy destroyed defending titleholder Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov to capture the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship inside of two rounds.

The first frame saw Capitan stalk Ramazanov early with a blitzkrieg of boxing combinations and chopping leg kicks. “Babyface Killer” tried his best to move away from the pressure, but Capitan relentlessly pursued him.

In the second round, Capitan sensed the finish as he continued to pound Ramazanov from midrange. After another blistering combination against the Circle Wall, Ramazanov finally went down from the onslaught. The referee counted to 10 as Ramazanov was unable to regain his footing and Capitan celebrated.

For a full bout recap of Capitan Petchyindee Academy vs. Alaverdi Ramazanov, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/capitan-knocks-out-ramazanov-to-become-bantamweight-kickboxing-king/

Visit the official ONE: UNBREAKABLE photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGUX-begfxo
https://youtu.be/hN_H7Co49eU

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=432352767974647
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=130802402202032
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=155852136137267
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=251850416315074
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2902215306683875
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=340018893750897
(Facebook links may not be viewable in the United States)

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWRwu-ramE/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWY0a1BvYg/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWaJt4Mwii/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWbSeKH7we/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWftVBMFM4/

Twitter:
https://t.co/yuCArNk5BE
https://t.co/yPBLAyhsVD
https://twitter.com/ONEChampionship/status/1352623466952843265?s=20
https://twitter.com/ONEChampionship/status/1352602202980814850?s=20
https://twitter.com/ONEChampionship/status/1352614239026864133?s=20

In the evening’s co-main event, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki put forth one of the finest performances of his career, dominating former ONE Welterweight World Title challenger James Nakashima in the latter’s lightweight debut. The #4-ranked lightweight mixed martial arts contender surprised Nakashima early, landing swift, powerful kicks to the body and a right hand to the head. In close quarters, Aoki swiftly took the back, locked in a body triangle, and secured the fight-ending submission just 2:42 into the first round.

For a full bout recap of Shinya Aoki vs. James Nakashima, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/aoki-electrifies-singapore-with-record-setting-submission-of-nakashima/

In a ONE Super Series kickboxing bout, heavyweight sensation Rade Opacic overwhelmed Bruno Susano with a one-sided striking showcase to win by technical knockout. In round one, Opacic sent his opponent to a mandatory standing eight-count after a crushing blow to the ribs sucked the wind out of Susano’s sails. Opacic finished the job in round two with another tremendous combination that put Susano on unsteady footing. At that point, the referee had seen enough, and he quickly called a halt to the contest.

For a full bout recap of Rade Opacic vs. Bruno Susano, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/opacic-destroys-susano-in-heavyweight-kickboxing-blitz/

Undefeated ONE Warrior Series product Gadzhimurad Abdulaev made quick work of former ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam, finishing the Swedish fighter from the back with a vice-like face crank in round one. Abdulaev closed the distance early, bringing Kadestam to the ground with a trip takedown. On the mat, Abdulaev swiftly took the back and worked on the submission finish. At that point, Kadestam had no choice but to tap.

For a full bout recap of Gadzhimurad Abdulaev vs. Zebaztian Kadestam, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/abdulaev-marks-debut-with-record-setting-submission-of-kadestam/

Second-ranked mixed martial arts atomweight contender Meng Bo remained a step ahead of former ONE World Title challenger Samara “Marituba” Santos throughout three close rounds. Meng showed striking superiority in the majority of exchanges, while Santos tried to take matters to the ground. On the mat, however, Meng defended well to neutralize Santos’ attacks. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Meng to win by unanimous decision.

For a full bout recap of Meng Bo vs. Samara Santos, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/meng-bo-earns-hard-fought-unanimous-decision-over-samara-santos/

Filipino phenom Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang put together another thunderous performance to kick off the action at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, stopping highly regarded Namiki Kawahara inside the distance of their strawweight mixed martial arts clash. Kawahara tried to time an aggressive Adiwang with an overhand right, but it was a left hook to the jaw from “Thunder Kid” that effectively ended matters in round two.

For a full bout recap of Lito Adiwang vs. Namiki Kawahara, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/emotional-adiwang-gets-back-on-track-with-ko-of-kawahara/

Next, ONE Championship returns with ONE: UNBREAKABLE II, a previously recorded event scheduled for broadcast on Friday, 29 January. In the main event, former ONE Heavyweight World Title challenger Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli of Italy will take on Russia’s Abdulbasir “Dagestan Machine” Vagabov. Also scheduled for action is four-time Heavyweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Alain “The Panther” Ngalani of Hong Kong, who will face Senegalese sensation “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane. For more information, please visit the official ONE: UNBREAKABLE II Event Page.

