Sports

Team Lakay upstart Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang had a rough start to the year, as the 27-year-old from Baguio City, Philippines recently lost his mother Leticia, who has suffered multiple strokes since 2016. She passed away on 30 December, just before a tumultuous year ended for Adiwang.

“There is nothing a mother wants more than to see her child happy and successful. I know my mother loved me so much, and she just really didn’t want me to get hurt, which is why she didn’t fully accept me being a fighter with her whole heart,” said Adiwang.

“But I chose this career, and I believe she was happy to see me succeed in what I love to do. I know in my heart she is proud of me, and I will continue to live my life in her honor.”

Members of Team Lakay rushed to Adiwang’s aid, to show their support. The team, along with head coach Mark Sangiao, convened in the first few days of 2021, to attend the funeral service. After his mother was laid to rest, Adiwang expressed his intent to turn the year around.

“My teammates have always been there for me. They’ve supported me through the hardest times. They are like family to me. I am very lucky to have a good support system,” said Adiwang.

“Nothing has changed in my mindset. The goal remains the same for me. I’m climbing to the top. If anything, I just got more motivated and driven. I want to prove myself in this next fight, and to do that, I have to be at my best.”

Adiwang is scheduled to make his return to the ONE Circle at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, scheduled for Friday, 22 January in Singapore. It’s his first fight back since losing a close split decision to Japan’s Hiroba Minowa in November.

Adiwang maintains that the experiences he’s gone through in the past few months have only made him stronger.

“I am more motivated now than ever to achieve my goals, and apply the lessons I learned in 2020, especially. I know the pressure is on, and I can feel the pressure. I know I have to prove myself to the world again, to earn the people’s trust. I’m working on coming back stronger than ever,” said Adiwang.

“I think everything happens for a reason. My setbacks today will be what makes me a better fighter for tomorrow. All the hard work I’m putting in will pay off in God’s perfect time. I just want to thank everyone for their support in my darkest hour. The race has just begun for me, but I promise to finish strong.”

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.

Honorio Banario

Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario of the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Philippines, is looking to embark on another run at the ONE World Title this year.

The 31 year old feels re energized and extra motivated to build on his sole victory in 2020 — a close split decision against fellow top featherweight Shannon Wiratchai of Thailand.

After spending the holidays with close family, and helping out Filipinos in need with his brethren at Team Lakay, Banario wants to tell fans to expect an epic resurgence for the Philippines’ premiere martial arts troupe.

“New Year with my family was very fulfilling. It was my second New Year celebration with my son and wife. We spent it in our province with our loved ones,” said Banario.

“I met with the team before New Year’s Eve, and we spent the end of 2020 giving out aid to people in need. Coach Mark and the team agreed to all do a small donation program. There are so many people out there who had a rough year, who had to go through the pandemic, through floods and calamity, and endured days of hunger. The very least we could do was help out in our own little way.

“This year, the team is very motivated to bounce back as we adapt ourselves and our training methodologies to the ‘new normal.’ We are all reinvigorated and fired up to return to our dominance in the Circle.”

Banario was one of the few bright spots for Team Lakay in 2020. The team suffered a series of painful setbacks as former champions Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon, as well as rising star Lito Adiwang all experienced defeat late in the year.

Once the inaugural ONE Featherweight World Champion, Banario wants nothing more than to return to his former glory, and to wear the gold around his waist again.

“I want to fight more in 2021, and reestablish myself as a top fighter in my division. Hopefully, I can claw my way back up to a title shot by the end of the year. Of course, my other wish is to  be healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually. I wish that for all, not just for myself,” said a determined Banario.

“I really want to become a champion and hold that belt again. To do that, I have to stay strong in challenging times and constantly move forward to pursue my dreams. That goes for the rest of the team also. We will prove once again that here at Team Lakay, champions are not born, they are made.”

Former ONE World Title challenger and current #2 ranked flyweight Danny “The King” Kingad of the Philippines looks back on a tough year filled with uncertainty. 

Like everyone else in the country, Kingad retreated indoors at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic back in early March. The experience, Kingad says, is one that has challenged him as a martial artist and as a human being.

“2020 was a really peculiar year. There were a lot of restrictions imposed at the start of the pandemic. We’ve never really experienced anything like that before. As athletes, it was difficult to adjust to training. As a normal person, it was very difficult coping with so much uncertainty. Mentally, it has been very exhausting,” said Kingad.

“However, we’ve been able to adjust to the ‘New Normal’ since then, and we’ve since gotten back to training. I’m looking forward to a better year next year.”

