LBC-Ronda Pilipinas 2014: International Edition

Seven International cycling tams will put another seven of our local bike clubs to the test in what will be known as the international edition of the 2014 LBC-Ronda Pilipinas.

The international contingent consists of teams representing Japan, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Malaysia, and South Korea, with two other teams sporting a multinational roster. The local contingent, on the other hand, boasts of a number of local yet international trained cycling veterans.

International Teams: Matrix Powertag Continental Team (Japan), Dutch Global Cycling Team (Netherlands), Gusto Continental Team (Taiwan), Malaysia National Team (Malaysia), CCN Continental Cycling Team (Multi), UiJeongBu City Cycling Team (South Korea), and Infinite-Singha Cycling Team (Multi).

Local Teams: Team Philippine Army, PLDT-Maynilad Pro Cycling Team, Team Philippine Navy Standard Insurance, Team Cycline Butuan Mindanao, 7 Eleven Continental Cycling Team, Team Roadbike Philippines, and Team Cebu – Kalit Philippine Air Force.

“Our team has always aimed to be on par with international competition,” said Christopher Alison, Manager of the PLDT-Maynilad Pro Cycling Team. “The past few [LBC-Ronda Pilipinas] tilts have been our training grounds. This year, though, will be where we’ll see the result of that training,” he concluded LBC Sports Development Chairman Moe Chulani admits that the challenge of taking this event to an ‘international level’ lies not only on the shoulders of our local athletes, but also on LBC itself. “Even in the past [LBC-Ronda Pilipinas] events, we’ve always held ourselves to a higher standard to be able to execute an event of this magnitude,” Chulani said. “With the presence of an international contingent who are used to racing in prestigious events, we have to push the envelope even further if we want the Filipino cycling scene to be recognized worldwide,” Chulani enthused.

LBC-Ronda Pilipinas is the brainchild of LBC President Dino Araneta. According to Araneta, Filipinos have the potential to dominate in international competitions due to our lighter physique, which offers a significant advantage against bigger and heavier nationalities.

Organizing the LBC-Ronda Pilipinas was also what made them push even further in improving the logistical expertise and services of the company. “Being able to pull-off something this big for the three years running is no easy task. But with our new directions, vision, and fervor, represented by our recent rebranding, the Ronda is proof that we are more than just the ‘Padala’ that we are known for.” Araneta said. “LBC is all about making things move forward, whether it be lives, business, and communities. Or a world-class sporting events,” Araneta concluded.

The 2014 LBC-Ronda Pilipinas started on February 1, 2014. The 14 teams vying for the win of this 14-day 1,700-kiloneter race all across Luzon started pedaling away at the starting line at Quezon Memorial Circle.
For more information on LBC-Ronda Pilipinas, please visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RondaPilipinas.

 

Major Sponsors: MVP sports, PLDT, Mitsubishi
Minor Sponsors: Maynilad, Versa 2 Radio, NLEX, Standard Insurance, Canondale, Air Asia
Media Partners: TV5, DZSR Sports radio 918

TWO NEW BOUTS ADDED TO ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS

ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), presented by Tune Talk, has added another two tantalizing fights to the blockbuster card set to take place on 14 March at the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Popular Malaysian celebrity and top Lightweight Peter Davis will meet fellow Malaysian Muay Thai champion Wes Jaya. Malaysia’s Saiful Merican will also compete in front of 10,000 Malaysian fans as he faces Khim Dima from Cambodia.

Priority sales of tickets for ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS, presented by Tune Talk, is currently available. Fans can enjoy 20% off tickets during priority sales which ends on 31 Jan.  Pre-sale packages such as the “Peter Davis Fan Package”, which includes a limited edition t-shirt for only MYR78, are also available now. Log on to www.AirAsiaRedTix.com for further details. Tickets are priced at RM348 for the complete VIP experience that includes exclusive red carpet entrance, access to the VIP lounge and premium cage-side seating. The categories that follow are priced at RM248, RM148, RM98 and RM48 respectively. Booking fees and service charges apply.

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT BETWEEN WES JAYA AND PETER DAVIS ADDED TO MAIN CARD

ALSO: MALAYSIAN MUAY THAI CHAMPION SAIFUL MERICAN TO FACE CAMBODIA’S KHMER BOXING CHAMPION KHIM DIMA

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS is one of the most exciting events in the history of the organization. The inaugural ONE FC Welterweight World Champion will be crowned and we have also added two exciting bouts that are sure to excite the Malaysian fans in attendance and the fans watching all across the world. Peter Davis and Saiful Merican are two of the best mixed martial artists to emerge from Malaysia. Prepare for a night of electrifying mixed martial arts action as ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS goes live on 14 March!”

