FILIPINOS and Malaysians are taking important roles as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has grown by leaps and bounds in the Asian sporting scene in recent years.
There is no stopping Filipino-Canadian Victor Cui in making MMA one of the most popular sports in the continent. For his gargantuan job as chief executive officer of the ONE Championship, Asia’s biggest MMA promotion, he was recognized as one of the most influential men in Asian sport.
In an article furnished by ONE, Cui was put in the pinnacle alongside “a handful of pioneering executives who are helping to establish the region on the sporting map… the movers and shakers who sit at the helm of the Asian sports boom.”
“A clear trend in recent years, there has been a regional shift that has seen more world-class sporting events head to Asia and more world-class sporting franchises and brands headquartered in Asia,” the ONE article added.
Cui was cited in the article for successfully guiding the ONE Championship to become “the biggest martial arts promotion in Asia and one of the most valuable sports properties in the region. Mixed martial arts has been the fastest growing sport in the world over the last 10 years, and the sport has grown at its fastest pace in the region due to Asia’s rich history in the martial arts. “
“ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion homes throughout the region and has held sold-out shows in major stadiums across Asia. From the outset, the promotion also signed an unprecedented 10-year broadcast partnership with Fox Sports Asia. The American-based UFC has been valued at $1.65 billion and Cui’s promotion has emerged as its most genuine global competitor.
Also recently making waves in the Asian MMA scene was Igorot feather fighter Eric “The Natural” Kelly, who celebrated his return to the ONE cage with a unanimous-decision win over Japanese Hiroshige Tanaka of japan in the featherweight clash of the ONE: Tigers of Asia event in Kuala Lumpur.
Kelly, known for his technical submission game, showcased ferocious striking skills, battering Tanaka from end to end. Tanaka used his world-class wrestling to control Kelly, but the Filipino did more damage which earned the judges’ nod.
The win moved Kelly closer to a championship match, saving the day for Filipino pride as compatriots Honorio Banaro of Team Lakay and Eugene Toqueo bowed to their opponents.
Local Malaysian hero Ev Ting dashed the hopes of Banario with a submission win via Guillotine Choke, while Japanese Riku Shibuya of Japan dominated Toquero from start to finish to win by unanimous decision.
“I hope that this victory would give me a chance to regain my belt,” said Kelly. “I have always been training even without guarantee of having to fight. I really want to take the belt again.”
The Malaysian MMA scene is so robust that just one day after the ONE Tigers of Asia event, it hosted the Malaysian Invasion 3 Grand Finals, where six new Malaysian champions emerged, including the first female champ.
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The Malaysian invasion attracted a huge audience as well as foreign fighters, who clashed in the Foreign Pride Division. It was also the first time in Southeast Asia that an MMA event was shown live by a major TV network.
The Malaysian MMA is probably the only MMA event in Southeast Asia that enjoys recognition and full support of the government as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, led by YB Khairy Jamaluddin, threw its backing to the men behind the promotion.
“There is really no way but up for our MMA in Malaysia. We’re catching up fast with our neighbors like Philippines and Thailand, which have a rich martial-arts tradition,” added Chan.