Team Lakay has since returned to action, unfortunately suffering a string of heartbreaking setbacks in recent months. Although he wasn’t able to return to action, Kingad has been hit hard by the ramifications of COVID-19, and the effect it has had on his career.

Kingad was scheduled to face former ONE World Champion Kairat Akhmetov in early December, when he was pulled from the card after he had been exposed to a Team Lakay cornerman who had tested positive for the virus.

This has effectively kept Kingad sidelined since his January victory over Xie Wei.

“The King,” however, says he’s learned some incredibly valuable lessons over the past 12 months that will help him in his career moving forward.

“The biggest lesson I learned this year had to do with time management. Suddenly, we had all this free time on our hands, and there was definitely an adjustment period. Before, we would spend entire days training at the gym. Now, we’re spending more time at home, which has its advantages and disadvantages,” said Kingad.

“One, we get to spend more time with family. However, it also requires much more focus and dedication to be able to stay in shape and train my skills.”

Kingad plans to spend the holidays with his family in Baguio City, afterwards reconvening with Team Lakay in the first week of the new year to resume training. If you ask Kingad what his goals are, it’s evident there’s only one thing on his mind.

“I’m looking to earn another long-awaited shot at the ONE World Title. I think I’m ready. I’m one big win away from getting to the top,” said Kingad.

“I have only one goal on my mind, and that’s making a run at ONE gold. I want to bring honor and glory to the Philippines. I know there’s a big matchup soon between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes. I would love to fight the winner of that fight some time in the near future.

“I believe I’ve changed a lot since facing either of them, and they will be surprised,” he concluded.

Next, ONE Championship returns with ONE: COLLISION COURSE II, a previously recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium scheduled for broadcast on Friday, 25 December. 

In the main event, #2-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender Jamal “Kherow” Yusupov of Russia takes on #4-ranked contender Samy “AK47” Sana of France and Algeria in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai showdown. 

In the co-main event, former ONE Flyweight World Champion and #3-ranked flyweight contender Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov faces “Ottogi” Dae Hwan Kim of South Korea in a catch weight  mixed martial arts contest.

Watch the event on One Sports or 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, 26 December.

Singapore: ONE Championship athletes Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon, Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat, Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan, and Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres all spoke to the media following their respective bouts at ONE: BIG BANG.

Relive all the incredible martial arts action at ONE: BIG BANG in this video highlight reel:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Am0VcTcnsBbpgY4_0flWZvjuCiBsHg?e=fBIyGW

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

Tonon overcame a difficult test posed by #3-ranked featherweight contender Koyomi “Moushigo” Matsushima to win by unanimous decision. After his performance, Tonon talked about the specific challenges he encountered with Matsushima, potential showdowns with top featherweights Martin Nguyen, Christian Lee, and Thanh Lee, his thoughts on transitioning from submission grappling to MMA, and plans for the next year. Find out what he had to say.

Garry Tonon Post-Event Interview:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2mc0wxz63zfencw/AACzDR_-rx4yvKIQpg-F2OYma?dl=0&preview=GARRY+TONON.mov

Indian Wrestling Champion Phogat put together another masterful display of grappling in her first-round finish of the Philippines’ Jomary Torres. Phogat was all smiles as she spoke with the media on a wide range of topics, including her thoughts on how she has progressed in 2020, how much she has missed her family in India, her challenges in facing COVID-19 travel restrictions, and opening up a martial arts academy of her own in India. All that and more in this post-event interview.

Ritu Phogat Post-Event Interview:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2mc0wxz63zfencw/AACzDR_-rx4yvKIQpg-F2OYma?dl=0&preview=RITU+PHOGAT.mov

Malaysian “Shadow Cat” Jihin bounced herself back into the winner’s column with a hard-fought victory over Vietnamese-American Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen, winning by unanimous decision. Jihin talked to the media about her incredible performance and discovering her weaknesses, her thoughts on the stacked women’s atomweight division, potentially facing Ritu Phogat next, and more.

Jihin Radzuan Post-Event Interview:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2mc0wxz63zfencw/AACzDR_-rx4yvKIQpg-F2OYma?dl=0&preview=JIHIN+RADZUAN.mov

The Philippines’ Torres had a rough night, experiencing defeat at the hands of India’s Ritu Phogat. Torres fielded questions from the media about her performance and intricate details in the bout, the specific changes she needs to make in her training to get back to victory, and her mental frustration with her recent losing streak. Listen to what Torres had to say.

Jomary Torres Post-Event Interview:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2mc0wxz63zfencw/AACzDR_-rx4yvKIQpg-F2OYma?dl=0&preview=JOMARY+TORRES.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.

