One: Guts and Glory

Full Roundup: ONE: GRIT AND GLORY Open Workouts

Published on May 9, 2018 by Brad DalrympleLeave a comment

With ONE: GRIT AND GLORY set for 12th May at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia, ONE gave us access to their open workout event at the Jakarta Muay Thai & MMA Gym on 9th May. It featured main event competitors, reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil, and opponent Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan. Also in attendance were martial arts stars Stefer Rahardian, Himanshu Kaushik, Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, and Rome Trinidad who will all be appearing on the supporting card.

Alex Silva, ONE Strawweight World Champion, stated:

“I am always looking for a spectacular finish, no matter where the bout ends up — whether on the feet or on the ground. I really feel like I can beat Naito again, no doubt. If it takes one round or five, I’m ready. I am prepared to go the duration of the contest again. My goal is to improve on the performance of the last bout. There should be no problems with me going to the end since I have prepared well, but I am definitely looking to finish this time around.”

Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a third-degree black belt and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion feared for his relentless pursuit of submission finishes. He is a technical grappling specialist with a penchant for securing highlight-reel submissions. With steadily increasing confidence, five of Silva’s last six victories have all ended in spectacular fashion. In his most recent contest, Silva turned in the best performance of his career, defeating former champion Yoshitaka Naito via unanimous decision to claim the ONE Strawweight World Championship. Now, Silva is ready to return to action to defend the belt against the same man he took it from.

Yoshitaka Naito, the Japanses star, stated:

“This is a really important bout for me, and I am working very hard to win this time. I think the opportunity that I have for this rematch this soon is very rare, so I’m not taking it lightly. He is the champion now, and I am the challenger. Silva is very good at everything. I underestimated his striking previously, but he is very well-rounded. I could not do what I wanted to do in the cage. This time, things will be different.”

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Matsudo, Japan, owns a stellar professional record of 12-1. He owns six victories by submission and one by knockout. Naito made a name for himself at Japan’s world famous Korakuen Hall competing for Shooto as its Flyweight Champion, and captured the ONE Strawweight World Championship by submitting Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his ONE promotional debut in 2016. In his most recent bout, Naito succumbed to now reigning division king, Alex Silva. He returns to action looking to reclaim championship glory against Silva in a rematch.

Top Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian impressed in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear-naked choke to become the tournament winner. Since then, Rahardian has blazed a trail in the ONE Championship cage in an amazing run as a professional. In his last outing, Rahardian outperformed Pakistan’s Muhammad Imran to win by unanimous decision. Still unbeaten at a perfect 8-0, Rahardian puts his unblemished record on the line against Himanshu Kaushik in a strawweight contest.

Stefer Rahardian, stated:

“I definitely learned a lot from my last match, and I know that I need to be prepared for everything. It was hard, but I earned a tough decision and that’s great. But now I want to win with a finish. I want to excite the crowd and give my best performance. There is something to be learned with every match, win or lose. I want to show that I have improved a lot since my last appearance.”

Indian bantamweight contender Himanshu Kaushik is set to make his ONE Championship debut at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY. Kaushik has competed mostly in his native India, showcasing a solid set of striking and grappling skills. A striking specialist, Kaushik also owns a wushu record of 71-7. Kaushik’s promotional debut will be anything but easy however, as he faces surging Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian in a three-round strawweight bout. Himanshu Kaushik, commented stating:

“With my family and friends supporting me, I want to make them proud of my performance. I am very lucky to have the team I have behind me. Stefer Rahardian is a great athlete, undefeated and experienced. He has great wrestling skills and his grappling is top notch. I am preparing to handle his strengths and by the time we both step into the cage, I’ll be ready. I know what to do and we have a great game plan in place.”

Female martial artist Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Jakarta, Indonesia, is an Indonesian national wushu champion who has trained in various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and wushu. The 29-year-old made her ONE Championship debut against Singapore’s Tiffany Teo at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in February 2017, joining a growing list of elite female martial artists in Asia. Lumban Gaol, a striking specialist with a wushu record of 15-5, will look to extend her two-bout winning streak to three in her next appearance inside the ONE Championship cage, when she takes on Rome Trinidad. Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol spoke to press saying:

“The more I compete, the more experience I get. It does not matter so much whether I win or lose, as long as there is always something to learn. I am working on all areas of my skills, both in my striking and in my ground game. I really feel like I have improved a lot, and I want to showcase this in this next match. I want to be the best. I want to get more matches and wins, and hopefully get the belt.”