Official Results for ONE: UNBREAKABLE
ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship Bout: Capitan Petchyindee Academy defeats Alaverdi Ramazanov via Knockout at 1:56 of Round Two
Mixed Martial Arts – Lightweight: Shinya Aoki defeats James Nakashima via Submission (Neck Crank) at 2:42 of Round One
Kickboxing – Heavyweight: Rade Opacic defeats Bruno Susano via TKO at 1:11 of Round Two
Mixed Martial Arts – Welterweight: Gadzhimurad Abdulaev defeats Zebaztian Kadestam via Submission (Face Crank) at 2:08 of Round One
Mixed Martial Arts – Catch Weight (54.8 KG): Meng Bo defeats Samara Santos via Unanimous Decision
Mixed Martial Arts – Strawweight: Lito Adiwang defeats Namiki Kawahara via Knockout at 2:02 of Round Two

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit https://www.onefc.com/about-us/, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

 

 

Sports

Lito Adiwang Wants to Be Side by Side with Joshua Pacio by the End of the Year

Filipino mixed martial arts phenom Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang of the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City wants to be the #1 ranked strawweight contender by the end of the year, if only to sit next to reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion, his teammate Joshua Pacio.

Adiwang is considered one of the fastest rising talents in ONE Championship. He’s won seven of his last eight bouts, several in exciting fashion. The 27-year-old would love nothing more than to end 2021 at the top of the division, and hold the gates for “The Passion.”

“I see myself racking up a few wins this year. Hopefully, ONE will give us a lot of fights. If that happens, I’ll do my best to get all the wins I can so I can see myself being a top contender by the end of the year,” Adiwang told ONE Championship in a recent interview.

“However, I’ll wait for my chances because Joshua is still the champion. I just want to put my name among the top and now, I’ll be building on it. By the end of 2021, I want to be there.”

Adiwang faces Japan’s Namiki Kawahara at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, scheduled for Friday, 22 January, live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. The bout is the opener for a night full of action-packed offers for ONE.

Despite Kawahara being a last-minute replacement for Adiwang’s original opponent, China’s Hexigetu, the “Thunder Kid” is not the least bit fazed by the short-notice change in foe.

“I think we’re going to adjust heavily here. Now, we’re tweaking our game plan. When we were preparing for Hexigetu, we knew he’s a wrestler with good boxing, but we expected to have a height advantage, so I was really preparing on how he might come in,” said Adiwang.

“Now against Kawahara, he’s the exact opposite. He’s more of a striker, but he’s taller than me. However, I am confident that if it stays on the feet, I’m at an advantage. I just have to focus on his point of attack and be accurate with my counters.”

ONE: UNBREAKABLE is ONE Championship’s first live event in 2021. The main event features a ONE Super Series showdown between ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov of Russia, who defends his world title against #2-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender Capitan Petchyindee Academy of Thailand.

Adiwang plans to beat Kawahara, and demand a rematch with his Japanese countryman Hiroba Minowa, who dealt the Filipino his only loss since 2014 when they met each other last November. Adiwang wants to avenge his defeat and prove that it was merely a fluke.

“I really wanted this. I am very hungry to come back and get a win. At least if I win this one, maybe I can ask for a rematch from Minowa. I have to prove that I only had an off-night against Minowa. I learned from that match, and I was able to see the things that I need to improve on,” said Adiwang.

“The pressure is on. Yes, I know I have to prove myself to the world and earn people’s respect. I’m working on that.”

Watch the show on One Sports and One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). Also, TV5 will air the action on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT on Saturday, 23 January.

 

 

 

Entertainment

Filipino indie rock quartet Paper Satellites deals with childhood nostalgia on new single “Towns”

Paper Satellites

According to the band, “Towns” started as a demo helmed by Jyle, whose love for tropical house beats and electronic pop music clearly operates within the track’s sonic spectrum. Jyle adds, “from a productionstandpoint, it also has a lot of percussive and synth elements that pushes the song’s festive vibe forward. We were trying to achieve that fora more contemporary-sounding appeal.”

In a span of five years, Paper Satellites have been churning out tropical-infused indie rock songs that certainly had its rickety charms, most prominent of the bunch is “Golden Age”—a brash, unapologetic anthem that calls back to the days when Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not and Twin Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History were the jam.

