Vincent Latoel lauds Filipino fighters, but eyes big win over Vaughn Donayre

Dutch-Indonesian stalwart Vincent “Magnivincent” Latoel (16-18-2) might not have received a warm reception in his past encounters against Filipino fighters, but he is all praises when it comes to their fighting spirits.

The 37-year-old kickboxer from Deventer, Netherlands has fought two highly-regarded Filipino competitors in his 36-fight career. Latoel faced future ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang in December 2013, while he locked horns with featherweight standout Edward Kelly last August.

However, he fell short on both occasions. Although Latoel did not get his hand raised against Folayang and Kelly, he did not mince words about his admiration for Filipino MMA combatants.

“Filipino fighters are true warriors. I’ve faced Eduard Folayang before he became the ONE Lightweight World Champion. He was so tough and a gallant competitor. The same goes with Edward Kelly. He has a big heart,” he said.

“Filipinos fight with their pride and heart. I like these kinds of fighters because I have the same mentality,” Latoel added.

For his next assignment inside the ONE Championship cage, Latoel will be sharing the stage with another homegrown Filipino talent as he is tasked to take on Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre (8-6) at ONE: QUEST FOR POWER in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January.

Having two-straight setbacks in 2016, Latoel sees the new year as his chance to return to his winning ways.

“In 2016, I had two losses. Winning and losing are part of the sport. A true winner is someone who doesn't give up and learns from his losses. I have learned from my 2016 fights. I am back, more focused and much stronger,” he stated.

Latoel expects that his three-round bout with Donayre will have no shortage of firepower as they are both known for their fan-friendly fighting styles.

“I expect the fight will be energetic and hard. It will have a lot of action, and I promise everyone that you will see a different Vincent Latoel,” he said. “I can fight at a high pace for this bout. I know that Donayre is a veteran with a dream. I will prepare for everything.”

The 5-foot-11 Tatsujin Dojo representative is confident that he will walk out of the Jakarta Convention Center with the victory as he believes that his experience will play a vital factor against Donayre.

“My greatest advantage against Donayre is my experience. I have over 30 fights in my career. I hope that I can utilize that advantage in the fight,” he stressed.

Even if he has a burning determination to come out on top of Donayre, Latoel clarified that he does not hold any grudge against Filipino fighters.

“This is nothing personal, but I am determined to win. I’m fighting a brave Filipino fighter again. I have a lot of respect for Vaughn Donayre, but it’s my time to shine,” he concluded.

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

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Martin Nguyen sacrifices Christmas family time in pursuit of future title shot

Sacrifice means to give up something cherished in order to get something even more valuable in the future. This concept also applies to mixed martial arts (MMA) as the path to becoming a world champion is paved with much sacrifice.

To set foot on the pinnacle of success, all fighters must go through blood, sweat and tears in training. Moreover, MMA athletes have to be separated from their families for months to dedicate their lives to the craft that they seek to perfect.

Australian standout Martin Nguyen (7-1) had to undergo the same process as he is slated to square off with former featherweight title contender Kazunori Yokota (25-6-3) in the co-headliner of ONE: QUEST FOR POWER on 14 January.

“The life of a fighter is difficult, but I understand that in order to be the best, fighters have to make certain sacrifices. Spending time away from friends and family to train isn’t easy,” Nguyen said.

For his high-profile bout against Yokota, Nguyen had to give up spending Christmas and the rest of the Yuletide season with his family to fully focus on his training.

Nguyen admitted the most painful sacrifice is the separation from his family, but he knows that there is a reward waiting for him.

“It’s part of being a professional fighter. A lot of sacrifices have been made. Training in December is one of them. I have to give up Christmas celebrations for this fight,” he stated.

“If I want to consider myself as a championship-quality fighter, I have to make that sacrifice. In the end, I will reap the fruits of my labor. Hard work cannot be denied forever,” Nguyen added.

The 27-year-old Australian prospect believes that a win over Yokota will earn him a date with Marat Gafurov for the ONE Featherweight World Championship belt.