Her opponent, 20-year-old Rome “The Rebel” Trinidad of Manila, Philippines is set to return to action in her second appearance inside the ONE Championship cage. The atomweight competitor is a practitioner of Sikaran, an ancient martial arts discipline which originated from Rizal province in the Philippines. With no written history, Sikaran was passed on from generation to generation by succession. A former National Sikaran Champion training out of Elorde Gym, Trinidad is ready to showcase her skills to the world. She takes on rising Indonesian martial arts star Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol. Rome Trinidad commented:

“I am out to prove that every woman can do anything they put their mind to. I want to inspire the youth, young girls who look up to us martial artists and want to follow in our footsteps. I want them to be strong against any challenge in life, not only physically, but also mentally and spiritually. This is a tough game we play, but I am prepared to do what it takes to bring my best performance to the cage.”

ONE: GUTS AND GLORY has all the makings of a exciting outing in Jakarta. With some fun fights and technical fighters, we should be in for a treat.

News: Rome Trinidad taps Filipino legend’s services in second ONE Championship outing

Published on May 8, 2018 by Brad DalrympleLeave a comment

Filipina warrior Rome “Rebel” Trinidad will walk to the ONE Championship cage on Saturday, May 12 with a mixed martial arts legend by her side.

Andrew Benibe, a household name in the established local mixed martial arts scene in the Philippines, will be part of the entourage of Trinidad as she is scheduled to square off with hometown hero Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol on the undercard of ONE: GRIT AND GLORY in Jakarta, Indonesia.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for a young and dedicated cage competitor like Trinidad when she yielded to Thai standout Rika Ishige in her promotional debut this past December.

Trinidad suffered a second-round submission loss to Ishige at ONE: WARRIORS OF THE WORLD in the Thai dynamo’s homebase of Bangkok, failing to ace her maiden assignment under the ONE Championship banner.

Although the thrilling atomweight bout against Ishige put fans at the state-of-the-art Impact Arena on the edge of their seats, Trinidad was left disappointed with the outcome of the match.

“I believe that I could have done better in that match, but I came up short. I just realized that there was something missing,” she admitted.

“It was my first time to fight internationally, and I lost. It gave me motivation to keep going, get better, and be more aggressive. Most of all, it taught me to be humble in all aspects of my life,” Trinidad added.

The submission defeat to Ishige forced Trinidad to reassess on how she handles her training camp when she prepares for an upcoming bout.

During her time of contemplation, Trinidad found a much-needed help in Benibe, a former Philippine bantamweight champion who currently works a mixed martial arts trainer at Maic’s Gym in Marikina City.

“Right now, I have a tremendous support system in my training, especially with the help of my coach Andrew Benibe. He knows how to bring out the best in me,” Trinidad said of Benibe.

Having 17 professional bouts under his belt, Benibe has been a staple of the Philippine mixed martial arts circuit since 2006 and has shared the stage with the industry’s notable figures such as Mark Eddiva, Jessie Rafols, Will Chope, Reysaldo Transmonte and Mark Striegl.

Moreover, Benibe made a one-off appearance inside the ONE Championship cage when he took on Team Lakay’s Honorio Banario at the organization’s first event on Philippine soil in August 2012.

Now sitting on the coach’s stool to oversee Trinidad’s training, Benibe claimed that his pupil is ready for anything as they have been working on all elements of the game in preparation of her cage encounter with Gaol.

“We have trained her for both stand-up and grappling in anticipation of anything,” he shared. “But whatever the condition, Rome Trinidad’s best bet is a stand-up game and finishing the match with striking.”

The partnership between Trinidad and Benibe will be tested for the very first time as the Filipina combatant returns to action on Saturday to face the hot-streaking Gaol at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

Gaol has won two-straight matches to kick off her 2018, defeating Malaysia’s Audreylaura Boniface via first-round stoppage last January before submitting Filipina newcomer Krisna Limbaga a month later.