Peter Davis is a Wuji Chuan exponent and the face of mixed martial arts in Malaysia. Along with being the top Lightweight in Malaysia, he is also a prominent celebrity with a long list of modeling and acting roles to his name. Davis consistently finishes his opponents in impressive fashion and he will be looking to use his lanky frame and significant reach advantage to propel him to victory against Wes Jaya.

Wes Jaya is a longtime Muay Thai practitioner with more than 70 fights and multiple championships. The Canadian-Malaysian has since made a successful transition to mixed martial arts, having picked up two wins so far. He will be taking a step up in competition as he faces the more experienced Peter Davis. With both fighters coming from striking backgrounds, this bout looks set to be an exciting pugilistic battle contested on the feet.

Saiful Merican is one of the top Muay Thai practitioners in Malaysia. He has more than 100 professional Muay Thai fights and possesses ferocious kicks that have knocked out many opponents. Nicknamed “The Vampire” by fans for his fast and deadly style, he looks to notch up another victory when he takes on Cambodia’s Khim Dima. In Saiful’s last bout, he utilized fluid striking to defeat Dima’s teammate Tok Sophon.

Khim Dima is the son of a legendary Cambodian fighter and has been training and competing since the age of 8. He is a veteran of over 250 Kun Khmer fight and is a champion at the Channel 3 Stadium in Cambodia. Fighting out of the Afighter camp in Phnom Penh, he trains in MMA every day and has also been working with the Cambodian wrestling team to improve his grappling. He is a highly intelligent individual who uses his fight purses to pay his way through law school and is likely to apply a thoughtful, tactically astute approach to his MMA fights.

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.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS ADDS FLYWEIGHT CONTEST BETWEEN ANDREW LEONE AND SHINICHI KOJIMA

ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), presented by Tune Talk, has added another three exciting fights to the blockbuster card set to take place on 14 March at the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Top Flyweight contenders meet when Andrew Leone faces Shinichi Kojima.  A pair of exciting bouts has also been added as Lightweights Kotetsu Boku and Arnaud Lepont do battle in a bout expected to result in a knockout, while Harris Sarmiento clashes with Herbert Burns in Featherweight action.

ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS ADDS FLYWEIGHT CONTEST BETWEEN ANDREW LEONE AND SHINICHI KOJIMA

PLUS: FORMER ONE FC LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION KOTETSU BOKU MEETS ARNAUD LEPONT

ALSO: NEWLY SIGNED HARRIS SARMIENTO SET TO BATTLE BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU BLACK BELT HERBERT BURNS

PRE-SALE TICKETS FOR ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS ARE ON SALE NOW

AT WWW.AIRASIAREDTIX.COM

Priority sales of tickets for ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS, presented by Tune Talk, will begin from 13 January. Fans can enjoy 20% off tickets during priority sales which end on 1 February.  Pre-sale packages such as the “Ann Osman Fan Package”, which includes a limited edition T-shirt for only MYR78, are also available now. Log on to www.AirAsiaRedTix.com for further details. Tickets are priced at RM348 for the complete VIP experience that includes exclusive red carpet entrance, access to the VIP lounge and premium cage-side seating. The categories that follow are priced at RM248, RM148, RM98 and RM48 respectively. Booking fees and service charges apply.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS is shaping up to be the most exciting event in the history of the organization. The inaugural ONE FC Welterweight World Champion will be crowned and we have also added three exciting bouts that are sure to provide adrenaline-pumping action for the Malaysian fans in attendance and the fans watching all across the world. Shinichi Kojima against Andrew Leone is a highly-anticipated bout between two of the best Flyweights in the world. The event will also feature Kotetsu Boku against Arnaud Lepont in what is expected to be a slugfest, and it will be MMA experience versus Jiu-Jitsu expertise when Harris Sarmiento meets Herbert Burns. All three bouts are guaranteed to be exciting fights and fans will be treated to a night of world-class MMA action!”

Kojima is one of the best Flyweights in the world. He had a three-year undefeated streak while he was Shooto Bantamweight Champion and has been ranked as the best in the world in his weight class. He submitted Rey Docyogen in Kuala Lumpur last year, and cannot wait to get back into action and make his case for the ONE FC Flyweight World Championship.

Andrew Leone is a former wrestler originally from New York, United States of America. He has since relocated to Asia and is currently training in Phuket, Thailand. Leone has used his wrestling to devastating effect in wins over standouts Geje Eustaquio, Kyung Ho Kang and Soo Chul Kim. He will face his most experienced opponent yet in Shinichi Kojima. He was originally scheduled to meet Kojima in the main event of ONE FC: CHAMPIONS & WARRIORS last September but had to pull out due to an injury. Now fully recovered, they will finally clash in one of the year’s most highly-anticipated match-ups.

