Miss Universe 2018 results: South Africa's Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters crowns Philippines' Catriona Gray in Thailand

Catriona Gray, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

• Beauty Pageant: Miss Universe 2018
• Edition: 67th
• Venue: IMPACT Arena, Exhibition and Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand
• Date: December 17, 2018
• Number of contestants: 94
• Hosts: Steve Harvey, Ashley Graham
• Commentators: Carson Kressley, Lu Sierra
• Performer: Ne-Yo

OUTGOING WINNERS

• Second Runner-Up: Davina Bennett (Jamaica)
• First Runner-Up: Laura Gonzalez (Colombia)
• Miss Universe 2017: Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (South Africa)

MISS UNIVERSE 2018 CANDIDATES

JUDGES

1. Liliana Gil Valletta
2. Janaye Ingram
3. Monique Lhuillier
4. Michelle McLean
5. Iman Oubou
6. Bui Simon
7. Richelle Singson-Michael

SPECIAL AWARDS

• Best National Costume: On-anong Homsombath (Laos)
• Miss Congeniality:
• Miss Photogenic:

TOP 20

(in order of announcement)

Africa and Asia Pacific

1. Tamaryn Green (South Africa)
2. Catriona Gray (Philippines)
3. Manita Devkota (Nepal)
4. H’Hen Nie (Vietnam)
5. Sophida Kanchanarin (Thailand)

Europe

1. Magdalena Swat (Poland)
2. Zoé Brunet (Belgium)
3. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers (Great Britain)
4. Enikő Kecskés (Hungary)
5. Grainne Gallanagh (Ireland)

Americas

1. Akisha Albert (Curacao)
2. Natalia Carvajal (Costa Rica)
3. Marta Stepien (Canada)
4. Kiara Ortega (Puerto Rico)
5. Emily Maddison (Jamaica)

Wildcard

1. Sarah Rose Summers (USA)
2. Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela)
3. Sonia Fergina Citra (Indonesia)
4. Mayra Dias (Brazil)
5. Francesca Hung (Australia)

TOP 10

(in order of announcement)

1. Tamaryn Green (South Africa)
2. H’Hen Nie (Vietnam)
3. Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela)
4. Catriona Gray (Philippines)
5. Natalia Carvajal (Costa Rica)
6. Akisha Albert (Curacao)
7. Manita Devkota (Nepal)
8. Marta Stepien (Canada)
9. Sophida Kanchanarin (Thailand)
10. Kiara Ortega (Puerto Rico)

TOP 5

(in order of announcement)

1. Kiara Ortega (Puerto Rico)
2. H’Hen Nie (Vietnam)
3. Catriona Gray (Philippines)
4. Tamaryn Green (South Africa)
5. Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela)

TOP 3

(in order of announcement)

1. Catriona Gray (Philippines)
2. Tamaryn Green (South Africa)
3. Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela)

WINNERS

• Second Runner-Up: Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela)
• First Runner-Up: Tamaryn Green (South Africa)
• Miss Universe 2018: Catriona Gray (Philippines)

Philippines’ Catriona Gray crowned Miss Universe 2018 in Thailand

Catriona Gray, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

Catriona Gray, 24, has been crowned Miss Universe 2018 in Thailand. This makes her the international beauty pageant's fourth titleholder from the Philippines.

Besting 93 candidates, Gray was crowned Miss Universe 2018 at the IMPACT Arena, Exhibition and Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand on December 17, 2018. She inherited the crown from Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.

Gloria Diaz, 67, of Aringay, La Union and Margarita Moran, 65, of Davao won the first Miss Universe crowns for the Philippines on July 19, 1969 in Miami Beach, Florida, United States and on July 21, 1973 in Athens, Greece. On December 20, 2015, Pia Wurtzbach won the third and most recent Miss Universe crown for the Philippines in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Miss Universe 2018 marked the first time the beauty pageant had an all-female selection committee. The judges of both the preliminary competition and the coronation night were Liliana Gil Valletta, Janaye Ingram, Monique Lhuillier, Michelle McLean, Iman Oubou, Bui Simon and Richelle Singson-Michael.

Gray is now the second woman to finish in the Top 5 of Miss World before winning the Miss Universe crown. The first one was McLean, who was Miss Namibia 1991, Miss World 1991 fourth runner-up and Miss Universe 1992.