“I think a win over Yokota should solidify my position for a title shot. To clarify, I am not in a hurry. I will let my bosses decide because they have the final say for that matter. If they will give me a shot at the ONE Featherweight World Championship title, I am ready to suit up,” Nguyen declared.

Both men are no strangers to Gafurov. Nguyen fell short to the highly-touted Russian combatant for the interim title in September 2015, while Yokota unsuccessfully challenged Gafurov this past May.

Nguyen sees himself in a must-win scenario as the winner of the marquee match-up might get a rematch with Gafurov in 2017.

“My mindset is the same every fight. Everyone is a title challenger, and everyone is capable of becoming a champion. It’s just a matter of who wants it more. I’m ready to put everything on the line to win this fight,” he said.

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

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

World renowned martial arts coach George Castro coming to the Philippines

Former professional mixed martial artist turned fight coach, George Castro, is set to arrive in Manila the first week of January to make good on Brandon Vera’s promise to bring the world-famous Alliance MMA gym to Philippine shores.

Castro, who has worked with Vera for the past four years, previously served as the strength and conditioning coach at Alliance MMA in San Diego, California.

“The plan is to bring a new style -- my style of training -- to the Philippines. I want to go everywhere and show everybody what I know and spread my knowledge,” said Castro. “Asia has a bunch of tough fighters with a lot of heart, especially in the Philippines.”

Castro is no stranger to working with world-class talent, having had a hand in the careers of fighters like Jeremy Stephens, Ross Pearson and Wilson Hayes.

A veteran of the fight game, Castro began his MMA career in the early 2000’s, being introduced to the sport by MMA veteran Don Frye. He was then later acquired by MMA fighter Dominick Cruz at Alliance MMA where he then met Vera.

The two clicked instantly.

“He (Brandon Vera) is 'The Truth'. He keeps it real, he's one hundred percent He's black and white. I'm the same way. I just keep everything legit, no lying, no backstabbing. Let's just be real with each other,” said Castro.

“If we click, we click, if we don't, we don't. With Brandon we did click, so that's why we became so close. Even though I'm a little bit older than him, I consider him my big brother.”

Castro, along with ONE Heavyweight World Champion Vera, is expected to bring elevated combat sports training into the country. MMA is huge in the Philippines. More and more youth are starting to take up martial arts as a sport.

But because eastern martial arts is more focused on the striking aspect of fighting as opposed to the west which has focused largely on wrestling and grappling, the level of well-roundedness of local fighters as a whole is slightly below par. That’s all set to change with Castro’s arrival.

Castro believes that technique can easily be taught but that it is very difficult to find athletes who are completely dedicated to their craft. He however stressed that he sees a lot of potential in the Philippines.

“If you have the heart and you love to work hard and you love to grind, I will always take that person and train somebody like that. Because we can teach that person skill but heart and dedication, you can't teach,” said Castro.

“Putting up Alliance MMA is going to be great. We're going to help a lot of young fighters and maybe hopefully pull some kids off the streets and give them a better chance at life like MMA did for me.”

Castro will spend the holidays with family and will complete a few more obligations before the year ends, but after that, he’s all-in to move to Manila and begin the next chapter in his career. After 2016, which has been one of the best years of Philippine MMA, Castro’s addition to the country’s training resources could produce some fantastic results.

With Vera spearheading Alliance MMA’s entrance into Asia, the possibilities are endless.

“(Brandon) is a legend in the sport and he's very well-rounded in every aspect of the sport. Going out to the Philippines with him has been nothing but a blessing for me,” said Castro. “Working with him in opening up this gym is a dream come true for me and I'm a hundred percent excited to get that going.”

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

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

*This is Press Release

Initial Bouts Announced for ONE: Quest for Power

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), is set to electrify the Jakarta Convention Center once again on Saturday, 14 January for its first event in 2017 dubbed ONE: QUEST FOR POWER. Headlining the spectacular fight card is ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash as he defends his title against Polish fighter Marcin Prachnio.

