The first ONE Championship card in the Philippines would not be held until the end of the month, but there are plenty of reasons for local fans to catch ONE: ETERNAL GLORY, which is set to be held at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia on 19 January.
After all, an action-packed main event will be bannering the 14-match card which is filled with some of the best martial artists not just in the Philippines, but the whole world as well.
Needing reasons to tune in to ETERNAL GLORY? Here are a few.
Pacio slated to shine in the main event
Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is set to defend his ONE Strawweight World Title against the very dangerous Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta of Japan in the main event of the card.
Not only are the pair the best in the world at their division, they also happen to be two of the most exciting warriors in The Home Of Martial Arts.
The 23-year-old wonder boy out of Baguio City has always been known for his ability to end bouts early, winning 11 of his 13 bouts via stoppages and he's just starting to get better and better. Pacio's style perfectly fits that of Saruta's as the Japanese has shown willingness to engage in the feet – making this a potential match of the year.
Stacked card from top to bottom
Aside from the main event, the ETERNAL GLORY card is also stacked from top to bottom.
Jakarta will be hosting the much-awaited rematch between Team Lakay's Edward "The Ferocious" Kelly and Christian Lee of Singapore after the first match ended in controversial fashion when Lee was disqualified for an illegal suplex on Kelly in the first round.
Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan is also set to return to action when he takes on Indonesian hero Stefer Rahardian in a three-round strawweight affair.
Fans of the largest martial arts organization will also be treated to three ONE Super Series contests headed by a battle of World Champions as Australia’s Alexi Serepisos takes on Thailand’s Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy in a flyweight Muay Thai bout.
ONE finally hits West
As ONE Championship continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, The Home of Martial Arts is continuously expanding their reach throughout the world.
Now they can finally showcase the virtues of Asian martial arts to the rest of the world.
Last month, ONE Championship and Turner Sports reached a U.S. broadcasting deal, giving fans in the Western part of the globe a regular dose of exciting Asian martial arts action.
Given the historic implication of this card and the warriors competing in it, this card is definitely a must-see.