4 Lessons Learned From ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS

On Friday, 23 November, the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines played host to some amazing martial arts action at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS

The epic 12-bout card saw two Filipino heroes make history for their nation, as Brandon “The Truth” Vera and Eduard “Landslide” Folayang were successful in their ONE World Title matches. 

Vera successfully defended his heavyweight belt, and Folayang recaptured the lightweight crown to give the Philippines a record-setting five mixed martial arts World Champions.

From top to bottom, the athletes from ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS showcased brilliance, courage, and determination. Here are four lessons we learned from the event.

#1 The Strength Of Filipino Martial Arts

With their wins in Manila, Vera and Folayang cemented the Philippines’ status as the most dominant force in the current ONE landscape.

They stand alongside bantamweight king Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, flyweight king Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, and strawweight king Joshua “The Passion” Pacio as Filipino World Champions in The Home Of Martial Arts. To have so many compatriots at the top of the sport all at once is simply incredible.

Four of the titleholders represent Baguio City’s Team Lakay — proof that camaraderie, determination, and a shared goal are more important than the flashiest of facilities.

In addition to that, a pair of Philippine athletes turned in impressive performances on the undercard. Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario and Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado had the crowd on their feet as they had their hands raised.

There is strength in depth in the nation’s ranks, and that means the future looks just as exciting as this golden era we are in right now.

#2 Top Bantamweight Contenders Emerge

The ONE Super Series bantamweight class has provided fans with many thrilling match-ups. Now, the top competitors are starting to emerge and make a case to be inserted into a contest for the division’s inaugural World Title.

In Manila, Saemapetch Fairtex derailed Alaverdi Ramazanov’s momentum to push his promotional record to 2-0. The Thai favorite battled well against the unorthodox Russian and ended his stunning two-bout win streak in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Han Zi Hao has been the most active competitor in the all-striking league in The Home Of Martial Arts, and he became the first man on the roster to score three straight victories — two of which have come in the first round. By dispatching Azwan Che Wil, he now has the most wins in ONE Super Series.

These two competitors are on a roll, which will make their calls for top contendership heard when the gold is introduced.

#3 Miado’s Courage Is Unrivaled

Jeremy Miado looked phenomenal in Manila. The Filipino’s boxing was accurate and powerful, and his takedown defense was impenetrable. 

“The Jaguar” dealt with a surging opponent in spectacular fashion when he registered a second-round TKO victory over Peng Xue Wen, but that does not tell the whole story. 

Tragically, Miado lost his father earlier this week, but he still made it to the cage and put on the greatest performance of his career.

He showed courage to even make the walk down the ramp. To go on to achieve victory over a tough opponent and thrust himself into the strawweight division’s upper echelon was inspiring.

Most importantly, he took the win for his father, who would be proud of his son’s achievements.

#4 ONE Warrior Series Can Unearth Contenders

In a promotional first, two graduates from Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series (OWS) squared off on the main ONE roster. 

Akihiro “Superjap” Fujisawa took on Rockie Bactol in a flyweight tilt, and he registered another impressive victory. In his second outing after making the step up from OWS, the Japanese athlete weathered an early storm from his rival to score a finish late in the third stanza and extend his streak to five stoppage wins.

At 39 years of age, “Superjap” is 20 years the Filipino’s senior, but you would never have guessed it from his work rate and conditioning. He pushed the pace more and more as the contest wore on. 

The Japanese flyweight will likely now go on to take a step up in competition. His mettle has been put to the test, and he has passed with flying colors.

Franklin’s eye for talent is evident. Even in defeat, Bactol also showed glimpses of his potential and will surely be back to go on to great things in the future.