Even before COVID-19 caused the current economic crisis, former ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio was already working on ways to secure his financial future.
And so far, his plan has paid dividends.
Eustaquio has kept himself busy outside of the Circle by purchasing, restoring, and selling cars. He does it more as a hobby, but it still earns him a decent living.
“It’s a big help, at least during this pandemic where the fight industry was truly hit. I still have means to provide for my family on a daily basis, like getting food and other services,” Eustaquio said.
“At the same time, it’s a good hobby to have, fixing cars and selling them. I find joy in seeing my clients satisfied.”
While “Gravity” focuses on the car business, others are staying afloat using their martial arts skills.
ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio, for example, continues to offer personal training sessions but in a manner fitting to these times.
The 24-year-old partnered with Flexbox, an on-demand personal training service that features him as a celebrity trainer.
“This is good,” Pacio said. “It’s added income for us while we’re waiting for our next fight.”
“It’s also a good opportunity to interact with fans, help them stay fit and healthy to boost their immune system during the pandemic.”
Fellow strawweight Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan echoes similar sentiments, believing that if they will not adapt to the “new normal,” they may be surpassed.
“I think the next trend here will be online training sessions,” Catalan said.
“Social distancing is still a must these days, especially since there’s no vaccine yet. It won’t be an easy adjustment, and of course it’s different training in the gym physically—but we all need to adjust now to train and even get some revenue.”
ONE returns to action with ONE: NO SURRENDER, a closed-door, audience-free show set for July 31 in Bangkok, Thailand. Catch it for free by downloading the ONE Super App.