Ticket information for ONE: QUEST FOR POWER is available at onefc.com.

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “2017 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for ONE Championship. We have an exciting lineup of world-class events all across iconic cities in Asia, and we are thrilled to kick things off in Jakarta. Get ready for the biggest year in MMA history!

“ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash, one of the most exciting fighters in the promotion, is set to make his highly-anticipated return to the ONE Championship cage against worthy challenger Marcin Prachnio. The last time Vitaly was in the cage, he took the title from former champion Igor Svirid by force, rallying from a series knockdowns to score an epic come-from-behind victory. Will he be able to handle Prachnio’s blunt power? This is a fight the fans will not want to miss!”

ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash of Rostov-on-Don, Russia will be making the first defense of his title since winning the belt back in October of 2015. With a resounding technical knockout victory over former champion Igor Svirid, Bigdash displayed true grit and determination in one of the most action-packed fights in ONE Championship history. Bigdash showcased tremendous heart and resolve, overcoming a devastating attack by Svirid to score the upset. Now, he takes on his first challenger as champion in Marcin Prachnio.

Marcin Prachnio is a Polish mixed martial artist with an impressive 12-2 professional MMA record. He’s on a seven bout win-streak, five by devastating technical knockout. He is currently unbeaten in ONE Championship, overcoming three tough challenges in Alexandre Machado, Leandro Ataides, and most recently Jake Butler. Prachnio is now ready for his biggest challenge -- a shot at ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash.

38-year old Kazunori Yokota of Chiba, Japan is a mixed martial arts fixture with over 12 years of professional fight experience under his belt. A champion of Japanese promotion, DEEP, Yokota is one of the toughest fighters at featherweight as he has constantly punished his opponents and grinded out victories. He sports a stellar record of 25 wins and just six defeats with three draws. In his most recent bout, he challenged ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov. Now, he is set to take on rising star Martin Nguyen.

27-year old Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Sydney, Australia is a former featherweight title challenger with a 7-1 professional mixed martial arts record. His only loss came at the hands of reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov. None of Nguyen’s victories have gone to a decision, giving him four solid wins by technical knockout as well as three victories by submission. In his last bout, Nguyen defeated touted prospect Christian Lee with one of the best submissions of 2016. Nguyen’s all-around skillset allows him to compete at the highest level as a professional. He’ll take on Kazunori Yokota next.

Anthony “The Archangel” Engelen is a Dutch-Indonesian mixed martial artist who spends his days training full-time in Indonesia. He is an exceptional grappler and a well-rounded striker capable of ending fights quickly and decisively. With a young 5-2 professional MMA record, Engelen prides himself in being an exciting fighter, willing to please the crowd by always seeking the highlight-reel finish. The talented featherweight will do battle with AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor.

41-year-old AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor is one of the finest mixed martial arts coaches in the region. Based out of Borneo Tribal Squad in Sabah, Malaysia, Lias Mansor is responsible for training athletes like female fighting sensation Ann “Athena” Osman. With a complete striking and grappling arsenal, Lias Mansor sports a professional MMA record of two wins and three losses. In his last bout, Lias Mansor defeated Melvin Yeoh by unanimous decision to become ONE Malaysia Featherweight Tournament Champion. The well-rounded mixed martial artist is set to make his much-awaited return to the ONE Championship cage to face Anthony Engelen.

Vincent “Magnivincent” Latoel is a Dutch-Indonesian mixed martial arts veteran with over 30 professional bouts on his record. A lightweight standout in one of ONE Championship’s deepest divisions, Latoel’s experience against the very best fighters in his weight class has made him a dangerous opponent for anyone. Latoel is in his 15th year as a professional fighter and is looking for success in his next bout, this time against the Philippines’ Vaughn Donayre.