Kotetsu Boku is a Japanese slugger with vicious knockout power. He used it to secure his place in history by knocking out Zorobabel Moreira and becoming the inaugural ONE FC Lightweight World Champion in 2012. He has since lost his title and suffered back-to-back losses, and will look to bounce back in 2014 against highly talented French star Arnaud Lepont. With both fighters preferring to strike, this is likely to be an explosive affair.

Arnaud Lepont is a French mixed martial arts champion who has recently called Malaysia home. A Jiu-Jitsu purple belt who prefers to trade punches and kicks, Lepont has travelled extensively across the world to train and compete. He has faced some of the best Lightweights in the world like Shinya Aoki and Eddie Ng, but he may face his toughest test yet in the heavy-handed Japanese striker.

Newly-acquired veteran Harris Sarmiento will be making his long-awaited return to world-class competition. Sarmiento brings extensive experience into the ONE FC cage, having competed in over sixty professional mixed martial arts bout since 2002.  He gave up his Lightweight championship with Guam-based promotion PXC when he was given the opportunity to sign with Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization, ONE FC. The current Hawaii resident will be hoping to use his experience to turn the tide in his favor in his return to world-class competition as he takes on undefeated Herbert Burns.

Herbert Burns is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who represents Evolve MMA in Singapore. Originally from Brazil, he made a successful ONE FC debut by submitting Edward Kelly last December. Burns has demonstrated in both his wins that he does not need long to submit his opponent, as both of his professional bouts have been won via submission in less than a minute. He will look to keep that streak going and make quick work of Sarmiento.

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.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

Heartbroken? Tama na yan. #AyosMagMoveOn!

If love is like riding a bicycle, then the first few tries must’ve hurt quite a bit. Just like Ramon Bautista of hit web-series Tales from the Friend Zone Zero, maybe you have gone through your share of heartbreaks that made you say “’di na ako naniniwala sa pag-ibig.”

(Welling up with feelings but missed the melo-dramatic launch of #TFTFZero? You can watch the complete series here: http://www.bit.ly/TFTFZero WARNING: masyadong maraming feelings sa TFTFZero)

But don’t lose hope, there’s more to life when you move on. Tama na ang semplang, magmove-on ka na lang. #AyosMagMoveOn

Take it from broken hearted Spanky Rigor-Mortiz (Ramon Bautista) who sold a pre-loved tandem bike on AyosDito.ph to move on from the kilig moments he shared with Zooey de Leon (Nikki Veron Cruz), the girl who broke his heart; now you can Post Share Move On from the pain too!

Every time you do, you get the chance to win Instax Mini cameras, to create better memories with; limited edition #TFTFZero shirts and exclusive advice from Ramon Bautista, so you won’t be friend zoned next time you try it again with love.

To join,

1. Post an ad selling an item that reminds you of a feeling, person, or moment in life that you want to move on from: a gift from your ex (para sa mga heartbroken), your old K-Pop collection (kasi professional ka na), a friendship bracelet (more than friends na kayo), and more.

For any type of moving on in life, you can let go of the pre-loved on AyosDito.ph! (For more examples, go here: http://bit.ly/MoveOnSamples)

2. Share your ad on Facebook and Twitter. Use #AyosMagMoveOn when you do. The more you share your ad, and the more your friends click on your ad, the more chances of winning.

3. Win Instax Mini cameras, #TFTFZero shirts and a Ramon Bautista love tip every week from January 9 to February 7, 2013. Five winners will be announced every week!

And what’s more, at the end of the promo, the most viewed ad will win the featured Tandem Bike from the web-series, Tales from the Friend Zone!

Ayos ‘di ba?

For more info, visit http://blog.ayosdito.ph

ONE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP™ ADDS TO STABLE OF CHAMPIONS WITH SEVEN NEW SIGNINGS

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.

JOINING ONE FC’S TALENTED ROSTER ARE:

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

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.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

ONE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP™ RETURNS TO KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, ON 14 MARCH FOR ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS

ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), presented by Tune Talk, returns to Malaysia for another blockbuster event on 14 March 2014 at the iconic Stadium Negara. The main event will crown ONE FC’s first Welterweight World Champion when Nobutatsu Suzuki and Brock Larson clash inside the ONE FC cage. Two of the top Bantamweights in Asia, Kevin Belingon and Dae Hwan Kim, will meet in the co-main event while Adriano Moraes battles Yasuhiro Urushitani in Flyweight action.  ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS will also see the heavily anticipated rematch of Asia’s top female mixed martial artists as Sherilyn Lim takes on Ann Osman. Malaysian MMA fans can also look forward to the return of Malaysian MMA star Peter Davis, who’s opponent will be announced at a later date.