South Africa’s Bokang “Little Giant” Masunyane feels his arrival on the world stage marks the beginning of his steady ascent to the top of the strawweight division. The 26-year-old from Johannesburg wants to use his next opponent as a springboard to bigger and better things, and is looking to put together an impressive showing.

Masunyane will face former ONE World Title challenger and #3-ranked strawweight contender Rene “The Challenger” Catalan of the Philippines in a three-round mixed martial arts contest at ONE: BIG BANG, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore this Friday, 4 December.

“Little Giant” is all business just days ahead of his next appearance in the Circle, and is ultra confident he can get the job done against Catalan.

“I’ve always said, ‘Give me the best and toughest guys,’ and Catalan is top three in the division. He has the experience and he is a veteran. I know that beating him will be a big achievement for me and put me closer to the World Title,” said Masunyane.

“As much as I respect everyone in my division, I think I am the toughest fight for anyone. I showed my will to win in my debut. Whoever fights against me is going to have it tough. Unfortunately for Rene Catalan, he is the guy that is in my path, so I just need to eliminate him to get to the title shot.”

Catalan is considered one of the pioneers of the Philippine martial arts scene. At 41 years old, Catalan has definitely been through a lot. 

He is Head Coach and Founder of Catalan Fighting Systems, where he trains and develops the next wave of Filipino martial arts talent. He is also a multiple-time SEA Games Medalist in both Wushu and Sambo.

The undefeated Masunyane understands where Catalan is most dangerous, but isn’t the least bit worried about the Filipino’s wide range of talents. “Little Giant” admittedly is focused only on his skills, and what he brings to the table.

“Yes, he has some good skills, but to be honest, I am never worried about any of my opponents. I have watched some of the videos to see what he is good at, but I do not feel threatened by anyone in the division — not just Rene Catalan,” said Masunyane.

“I feel like I am something special, and I am going through the whole division to become the World Champion. I respect him, but he has never fought somebody like me, and I am going to dominate him from the get-go until the end of the fight!”

ONE: BIG BANG is the first of ONE Championship’s live event offerings in the month of December. The main event features a showdown between ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia of the Ukraine and challenger Murat “The Butcher” Aygun of the Netherlands.

Masunyane is looking to put together a spectacular performance, one that will announce his readiness to enter the strawweight title mix.

“I’m hoping Catalan brings his A-game because he’s got a lot to work on in order to beat me. There’s no way I see myself losing this fight,” said Masunyane.

“I’m not going to give up. I am not going to lose, because I am meant to be a World Champion. The new African king has arrived. Everyone better be ready for me!”

Watch ONE: BIG BANG this Friday, 4 December on One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). One Sports will air the event on a same-day delay at 9 p.m. PHT. Additionally, TV5 will air the event on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT.

Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov has nothing but kind words for his next adversary before they both step inside the ONE Circle. 

The 33-year-old from Almaty, Kazakhstan threw heaps of praises towards the Philippines’ Danny “The King” Kingad ahead of their highly-anticipated flyweight bout.

Akhmetov and Kingad will meet at the center of the Circle at ONE: BIG BANG, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Friday, 4 December.

Before he locks horns with the Filipino top flyweight, Akhmetov took the time to study his opponent and offer his take on their impending showdown.

“He doesn’t have many holes in his game. He is a complete fighter who can strike, wrestle, and grapple well. He always has good cardio too. But me and my coach have analyzed him a lot. Everyone has some weak spots, and I will work on exploiting him when we meet,” said Akhmetov.

Kingad is one of the Philippines’ finest young martial arts talents. “The King” is a winner of seven of his last eight contests. He earned a spot in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix in 2019, beating highly-touted opponent Senzo Ikeda in the quarter-finals. 

Kingad was supposed to meet Akhmetov in the semi-final round, but with the latter being injured, Australia’s Reece McLaren stepped in to replace “The Kazakh”. The Filipino overcame a tough challenge from McLaren to earn a date with former UFC legend Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, whom he lost to in the final round.

All the while, Akhmetov has been watching on the sidelines as Kingad put together a fantastic run. Needless to say, the two have been on a collision course. After a long wait to face Kingad, Akhmetov is relieved he can now finally meet “The King” in the Circle, so they can settle their unfinished business once and for all.

“Danny is a very interesting fighter with a big heart, and a strong will to win. He is a very explosive, and well-rounded athlete. This bout is interesting to me because we were supposed to face each other in the Grand Prix. Now, we have a chance to finish our business. I have only a good impression of him. He is a really good and worthy opponent,” said Akhmetov.