Lightweight Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre is a Filipino mixed martial artist based in Dubai. Due to his passion for martial arts, the Cebu-native quit his mechanical engineering job to become a fighter. With a comprehensive set of stand-up and mat skills, Donayre is highly regarded as an exciting mixed martial artist constantly in pursuit of the finish. In his next bout, Donayre takes on Dutch-Indonesian MMA veteran Vincent Latoel.

Unbeaten Indonesian Flyweight prospect Stefer Rahardian impressed the local crowd in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear naked choke. The Indonesian mixed martial artist sports an unblemished record of four wins and no losses. Rahardian will put his unbeaten record on the line when he goes up against Jerome S. Paye.

Mixed martial arts prospect Jerome S. Paye made his ONE Championship debut in February of 2016 against China’s Li Hao Jie. In the bout, Paye showcased a well-rounded set of techniques, stifling his opponent with an array of striking combinations. With the ability to make fights difficult for any challenger, Paye will make his return to the ONE Championship cage in Jakarta, Indonesia to face prospect Stefer Rahardian.

23-year-old Adrian Matheis of Jakarta, Indonesia is a mixed martial artist competing in ONE Championship’s strawweight division. With a professional record of three wins and only one loss, Matheis participated in the ONE: TITLES & TITANS strawweight tournament in August of 2016, defeating both Rustam Hutajulu and Roso Nugroho via scintillating knockouts. This time Matheis will take on Filipino wushu veteran Rene Catalan.

38-year-old

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Rene “The Challenger” Catalan of Manila, Philippines is former 2006 Asian Games gold medalist in wushu. He made his ONE Championship debut in 2013 against Brazil’s Alex Silva. In September of 2016, Catalan notched his first victory in the promotion with a unanimous decision over Zhang You Liang. Catalan is now set to face Indonesia’s Adrian Matheis.

Indonesian mixed martial artist “The Terminator” Sunoto is a ONE Championship bantamweight with a 5-3 professional MMA record. With a penchant for grappling, three of Sunoto’s five victories have come by submission. The 31-year-old is a known as an aggressive fighter who never backs down from a challenge. His next bout will be against Chan Heng.

Cambodian Khun Khmer practitioner Chan Heng is a mixed martial artist competing in ONE Championship’s bantamweight division. He sports an 8-3 professional MMA record which includes a whopping six wins by submission and one by knockout. Always looking to finish on the mat, Heng is a dangerous grappler who is capable of ending fights in a variety of ways. Heng will step back inside the ONE Championship cage against Indonesian, Sunoto.

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

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Alaska Milk continues its advocacy to help children learn positive values through participation in sports with the holding of the 21st Alaska Football Cup at the Alabang Country Club in Ayala Alabang Village last November 26 and 27.

Players of all ages, from as young as six years old, was gathered in one venue to participate the longest running and most successful grassroots-development program in local football.

"This marks another monumental event for Alaska Milk. We have 320 teams and a total of 4,800 football players together in one venue, all united by their love for football. It is with great pride that we witness how the Alaska Nutrition, Action, Champion Program has engaged young athletes into this kind of culture, and how they live by the values inherent in sports," said Wilfred Uytengsu, President and CEO of Alaska Milk Corporation

Alaska Milk teaches children discipline, hard work, determination, teamwork and sportsmanship by encouraging them to join sports activities. Alaska Milk launched its first football cup tournament in 1995 so that children may participate in sports like football to help them achieve the "winning form."

This year's Alaska Football Cup comes at the heels of the start of the Asean Football Federation's Suzuki Cup with the Philippine national football team, the Azkals, participating. It will be played in 28 football fields with 168 game officials ministering the competition.

School teams and football clubs from all over the Philippines, inluding Masbate, Baguio, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Legaspi, Laguna, Batangas, Bukidnon, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Ilocos, Bicol, Romblon, Davao Sur, Compestela Valley, Quezon, Cavite, Albay, Pangasinan, Bacolod, Iloilo, Mindoro, and Metro Manila will participate.

