ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts promotion with a 90% market share in Asia, has added three more fights to the blockbuster Singapore card set to take place on 18 October. In the co-main event, Japanese MMA superstar Shinya Aoki will make his Featherweight debut in a non-title contest against American Cody Stevens. Plus, Mitch Chilson and Shannon Wiratchai will face each other again a year after the controversial end to their first bout. Also added to the card is a Flyweight contest between Wushu Champion Rene Catalan from the Philippines and Cambodian kickboxer Khim Dima.
ONE FC lightweight champ Shinya Aoki dropping to featherweight for non-title fight against Cody Stevens
Tickets for ONE FC: TOTAL DOMINATION are on sale now at SISTIC (www.SISTIC.com.sg). Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at $348 followed by Arena $148, Terrace $58 and Balcony $38. All applicable service charges apply.
Fans in Asia can catch all the action live on STAR Sports. Check your local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv. The first two undercard fights are available for viewing free-of-charge and the main card fights will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.
CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC is coming back to Singapore with the biggest mixed martial arts event of 2013. ONE FC: TOTAL DOMINATION will feature two of the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artists, Bibiano Fernandes and Shinya Aoki, competing on the same night. Their opponents are hungry and will be looking to earn the biggest wins of their lives by defeating these two iconic superstars. With a 90% market share in Asia, ONE FC has been able to put together the most stacked card in ONE FC history that will be sure to thrill the sold-out crowd in attendance on 18 October.”
Shinya Aoki is one of the most decorated mixed martial artists in the world. A former DREAM Lightweight Champion, he earned his most prestigious title yet with a quick submission victory over the reigning ONE FC Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku earlier this year. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Yuki Nakai, and boasts 22 wins via submission. Aoki now trains out of Evolve MMA and this bout will be his first since permanently relocating to Singapore. This will also be the first time Aoki competes at Featherweight and his performance at this weight class may change the course of MMA history as we know it.
Aoki empathically stated, “I am dropping down to Featherweight for the first time in my career in this fight. I feel stronger and faster at this weight and I have my sights set on competing against all the top Featherweights and Lightweights that ONE FC puts in front of me. The weight cut will not be a problem for me and I am definitely ready for this challenge!”
Cody Stevens will look to earn the biggest win of his career when he faces Shinya Aoki. Originally from Ohio in the United States of America, Cody now trains and fights out of Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand. He possesses a relentless grappling-heavy approach designed to break down the will of his opponent. His is confident that his strong wrestling base is more than a match for Aoki’s grappling and he cannot wait to muscle his way into a decisive victory over one of the sport’s most iconic superstars. Out of his 10 victories thus far, six of them have come via submission.
Mitch Chilson is a Featherweight fighting out of the famed Evolve MMA in Singapore. Originally from Seattle in the United States, he has a background in professional Muay Thai and wrestling. In his last bout, he demonstrated his wrestling skills by dominating a national Indonesian wrestler. Well-rounded and determined, Chilson will be looking to use all the skills in his arsenal to his advantage against the explosive Shannon Wiratchai as they meet for the second time.
Shannon Wiratchai is the youngest mixed martial artist in ONE FC’s roster to hail from Thailand. Unlike most of his countrymen who are proficient in Muay Thai, Wiratchai is trained in the ancient Chinese martial art of Baguazhang as well as in Judo. Wiratchai possesses explosive speed and he will be looking to use it to devastating effect to get the win he feels he rightly deserves against Chilson.
Rene Catalan is a former SEA Games and Asian Games gold medalist in Wushu. He possesses knockout power in both hands and will be looking to use that to stop Cambodian kickboxer Dima. In his ONE FC debut, he was performing admirably against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Alex Silva before getting caught in a submission. Catalan will enter this bout looking to finally translate his impressive resume into a ONE FC victory on his record.
Khim Dima will be the second Cambodian mixed martial artist to enter the ONE FC cage. A Khmer boxing veteran, who is making the transition in mixed martial arts, he will be looking to notch up the first win for the kingdom using his signature sharp elbows and crushing knees. This will be a clash of two top Flyweight strikers and a highlight reel knockout has been predicted by experts.
For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.