Fast forward to 2021, the promising quartet from East Manila continues to ride the familiar train with a dancier, more groove-oriented approach. “Towns,” their latest single under Lilystars Records, balances pop’s pleasure principle with their penchant for guitar-driven hooks, synth-noodling pipes, and big, ecstatic choruses. “Sound-wise, we took inspiration from various guitar-based artists such as Bombay Bicycle Club, Two Door Cinema Club, and a bunch of other bands with ‘Club’ in their names,” says vocalist and guitarist Jyle Macalintal. “It was also inspired by the music one hears from small town festivals.”

Lyrically, the song deals with childhood nostalgia and outgrowing certain relationships in the past despite the fond memories that it left behind. Quoting the band’s statement, “Town” was penned at a time when Jyle was still living in Angono, Rizal. “It’s about witnessing childhood friends move out of town for work, and move on with their respective lives. It’s a sad reality that some of us had to endure, but it’s part of growing up. We just have to accept it for what it is: a piece of nostalgia, a living memory, an inspiring chapter that’s fun to reminisce from time to time.”

“Towns,” is the first material that Paper Satellites wrote, recorded, and produced during the pandemic. With the guidance of their new record label, Lilystars Records, the indie quartet is currently on the preliminary phase of their first full-length album, which they described as “intimate musings from the lens of a young adult trying to navigate a world that’s completely untapped and unfamiliar.”Jyle shares, “Expect a lot of songs and content coming out from us. Despite the pandemic, we arecoming back strong and we’re pretty excited to share new material that we hope ourlisteners would like.”

Paper Satellites’ “Towns” is out now on various streaming platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sports

Namiki Kawahara Completely Confident of Explosive Finish Against Lito Adiwang

Stepping in as a late replacement for China’s Hexigetu, Namiki Kawahara of Japan is entering his bout against hard-hitting Filipino Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang of Team Lakay full of confidence despite the short notice.

Kawahara and Adiwang square off at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, live on Friday, 22 January at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

The 31-year-old from Osaka prefecture believes he has the tools to end Adiwang inside the distance in any manner possible.

“I admit that Lito is a great fighter. That shows in his previous performances. But it doesn’t matter who he’s fought in the past, he’s never faced me. I’m a dangerous fighter. I’ll prove it in the Circle,” Kawahara told reporters at the ONE: UNBREAKABLE Virtual Media Day.

“All I’m thinking about right now is finishing him. That’s my goal. If it’s a stand up fight, I’m going to knock him out. If it goes to the ground, I’m going to submit him. It’s as simple as that.”

Kawahara’s supreme confidence stems from Adiwang’s recent performance against his Japanese countryman, former Shooto champion Hiroba Minowa. Adiwang dropped a three-round split decision loss to Minowa last November. It was a close match that could have gone either way.

Kawahara was the least bit impressed, however, and believes Adiwang is just not on his level.

“Hiroba Minowa did beat Lito in their last fight, but to be honest, it wasn’t an interesting fight. I’m going to show you a better way to beat Lito, and that’s to knock him out and finish him. I think that will be enough to crack into the Top Five, and after that it’s going to be a world championship,” a confident Kawahara said.

“I think if Lito faces a Shooto-level fighter, he is not that explosive. I don’t think he will be as explosive against me. It’s hard to predict, but I’m ready to just outwork him and beat him up. I’m just going to enjoy the bout and win.

“Fans can all depend on a big knockout. We are both aggressive and we both win by finish. We’re the first bout of the night, and it’s going to be a knockout. Only one guy will be left standing,” he added.

ONE: UNBREAKABLE is ONE Championship’s first live event in 2021. The main event features a ONE Super Series showdown between ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov of Russia, who defends his world title against #2-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender Capitan Petchyindee Academy of Thailand.

Kawahara is fully fixated on beating Adiwang this Friday night. If he wins, it will no doubt bring him a step closer to his ultimate goal, which is to become a ONE World Champion.

“I joined ONE Championship to become a world champion. Whoever my opponent is, it doesn’t matter. I just have to win and beat him up. I want to thank ONE that my first opponent is Lito and he’s very dangerous. If I beat him, it’s going to be a big win. I’m excited,” said Kawahara.

“Lito is a good fighter, a dangerous one. If I beat him, I’ll be closer to becoming a ONE World Champion. That’s the reason I took this bout. Although Lito might be dangerous, I’m also dangerous, so be careful.”