The 21-year-old Marikina City resident seeks to make an astonishing statement in her second ONE Championship outing as she battles Gaol at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

“I want to win so bad. I have dreams and aspirations as a competitor. In order to turn those into a reality, I have to win first. This is the first step,” she stated.

With the desire to reinsert her name into the winner’s column, Trinidad is confident that her support system has geared her up splendidly for her three-round clash with Gaol on Saturday

“I have the best coach in my corner. I trained with the most talented athletes in the sport for this bout. With that said, I’m oozing with confidence coming into this match because I have my team behind me,” she concluded.

The Warrior Spirit, MMA culture, and Anime: The Yoshitaka Naito interview.

Published on May 7, 2018May 7, 2018 by DantyLeave a comment

With ONE: Grits and Glory drawing near, one cannot help but wonder what goes into the mind of the fighters as they prepare themselves for battle. Fortunately, the opportunity to interview one of the main event fighters has presented to us here at MMAMotion. We interview former strawweight champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito (12-1) to ask him questions of varying subjects, including his thoughts on once again facing Alex “Little Rock” Silva (7-1) with the title on the line.

Gregory Dorvil: What did you love about the culture of MMA when you were growing up?

Yoshitaka Naito: There were plenty of exciting action that I have never seen and the atmosphere at the venue was great. I seemed like both athletes and fans were having a good time together.

GD: You mention that you liked Sakuraba when he performed in MMA, because of his use of strategy. What made that strategy the most appealing to you out of, say, teeth-gritting brawling?

YN: Sakuraba won against the best fighters by a submission that no one has ever seen so it was mind blowing and it fascinating me.

GD: Do you still read manga, if so what titles do you currently read. Are there any manga characters that resonate with you today, or is Nobita still your top favorite?

YN: I still read comics. I’m currently into this coming called ‘Golden Kamui.’ It’s a bit scary but it has lots of nature in it so I like it. Nobita is always my favorite character.

GD: How would you describe your fighter spirit, that which fuels you and guides you in every fight?

YN: I don’t know if I have the fighters spirit but I always try to show everything that I got in every bout.
That is what I was taught from hero’s in comic books.

GD: What culture, attidues, or values do you think ONE FC or its roster brings to the world of MMA?

YN: ONE has the best athletes in their roster and is expanding the possibility of the fighters.

GD: Do you approach the MMA world from a classic warrior’s perspective or business perspective? Or a little of both?

YN: I try to approach in both classic warrior’s perspective or business perspective. If both perspective match, I want the organization to gather the best fighters and also succeed in business and be sustainable.

GD: How different do you think the culture of MMA is today as opposed to what it was when you first watched Sakabura, or even when you joined MMA in your adult years?

YN: I feel MMA is expanding to the world and everyone is aware of the sports.

GD: You mentioned in your biography promo video that fear is what motivates you in your training and in your fights. What is it that you fear, even when you were champion, and how does it affect your fighter spirit, if at all?

YN: One win and one loss can dramatically change your life. It’s a thankful thing but scary at the same time. Fierce never went away even after I became champion but a tough situation is always a chance.

GD: When you became champion, was that your only goal, or one goal of many?

YN: I want become a person who is appropriate to be a champion. Someone who behaves and can be a role model.

GD: What was the reception with your friends and family like after receiving it?

YN: Everyone was happy about me becoming champion and celebrated.

GD: What did you want to accomplish once you attained the status of a champion, either legacy-wise or business wise?

YN: Money is important, but I was proud that I become champion in an organization big as ONE.

GD: What was your thought process before the fight with Silva, as you studied him, in terms of fighting prowess and mentality?

YN: I knew Alex was good so I was expecting an exciting fight against him.

GD: During the fight, in between rounds, what did you gauge from his skills, his mentality?

YN: I felt spirit from him during the fight but dont remember much because I was totally focussed.

GD: Where is your mind coming into the rematch with Silva?

YN: Same opponent but the big difference is that I dont have a belt to protect. This I will take it as a positive thing and challenge aggressively.

GD: If you win the belt, what are your future plans? Continuation?

YN: I’m only thinking about becoming a champion again at the moment so I will think about the future after get back my belt.

GD: Do you see any fighters within your division or the divisions above that you would like to fight?

YN: I want to fight against someone like Gian! [Gian is the bully character in Doraemon].

