Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian ONE Championship (ONE) fighters Ann “Athena” Osman, Peter Davis, Gianni Subba and Ev Ting all stepped onto the scales and made weight at the official weigh-in of ONE: Age of Champions late Thursday, held at the Hotel Sri Petaling in Kuala Lumpur.
Osman clocked in at 55.7kg, Davis made the lightweight clip at 70.3kg, while Gianni Subba and Ev Ting made 56.7kg and 65.7kg respectively. All four Malaysian mixed martial artists face separate international opponents on fight night.
ONE: Age of Champions happens Friday, 13 March, at the iconic Stadium Putra. The event is headlined by a world title clash between reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and challenger Riku Shibuya of Tokyo, Japan.
It is the first offering from ONE Championship this 2015. With a whole year of promise up ahead for the organization, Age of Champions looks to kick things off on the right foot with a slew of compelling matchups for the sport’s growing fanbase.
Arguably the biggest MMA star in the country today, Osman takes on Walaa Abbas of Egypt in her latest challenge after racking up two spectacular victories in 2014 which catapulted her to worldwide fame. Osman defeated former female world boxing champion Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton early last year and followed that up with a stunning TKO of Aya Saeid Saber in October.
She looks to continue her success at Age of Champions.
“To me, I’m just looking forward. That’s the whole goal for me,” said Osman, 28, known as Borneo Tribal Squad’s warrior belle.
“It’s about winning more matches, and ultimately winning the title soon,” she added.
Model-turned-MMA-fighter Peter Davis, 33, is unbeaten when fighting in Kuala Lumpur since joining the promotion in 2012 and looks to keep the streak alive against opponent Rajinder Singh Meena of India.
“All the fights I have are big to me,” said Davis, who prior to becoming a mixed martial artist was a budding TV personality and commercial model.
“I’m just focused. I’m going to get into that fight and I’m going to do my very best to finish that fight as soon as possible,” Davis added.
Perhaps one of the most promising MMA prospects in the country today, Gianni Subba, is also ready for his matchup against his opponent Thanh “Aladdin” Vu of Australia.
Subba, 22, is coming off a win over Ruel Catalan of the Philippines in his last fight, an impressive submission victory over a tough adversary.
A victory over Vu won’t come easy however as ‘Aladdin’ is an experienced and dangerous foe for the youngster. Still, Subba is unfazed and looks to continue his winning ways in front of his home crowd.
“Sometimes the pressure can get to you,” Subba said.
“But I haven’t fought at home in a long time. I’m just excited to be home.”
Another promising, young fighter, Ev Ting, takes on the Philippines’ Cary “The Prince” Bullos in a featherweight bout. Ting will have his hands full against Bullos who is a former champion in a different promotion.
“There’s definitely a bit of pressure fighting in Malaysia,” said Ting, who is coming off an impressive victory over Edward Kelly back in October.
“But it’s positive pressure and I use it to motivate myself to do better,” Ting added.
Mixed martial arts has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity over the last few years with a steadily increasing fanbase. Kuala Lumpur, one of ONE Championship’s largest markets, is home to a myriad of various inlaid mixed martial arts talent. The promotion has held multiple shows in the city since its inception back in 2011.
ONE Championship, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts promotion, looks to continue to build upon an already sturdy infrastructure with ONE: Age of Champions, for one of the world’s fastest growing sports.
Full Weigh-ins results:
MAIN EVENT
ONE Flyweight World Championship bout: Adriano Moraes (56.7kg/125lbs) VS Riku Shibuya (56.7kg/125lbs)
MAIN CARD
Lightweight bout: Peter Davis (70.3kg/154.5lbs) VS Rajinder Singh Meena (70.1kg/154 lbs)
Women’s Flyweight bout: Ann Osman (55.7kg/122.5lbs) VS Walaa Abbas (56.6kg/124.5lbs)
Featherweight bout: Cary Bullos (65.5kg/144lbs) VS Ev Ting (65.7kg/144.5lbs)
Flyweight bout: Thanh Vu (56.6kg/124.5lbs) VS Gianni Subba (56.7kg/125lbs)
Women’s Atomweight bout: Kirstie Gannaway (48kg/105.5lbs) VS April Osenio (48kg/105.5lbs)
Bantamweight bout: Ramon Gonzales (60.6kg/133lbs) VS Chan Rothana (61.05kg/134lbs)
Catchweight bout (82kg): Reant Fabriza Rainir (77.6kg/171lbs) VS Agilan Thani (81.5kg/179lbs)
Fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.com/livestream. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.
For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA
