FOUR BOUTS ADDED TO ONE FC: ERA OF CHAMPIONS

FLYWEIGHTS GEJE EUSTAQUIO AND KENTARO WATANABE SET FOR BATTLE

INDONESIA’S YOHAN MULIA LEGOWO AND ZULI SILAWANTO TO MEET MALAYSIA’S EV TING AND IRAN’S BARBOD RESPECTIVELY

20 May 2014 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization with a 90% market share, has added four exciting bouts to ONE FC: ERA OF CHAMPIONS, which is set to take place in the state-of-the-art Mata Elang International Stadium (MEIS) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 14 June. Indonesian stalwarts Yohan Mulia Legowo and Zuli Silawanto will represent the host country when they face dangerous opponents in Malaysia’s Ev Ting and Iran’s Barbod respectively. An explosive flyweight bout between Geje Eustaquio and Kentaro Watanabe and a clash between welterweights Mahmoud Salama and Aung La N Sang have also been added.
Tickets for Jakarta will be on sale at Kiostix, Rajakarcis, Ticket.com, Indotix and Ibu Dibjo from 10 May. Ticket categories begin with the full red carpet and cage side experience for VIPs at IDR 2,500,000. Tickets priced at IDR 1,500,000, IDR 1,000,000, IDR 500,000, IDR 250,000 and IDR 125,000 are also available. 1-for-1 pre-sale packages are available for a limited time. All applicable service charges apply.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC has added four exciting bouts to ONE FC: ERA OF CHAMPIONS! Indonesian pride will be on the line when Yohan Mulia Legowo and Zuli Silawanto represent Indonesia in their contests. The flyweight bout between Geje Eustaquio and Kentaro Watanabe also pits two of the most electrifying flyweights in the world against each other and the welterweight bout between Mahmoud Salama and Aung La N Sang is another highly anticipated battle. Indonesian fans in attendance and ONE FC fans watching all over the world are in for an unforgettable night of explosive world-class mixed martial arts action!”

Geje Eustaquio is a skilled flyweight who trains alongside Eduard Folayang and Honorio Banario at Team Lakay in the high altitudes of Baguio City, Philippines. Extremely quick and agile, he is proficient in every facet of mixed martial arts. With the ONE FC Flyweight World Championship still up for grabs, Eustaquio is looking to stake his claim on a title shot with an impressive victory. In his last outing, he confidently dispatched fellow Filipino Eugene Toquero in convincing fashion.

Kentaro Watanabe is a Japanese flyweight who will also be looking to make a mark 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 among 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.

Yohan Mulia Legowo grew up in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, and was exposed to all forms of martial arts from a young age. Since nine, Legowo has been committed to learning the various forms of martial arts in the world and would take his time mastering each one before gradually progressing to the next. He eventually began to compete, earning accolades in Kickboxing, Sanda, and Submission Grappling. Like many Indonesian mixed martial artists, Legowo also had a sustained run in the now-defunct TPIFC from 2002 to 2004, including a contest against the undefeated Fransino Tirta, another recent signing by ONE FC.  His career stalled in 2007, when he suffered a broken arm. Although doctors told him his career was over, he resiliently fought back, recuperating intensely before finally being able to return to mixed martial arts action in 2010. Since then, he has been determined to make up for lost time and has not looked back since.

Ev Ting is regarded as one of Malaysia’s top MMA fighters.  Ting is of Malaysian Chinese ancestry but his family relocated to New Zealand when he was seven years old. It was an MMA highlight reel that he discovered on the internet that first sparked his interest in training in the sport, and he quickly found a home at Auckland MMA in 2009. After an undefeated stint as an amateur, Ting made his professional debut in 2011 and has since won six of eight bouts. The talented mixed martial artist will look to proudly represent both Malaysia and New Zealand as he brings his impressive skills into the ONE FC cage.

Zuli Silawanto is an Indonesian MMA veteran who has more than 10 years of professional mixed martial arts experience. He will be looking to bounce back after falling short against Nik Harris in his last ONE FC bout. He has a diverse martial arts arsenal that includes Kickboxing, Pencak Silat and Submission Wrestling. He fights in front of his hometown fans after two years competing overseas and will use the support of the fans to motivate him to victory.

Iran’s Barbod is a former Taekwondo coach who transitioned into Muay Thai and eventually mixed martial arts. He has travelled the globe extensively, spending time in South Korea and has now settled into a head coaching role in Malaysia. A deadly striker with extremely fast hands, he will have his hands full against Silawanto.

Aung La N Sang will be the first mixed martial artist of Myanmar descent to enter the ONE FC cage.He left Myanmar to study in the United States, where he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and subsequently, mixed martial arts. Aung is nicknamed “The Burmese Python” for his constricting ability which has led him to nine submission wins.

Mahmoud Salama is a veteran of the Egyptian mixed martial arts scene. He has never been defeated in his home country, racking up all four of his wins by TKO. Salama boasts power in both hands and will look to knock out any opponent standing in his way.  This clash against Aung represents the classic striker against grappler matchup.

The bout between Mahmoud Salama and Aung La N Sang were originally scheduled to take place in ONE FC: RISE OF HEROES earlier in May, but was postponed due to visa issues. With those issues now resolved, the bout is now set to take place in Jakarta.

Fans in Asia can catch all the action live on STAR Sports. Check your local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.