The Miss Universe 2018 coronation night was hosted by Steve Harvey along with Ashley Graham, Carson Kressley and Lu Sierra. American singer-songwriter Shaffer Chimere Smith, who is professionally known as Ne-Yo, performed during the event.

Runner up to Gray as Miss Universe 2018 was Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green. Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutierrez was second runner-up.

Also a winner of the evening was Miss Laos On-anong Homsombath who won Best National Costume. Miss Spain Angela Ponce did not make it to the quarterfinals but she was honored onstage as the first ever transwoman Miss Universe candidate in the international level.

Miss Puerto Rico Kiara Ortega and Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie made it to the Top 5. Miss Costa Rica Natalia Carvajal, Miss Curacao Akisha Albert, Miss Nepal Manita Devkota, Miss Canada Marta Stepien and Miss Thailand Sophida Kanchanarin finished in the Top 10.

Here is a clip featuring Gray at the Miss Universe 2018 coronation night:

Mexico's Vanessa Ponce crowned Miss World 2018 in China

Maria Vasilevich, Kadijah Robinson, Vanessa Ponce, Quiin Abenakyo, Nicolene Limsnukan

Representing Mexico, Vanessa Ponce, 26, has been crowned Miss World 2018. She bested 117 other contestants from around the world and is the first representative of her country to win the title.

On December 8, 2018, Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, 21, of India crowned Ponce as her successor. The coronation night took place at the Sanya City Arena in Sanya City, China.

Miss World 2018 was the 68th edition of the international beauty pageant known for having the most number of contestants among all major pageants. New format was introduced with the Top 5 selected from the Continental Queens of Beauty.

The Top 30 were trimmed down to Top 12. The Top 12 semi-finalists were grouped into five continents namely Africa, Americas, Asia and Oceania, Caribbean and Europe.

The Mexican representative was named Miss Americas. Joining her in the Top 5 were Miss World Africa 2018 Quiin Abenakyo, 22, of Uganda, Miss World Asia and Oceania 2018 Nicolene Limsnukan, 20, of Thailand, Miss World Caribbean 2018 Kadijah Robinson, 23, of Jamaica and Miss World Europe 2018 Marian Vasilevich, 21, of Belarus.

Runner-up to Ponce as Miss World 2018 was Limsnukan. Since Ponce was crowned Miss World 2018, Solaris Barba of Panama was named the new Miss World Americas 2018.

Ponce was born in Guanajuato City, Guanajuato, Mexico on March 7, 1992. However, she was raised in Mexico City, the most populous city in North America.

In 2014, Ponce joined “Mexico’ Next Top Model” Season 5, which aired on Sony Entertainment Television and was hosted by Jaydy Michel, 42. Ponce won the modelling competition besting 12 other contestants.

On May 5, 2018, Ponce was crowned Miss World Meixco 2018 at Salón Imperial de Villa Toscana, Sonora, Mexico besting 31 other candidates. At Miss World 2018, she first emerged as the winner in her group during the first round of the Head-to-Head Challenge.

In the second round of the Head-to-Head Challenge, Ponce faced Miss Trinidad and Tobago Ysabel Bisnath, 26. The Mexican representative won and advanced to the Top 30.

Here is Ponce’s introduction as Mexico’s representative at Miss World 2018:

Check the complete results of Miss World 2018 here.

Asian Games veterans Eduard Folayang, May Ooi, Rene Catalan have made their mark on ONE Championship

May Ooi

The 18th edition of the Asian Games officially opened this past Saturday, 18 August in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.

The Asian Games, also known as the Asiad, is a pan-Asian multi-sport event that takes place every four years, with the first edition taking place in New Delhi, India back in 1951.

For three weeks, the Asian Games will be celebrating the best athletes and competitors from across Asia as they compete in a plethora of sporting events including basketball, football, tennis, athletics, and many others.

Of course, the Asian Games also celebrates Asia’s greatest cultural treasure: martial arts.

Hundreds of the continent’s best martial artists have flocked to Indonesia to showcase their skills on Asia’s biggest stage with the hopes of doing their home countries proud and bringing glory back home to their motherland.