INAUGURAL ONE FC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION TO BE CROWNED WHEN JAPANESE STRIKER NOBUTATSU SUZUKI MEETS AMERICAN WRESTLER BROCK LARSON

PLUS: CO-MAIN EVENT PITS BANTAMWEIGHT CONTENDERS KEVIN BELINGON AND DAE HWAN KIM AND ADRIANO MORAES FACES

YASUHIRO URUSHITANI IN FLYWEIGHT ACTION

ALSO: SINGAPORE’S SHERILYN LIM AND MALAYSIA’S ANN OSMAN TO CLASH AGAIN IN REMATCH

PRE-SALE TICKETS FOR ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS ARE ON SALE NOW AT WWW.AIRASIAREDTIX.COM

Priority sales of tickets for ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS, presented by Tune Talk, will begin from 13 January. Fans can enjoy 30% off tickets during priority sales which end on 1 February.  Pre-sale packages such as the “Ann Osman Fan Package”, which includes a limited edition T-shirt for only MYR78, are also available now. Log on to www.AirAsiaRedTix.com for further details. Tickets are priced at RM348 for the complete VIP experience that includes exclusive red carpet entrance, access to the VIP lounge and premium cage-side seating. The categories that follow are priced at RM248, RM148, RM98 and RM48 respectively. Booking fees and service charges apply.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “Following the resounding success of ONE FC’s jam-packed events in Malaysia in 2013, we are returning to Kuala Lumpur with one of the best cards in the organization’s history. Fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting the next ONE FC World Championship title belt to be introduced, and now, the wait is over. The ONE FC Welterweight division is filled with the most talented mixed martial artists in the world and we will crown the best of the best when Nobutatsu Suzuki meets Brock Larson. Our passionate fans in Malaysia will be treated to a night of unforgettable mixed martial arts action!”

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.

Nobutatsu Suzuki is a fighter who has proven that he has knockout power. He has a record of nine knockouts out of ten wins, which gives him one of the highest percentages of stoppage wins via knockout in all of MMA. Suzuki is famous for being the first fighter in Asia to showcase the incredible striking power of Karate in an MMA context. The Kyokushin Karate black belt last fought at ONE FC: RISE TO POWER, defeating one of MMA’s most experienced combatants, Phil Baroni, by TKO. Suzuki will be looking to use that power to earn a ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonus and leave with the coveted ONE FC World Championship title belt.

Brock Larson is a highly experienced fighter who has more than 40 fights in several top organizations across the world. He made a successful ONE FC debut last year when he defeated feared Dutch kickboxer, Melvin Manhoef, via unanimous decision. He now gets an opportunity to cement his legacy when he faces another elite striker in Nobutatsu Suzuki. His 26 submission victories are testament to Larson’s grappling prowess, which he will likely utilize to propel him to victory and emerge as the first ever ONE FC Welterweight World Champion.

Kevin Belingon is the Philippines’ top Bantamweight and has already proven he can compete against the best in the world in his battles against Soo Chul Kim, Masakatsu Ueda, Yusup Saadulaev and David Aranda. He showcased his striking prowess by knocking out his opponent in devastating fashion in his last fight, and will look to do the same to his Korean opponent Dae Hwan Kim.

Dae Hwan Kim is undefeated in nine professional mixed martial arts bouts so far. He made a successful debut in Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization last December, defeating Australian grappler Thanh Vu via submission. Kim is never afraid to brawl and consistently puts on Fight of the Night performances.  Belingon will be his toughest test to date and Kim will move one step closer to a title opportunity as well as maintain his undefeated record if he can overcome the Filipino.

The rematch between Sherilyn Lim and Ann Osman is one of the most heavily anticipated bouts of 2014. Lim won the first bout via split decision after three back-and-forth rounds which had the 12,000 fans in attendance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium jumping off their seats. Lim will once again be representing Singapore’s oldest mixed martial arts gym, Fight G. She has been part of Fight G since 2007, when she joined their Muay Thai program, and has been training under the tutelage of Singaporean MMA pioneer Darren De Silva. Sherilyn has quickly established herself as the best female mixed martial artist in Singapore and will showcase her talents again in March.

Ann Osman is Malaysia’s first female mixed martial artist and has captivated the nation with her infectious personality and indomitable fighting spirit. She trains out of Borneo Tribal Squad in the mountainous region of Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia. Osman will enjoy the support of her countrymen this time after coming up short despite a valiant effort in Singapore. Her impressive takedowns and vicious ground-and-pound may prove to be the decisive factor in this Women’s Straweight bout.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.