RUSSIAN FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION MARAT GAFUROV,
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION KELVIN FITIAL FROM SAIPAN,
AUSTRALIAN FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION ROB LISITA,
BRACE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION MARTIN NGUYEN,
SHOOTO FLYWEIGHT VETERAN KENTARO WATANABE,
AND CANADIAN-INDIAN WELTERWEIGHT KICKBOXER KULTAR GILL
15 January 2014 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, has signed seven top prospects to a growing stable of world class athletes. Russian Featherweight Champion Marat Gafurov, Saipan Heavyweight Champion Kelvin Fitial, Australian champion Rob Lisita and BRACE Featherweight champion Martin Nguyen have all signed with ONE FC following successful stints with their regional promotions. They are joined by top free agents Kultar Gill and Kentoro Watanabe, who have also joined the promotion.
Marat Gafurov is undefeated after eight fights, having emerged as the top Featherweight from Europe in recent years. He possesses deadly ground and pound that has led him to six finishes so far. Prior to signing with ONE FC, he was the reigning M-1 Global Featherweight Champion. He joins an exciting Featherweight division that is currently ruled by Koji Oishi and there is no doubt that Gafurov will be looking to earn himself a title opportunity in the near future.
Kelvin ‘The Big Hit’ Fitial is the top mixed martial artist to hail from the Northern Mariana Islands of Saipan and have proven himself by winning the Heavyweight Championship from a regional organization. He has not lost since 2009 and has earned nine of his 12 victories via knockout or TKO. Fitial’s bouts are guaranteed crowd pleasers as he never stops moving forward and loves getting into boxing duels with his opponent. ONE FC’s Heavyweight division has rapidly become one of the most exciting divisions with Chris Lokteff, Paul Cheng, Alain Ngalani and now Kevin Fitial in the mix.
Rob Lisita is the best Featherweight to emerge from Australia. He has fought in numerous smaller organizations and after an impressive 6-1 run, will now face a step up in competition as he joins Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. He is aptly nicknamed ‘Ruthless’ for his fighting style as he always goes for the finish whenever he sees weakness in his opponent.
The winner of ONE FC Network Partner BRACE’s Featherweight championship contest between Martin Nguyen and Luke Standing was promised a ONE FC contract, and Nguyen earned the contract by stopping Standing in the first round of their main event contest in December. Currently undefeated in his career, Australia’s Nguyen will look to do BRACE proud as he tests himself against the best in Asia.
Kultar ‘Black Mamba’ Gill is a Canadian-Indian Welterweight veteran who has been competing since 2001. His list of opponents includes Caol Uno, Rodrigo Damm and recent ONE FC signing Harris Sarmiento. He has also faced the legendary Buakaw Banchamek in kickboxing. Gill has ferocious kicks and is relentless when he has an opportunity to finish his opponent. India has yet to notch a victory in the ONE FC cage and Gill is looking forward to change that when he enters the ONE FC cage.
Kentaro Watanabe is a Japanese Flyweight who will now ply his trade in ONE FC’s Flyweight division. Watanabe has come through the ranks of the Shooto organization with his signature lightning quick striking style that has made him a favorite amongst Japanese mixed martial arts fans. He now looks to showcase his exciting style of fighting to the millions of ONE FC fans watching across the world.
ONE FC’s next event, titled ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS, will be held on 14 March at Stadium Negara in Malaysia. It will be headlined by a Welterweight World Championship contest between American wrestler Brock Larson and Nobutatsu Suzuki of Japan.