Catch ONE: Grits and Glory This Saturday May 12th in the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia, as Yoshitaka Naito faces Alex Silva in a main event rematch for the Strawweight championship of the world.

News: Vitaly Bigdash and Leandro Ataides look to steal the show at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY

Published on May 2, 2018 by Brad DalrympleLeave a comment

Perhaps the one of the most intriguing matchups on the undercard of ONE: GRIT AND GLORY, which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia on 12 May, is the three-round middleweight encounter between Vitaly Bigdash and Leandro Ataides.

There may be little local interest in the aforementioned 93-kilogram collision, but both Russia and Brazil can be very hopeful that a world title shot will befall their countryman if either one of them will walk away with the victory.

Bigdash may be displaying more of his grappling as of late, but the 33-year-old native of Rostov, Russia originally made his name in the striking department.

Having started out in his martial arts journey with Kyokushin karate, Bigdash won several tournaments in the aforementioned tough discipline before transitioning to Muay Thai in 2012.

In that same year, Bigdash made his cage debut and racked up eight consecutive victories en route to capturing the ONE Middleweight World Championship in October 2015.

Of his nine wins, four of them have come by way of knockout, including his thrilling stoppage of former ONE Middleweight World Champion Igor Svirid to claim the gold-plated strap in October 2015.

In that bout which has come to be widely regarded as the most exciting in ONE Championship history, Bigdash showed both his ability to absorb and dispense damage, coming back from several knockdowns to dethrone the champion.

Since he dropped the belt to Aung La N Sang in their June 2017 rematch, Bigdash is on the comeback trail, and the first opponent in his path to redemption is Ataides.

“I’ve never been more prepared both mentally and physically to take out my opponent like Leandro Ataides. I will shut down the doubters on May 12. It’s going to be an exciting fight, one that I have definitely been looking forward to for a long time now,” Bigdash declared.

On the other hand, Ataides is re-emerging as a top contender in ONE Championship’s exhilarating middleweight division.

As a five-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, Ataides has always had the advantage on the ground, but he has also grown into a truly complete martial artist, blending powerful striking and one-punch knockout power with his submission arsenal.

After spending a few years under the guidance of Evolve MMA’s many Muay Thai world champions, the 31-year-old Brazilian brute has won half of his bouts via knockout, which includes his 47-second destruction of Japan’s Tatsuya Mizuno and his flying knee knockout of Mohamed Ali that earned him the honor of ONE Championship’s Best Knockout of 2016.

Even though he has hit roadblocks in his career, it have only made him stronger as he will now take a two-bout winning streak into his upcoming clash with Bigdash at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

Ataides believes that his upcoming cage meeting with Bigdash could be the one to catapult him towards a shot at Aung La N Sang’s ONE Middleweight World Championship.

“For me, every match is important. Every match is a title shot for me. Every time I step into the cage, it is a big deal for me. All my matches are important, and I always give 100 percent,” Ataides said.

“I know I will be champion eventually, but actually my goal is to be the number one martial artist in my division in the world. That is what I focus on, but obviously, with that comes the belt,” he added.

Like Ataides, Bigdash hopes that if he gets his hand raised in triumph against his Brazilian foe, it could lead him to a title date with Aung La N Sang.

“I will be very active, and I am going to aim for a knockout or a submission, nothing else. Winning is the minimum result. Once I win this bout, everyone will understand that I am qualified for a title shot,” Bigdash stated. “I want a title shot, period.”

Yet despite the high ceiling for Bigdash, Ataides has the extensive professional background between the two combatants, giving him the advantage in experience and making the bout dead even on paper.

“This fight is going to be a treat for the fans,” Ataides guaranteed. “We’re both hungry warriors, and we are probably just a win away from a title shot. Whatever happened previously in our careers doesn’t matter much anymore because what’s important is what happens next. I believe I’m ahead of the game because of how much I have improved as a martial artist.”

With the middleweight clash between Bigdash and Ataides promising to be an action-packed affair, fans are definitely riled up to see the colossal showdown.

Both Bigdash and Ataides have great enough potential that a loss for either of them would reap the same benefits as a win.

“He wants to win, and I want to win as well. We know what is at stake in this bout. Fans should expect fireworks inside the cage on May 12. We will be going at it,” Bigdash assured.