“I’m confident in all areas of my game. I’m not just a wrestler. We are ranked very high in this division, and this match is a can’t-miss for all fans. There’s a lot on the line in this one. I will do everything in my power to get my hand raised on that day. Everything else is up to the Almighty.”

ONE: BIG BANG is the first of ONE Championship’s live event offerings in the month of December. The main event features a showdown between ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia of the Ukraine and challenger Murat “The Butcher” Aygun of the Netherlands.

Watch the show on One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). One Sports will air the event on a same-day delay at 9 p.m. PHT. Additionally, TV5 will air the event on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT.

Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today released official ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV Final Weight and Hydration Results.

Complete ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV Final Weight and Hydration Results

Kickboxing – Catch Weight (58.3 KG)
Aslanbek Zikreev (56.55 KG, 1.0222) vs. Wang Junguang (58.30 KG, 1.0103)

Muay Thai – Catch Weight (59.0 KG)
Rocky Ogden (58.30 KG, 1.0144) vs. Joseph Lasiri (58.50 KG, 1.0144)

Mixed Martial Arts – Bantamweight (61.3 KG – 65.8 KG)
Bruno Pucci (65.30 KG, 1.0044) vs. Kwon Won Il (65.35 KG, 1.0036)

Mixed Martial Arts – Featherweight (65.9 KG – 70.3 KG)
Ryogo Takahashi (69.75 KG, 1.0144) vs. Yoon Chang Min (70.10 KG, 1.0148)

Mixed Martial Arts – Catch Weight (61.35 KG)
Maira Mazar (59.00 KG, 1.0152) vs. Choi Jeong Yun (61.35 KG, 1.0244) 

*Hydration values less than or equal to 1.0250 earn a passing mark, while values greater than or equal to 1.0251 earn a failing mark. Athletes who failed weight and hydration tests on Day 1 or Day 2 are given another chance to clear tests on the morning of the event.

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.

The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), today held a virtual media call with Team Lakay athletes Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, and Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, along with Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao. The team is back in Manila following a stint in Singapore’s ‘ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III’ event.

Eustaquio defeated South Korea’s Song Min Jong via three-round unanimous decision, while former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Belingon fell to Brazil’s John “Hands of Stone” Lineker by technical knockout. Meanwhile, Adiwang lost a close split decision to Shooto Champion Hiroba Minowa of Japan.

For official photos of ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III, click here: https://bit.ly/onephotos 

For complete recording and transcript, click here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zw7s_hGqWI7E8DffQ2e28nhRVcrqmWAH?usp=sharing 

“Of course, I’m disappointed with the result, as are our athletes. It’s even harder for me, as a coach. I think the long layoff had a very big effect on not just us, but all athletes. We have to make some adjustments. The pandemic has been tough. The protocols in place are very strict, but they are for our own safety. I’ll have a talk with the whole team and we’ll make the right adjustments so we can come back stronger. Right now, the focus is on studying our performances and identifying where we can improve. It was difficult not having our entire team there in Singapore to support us. But I know we’ll be back stronger than ever. As they say, we are the ‘Kings of Rematch’,” said Sangiao, head coach of Team Lakay.

“As much as I wanted to finish the fight, we got a unanimous decision, and we didn’t expect things to happen that way.  Song Min Jong was very strong. My wrist hurt from striking him too much, and he was very durable. He really wanted to reach the end, and he had strong willpower. I’m satisfied with my performance, but I also wanted to give the fans an impressive finish. At this level, it’s very hard. I did my best. I have the best coach on my side and we had a good training camp for this fight. The next thing I need to do is get back in the gym immediately and train again,” said Eustaquio, former ONE Flyweight World Champion.

For a full bout recap of Geje Eustaquio vs. Song Min Jong, click here:

“First of all, I’m very disappointed with my performance in Singapore. I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do, and I didn’t get the result I wanted. I got hit with some solid shots in the second round. After that uppercut, I went to retreat to the fence, but I just blacked out and hit the ground. That’s how these fights go. I wasn’t able to execute my game plan. I’ll take this as a learning experience, and I know we’ll meet again in the future. I’m looking forward to recharging, getting back in the gym. I’m willing to start from the bottom and climb back up again,” said Belingon, former ONE Bantamweight World Champion.

For a full bout recap of John Lineker vs. Kevin Belingon, click here:

“Honestly, in the first round, I had that submission locked in. I had his arm trapped, and I left a slight opening for him so he could tap. Everything just happened so fast. All I know is that the armlock was deep. A lot of fans told me they noticed he tapped in the first round. I’m not going to say anything except that I am asking for a rematch so we can close the case. The best way to end the speculation is by having a rematch,” said Lito Adiwang, ONE strawweight contender.