Instead of engaging in passive activities such as watching television, surfing the Internet, or spending too much time on social media, Alaska Milk encourages children to engage in sports and outdoor as an active alternative.

The National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute(FNRI) states that health issues are best addressed by adopting an active lifestyle along with a healthy diet and regular drinking of milk, at least twice daily.

The athletic and social skills of children may be developed through participation in sports tournaments. Children experience healthy competition among members of the same age group which boosts physical and mental development.

Alaska Milk helps develop aspiring athletes through its NUTRITION. ACTION. CHAMPION. Program.

For more information about Alaska Milk and its Nutrition. Action. Champion. Program, visit www.alaskamilk.com. To know more about the 21st Alaska Football Cup visit http://www.alaskapowercamp.com/. Check out Alaska Milk's sports channel www.playph.com and like @PlayPH in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for inspiring stories on Filipino sports fans of all ages nad skill levels

ONE Championship Announces Blockbusterr 2017 Schedule

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced its blockbuster 2017 schedule.

This past year, ONE Championship delivered world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) action to iconic Asian cities across the region, breaking into new Chinese markets while continuing to delight fans in key Asian destinations. The promotion also successfully held a live event at the Cotai Arena in glitzy Macau, and became the first-ever major MMA promotion to hold a live event in Bangkok, Thailand.

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “2016 has been a phenomenal year for ONE Championship. It was absolutely historic for the promotion and 2017 promises to be even better.

“With the addition of key senior leaders to aid ONE with our growth plans, the promotion is in an unbelievable position to make some major waves in the global MMA industry. Together we aim to deliver fans a continuously unique experience that they will never forget.

“ONE Championship is coming out in full force to hold electric live events all over mainland China, with plans to break into new and exciting markets in Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. I know fans can’t wait for ONE to come to town. Get ready for one of the biggest years in MMA.”

In 2016, ONE Championship saw the birth of new world champions, sold out iconic stadiums and arenas all across the world, and entered exciting new markets. Growth has increased exponentially, attracting new major sponsorships and forging stronger business relationships with partners.

With groundbreaking new network television deals, ONE Championship is now broadcast to over one billion viewers in more than 118 countries worldwide, with a loyal and passionate fan base of supporters from nations all across the globe.

2017 promises to be even better in terms of viewership and popularity as ONE Championship lays out plans for new markets.

ONE Championship has announced plans for live shows in its usual major cities of Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila, and Yangon. The promotion is also set to return to the Cotai Arena in Macau and the Impact Arena in Bangkok. New markets Vietnam and Japan are also in the works as well as multiple destinations in mainland China including Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing.

In line with ONE Championship’s growth strategy, building local homegrown Asian martial arts heroes from the grassroots, the promotion is set to take advantage of the potential of world-class MMA in Vietnam, South Korea and Japan with events to be announced at a later date.

ONE Championship 2017 Schedule

Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta Convention Center

Saturday, January 14

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Stadium Negara

Friday, February 10

Bangkok, Thailand

Impact Arena

Saturday, March 11

Manila, Philippines

Mall of Asia Arena

Friday, April 21

Singapore

Singapore Indoor Stadium

Friday, May 26

Beijing, China

Le Sports Center

Friday, June 30

Yangon, Myanmar

Thuwunna Indoor Stadium

Friday, July 14

Macau, China

Cotai Arena

Saturday, August 12

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Stadium Negara

Friday, August 18

Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta Convention Center

Saturday, September 16

Shenzhen, China

Bao An Stadium

Saturday, October 21

Da Nang, Vietnam

Tien Son Sport Center

Friday, October 27

Yangon, Myanmar

Thuwunna Indoor Stadium

Friday, November 3

Manila, Philippines

Mall of Asia Arena

Friday, November 10

Singapore

Singapore Indoor Stadium

Friday, November 24

Beijing, China

Le Sports Center

Saturday, December 2

Bangkok, Thailand

Impact Arena

Saturday, December 9

Shanghai, China

Mercedes Benz Center

Tuesday, December 12

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

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.