ONE Championship CEO Victor Cui. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
ONE Championship head honcho Victor Cui expects a barnburner fight card in ONE: Defending Honor on Friday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.
Filipino MMA star Eduard Folayang and Japanese legend Shinya Aoki will headline the event with Aoki defending his lightweight title for the third time.
READ: Folayang eyes ‘legend’ status vs Aoki
“The main event is a legitimate super fight in every sense of the word. We have the best fighter from the Philippines going up against one of the best fighters from Japan and the world,” Cui said.
“It’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu against wushu, the true Filipino warrior versus the iconic Japanese MMA legend. The storylines are set and ready to bring the crowd up to their feet.”
READ: Pacquiao is my motivation, says Filipino MMA star Folayang
Apart from the main event, Cui sees the much-awaited rematch between Marat Gafurov and Narantungalag Jadambaa to pick up from where it left off when the featherweight champion outlasted his Mongolian foe.
“The first Gafurov-Jadambaa fight was an instant classic. I believe I speak for everyone when I say that these two deserve to go at it one more time,” said Cui.
“You have the strong Mongolian warrior Jadambaa, who is built like a rock and hits like a truck, and then you have the silky smooth grappling of Marat Gafurov. It’s such an interesting clash of styles that’s a joy to watch for both fans and purists.”
Seven other fights are set with Singaporean fighters looking to impress.
“Our Singaporean mixed martial arts athletes will be out in full force this Friday night. We have Nico Soe, Amir Khan and Benedict Ang who are ready to see action inside the cage as well as Singaporean female prospect Tiffany Teo!”
“Plus, Japanese legend Shinya Aoki, who calls Singapore his second home, is set to grace the main event stage. It’s going to be an epic evening and I’m excited to see everyone there.”