For a full bout recap of Hiroba Minowa vs. Lito Adiwang, click here:

Next, ONE Championship returns with ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV, a previously recorded event for global broadcast on Friday, 20 November. In the main event, European Muay Thai Champion Aslanbek Zikreev of Russia takes on #2-ranked strawweight kickboxing contender Wang “Golden Boy” Junguang of China in a ONE Super Series kickboxing contest. For more information, please visit the official ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV Event Page.

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.

Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium with another thrilling evening of world-class martial arts action. ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III, a previously recorded event broadcast globally on Friday, 13 November, featured compelling action from the world’s top mixed martial arts stars.

In the main event, Brazilian thunderbolt John “Hands of Stone” Lineker used a dynamic performance to stop former ONE Bantamweight World Champion and current #1-ranked contender Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon in the second round.

At the opening bell, Lineker and Belingon met at the center of the ONE Circle and looked to trade their heaviest shots. Belingon dazzled with his usual display of flashy spinning attacks and powerful combinations, while Lineker kept tight pressure and battered the Filipino with concussive hooks and uppercuts.

In the middle of the second round, a right uppercut to the temple dropped Belingon, and Lineker quickly swarmed his foe to earn the technical knockout victory. With the win, the Brazilian announced himself as a serious threat to reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes.

For a full bout recap of John Lineker vs. Kevin Belingon, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/john-lineker-stops-kevin-belingon-with-powerful-second-round-tko/

Visit the official ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III photo gallery by clicking here:

For top social media highlights, please see below:

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHiNPVqjXgK/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHiL0_oJx8p/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHiBhDVsYZj/  

Twitter
https://t.co/V3FbwKINd9
https://t.co/ieeTJeO44U
https://t.co/WSAuujBjyk

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=724292381627896
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=387637889253598
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=880061789464971
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=807609879808208
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3369585549785357

For a full bout recap of Geje Eustaquio vs. Song Min Jong, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/eustaquio-dominates-song-en-route-to-unanimous-decision-win/

Undefeated Murad Ramazanov of Russia pushed his record to 10-0 with a one-sided domination of former Pancrase Champion Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka of Japan. Ramazanov controlled the pace by pressuring Tetsuka against the Circle Wall in order to land multiple takedown attempts. Tetsuka had brief moments of brilliance on the feet, but it wasn’t enough to offset Ramazanov’s impressive grappling. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Ramazanov to win by unanimous decision.

For a full bout recap of Murad Ramazanov vs. Hiroyuki Tetsuka, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/ramazanov-stays-undefeated-with-grappling-masterclass-vs-tetsuka/

 “King Kong Warrior” Fan Rong of China spoiled the mixed martial arts debut of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Yuri Simoes to win by unanimous decision after three rounds. Simoes hunted for takedowns all night, while Fan punished him with thudding counters. As the bout wore on, Simoes began to tire, and Fan capitalized by landing a plethora of thunderous strikes. By the final bell, Fan was clearly ahead on the scorecards, as he defeated the two-time ADCC World Champion.

For a full bout recap of Fan Rong vs. Yuri Simoes, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/fan-rong-uses-boxing-takedown-defense-to-beat-bjj-legend-simoes/

In the night’s opening bout, Shooto Champion Hiroba Minowa of Japan overcame a furious start from #5-ranked strawweight Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang of the Philippines to earn a close split decision victory. Adiwang started the bout fast and caught Minowa with a deep kimura early on, but the Japanese phenom somehow survived. The 21-year-old Minowa then put on a grappling showcase in the second and third rounds, establishing control over Adiwang to win on the judges’ scorecards.

For a full bout recap of Hiroba Minowa vs. Lito Adiwang, click here:
https://www.onefc.com/news/minowa-rides-grappling-to-tough-split-decision-win-over-adiwang/

Next, ONE Championship returns with ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV, a previously recorded event for global broadcast on Friday, 20 November. In the main event, European Muay Thai Champion Aslanbek Zikreev of Russia takes on #2-ranked strawweight kickboxing contender Wang “Golden Boy” Junguang of China in a ONE Super Series kickboxing contest. For more information, please visit the official ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV Event Page.

Official Results for ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III
Mixed Martial Arts – Bantamweight: John Lineker defeats Kevin Belingon by TKO (Punches) at 1:16 of Round 2

Mixed Martial Arts – Catch Weight (64.0 KG): Geje Eustaquio defeats Song Min Jong by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts – Welterweight: Murad Ramazanov defeats Hiroyuki Tetsuka by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts – Middleweight: Fan Rong defeats Yuri Simoes by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts – Strawweight: Hiroba Minowa defeats Lito Adiwang by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds

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.