This year’s Asian Games will feature competitions in Boxing, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, Kurash, Pencak Silat, Sambo, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling and Wushu and will feature practitioners from across 45 nations competing to determine who will be hailed as the best in each discipline.

“The Asian Games is always an exciting time when it comes to martial arts,” shared ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. “The best martial artists from Asia, the birthplace of martial arts, get to display their talents on a massive stage.”

“As a lifelong martial artist myself, I know how massive an opportunity this is for these talented competitors, and I can only imagine the pride and the fulfilment that the eventual medalists get to experience. Just by going out there and representing their respective countries in competition, they’re already heroes.” he added.

Martial arts is a perfect jump-off point to a fruitful career in mixed martial arts, as what a number of ONE Championship athletes have been able to do.

Take former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang for example.

Before reaching the pinnacle of ONE Championship’s 77.1-kilogram division, Folayang was a two-time Asian Games medalist in Wushu, capturing Bronze in the 2002 Busan Asian Games and Silver in the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

Also taking home a medal in Wushu in the 2006 Doha Asian Games is Folayang’s compatriot and top ONE Championship strawweight contender Rene “The Challenger” Catalan, who bagged the gold medal.

Before making his way into mixed martial arts, Kritsada “Dream Man” Kongsrichai represented his home country of Thailand in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, making it up to the quarterfinals of the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 55-kilogram tournament.

After representing Singapore in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games and the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games as a swimmer, ONE Championship women’s atomweight contender “Mighty” May Ooi will be making her third Asiad appearance, but this time as a competitor in the newly-introduced Jiu-Jitsu tournament.

“Martial arts is Asia’s greatest cultural treasure, and I personally believe that the best martial artists in the world come from this wonderful continent.” Sityodtong proclaimed. “Everyday, new heroes in martial arts emerge, and some of them have shined in big, big stages such as the Asian Games.”

“Look at Eduard Folayang. He’s a two-time Asian Games medalist, and then he went on to become a world champion in mixed martial arts. Look at May Ooi, who’s competed twice in the Asian Games as a swimmer. 28 years later after her first time, she’s back on that stage, this time as a Jiu-Jitsu competitor and as a full-fledged martial artist. It’s an amazing thing that these national athletes do,” he expounded further.

For Sityodtong, the Asian Games is a possible hotbed of future martial arts champions who can eventually take their talents to the global stage of ONE Championship.

“After winning medals Wushu in the Asian Games, Folayang jumped to mixed martial arts and became a champion there. We have [Rene] Catalan, a former Asian Games gold medalist who’s on the brink of a world title shot after five-straight wins. These guys have continued to showcase their talents, years after their Asian Games stints. We’re always keeping an eye out in those competitions, especially the traditional martial arts like Wushu, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing and Silat. These martial arts are among the pillars of mixed martial arts,” he stated.

“These athletes are the best of the best from their countries in their respective disciplines, and of course, one day, we’d love to have them continuing to represent their countries, hopefully on the ONE Championship stage,” Sityodtong ended.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Yoshitaka Naito confident in winning against Joshua Pacio: ‘I can do it again!’

Yoshitaka Naito

After holding three major live events in the month of July, ONE Championship shifts focus immediately to its next blockbuster cards in Shanghai and Jakarta for September.

Taking place at the Jakarta Convention Center, ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES on 22 September features a highly-anticipated strawweight championship rematch between two-time division kingpin Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito and Joshua “The Passion” Pacio as its headliner.

Both men initially crossed paths in October 2016 when Pacio challenged Naito for the ONE Strawweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: STATE OF WARRIORS.

“He (Pacio) is young, agile and tenacious. I can’t forget every bit of what transpired in that match nearly two years ago. He really wanted to win the world title. It was tough,” Naito recalled.

Naito might have won the battle against Pacio, but he encountered perhaps the most difficult test of his professional career as he had to squeeze himself through the eye of a needle to retain the gold-plated strap.

The Japanese submission specialist had to endure two grueling rounds before he pulled off a come-from-behind victory by submitting Pacio with a rear-naked choke in the third round to keep the ONE Strawweight World Championship belt around his waist.

“I've never had an opponent who's defended well against my tackles, so it was tough. I usually get my foe to the ground easily. His punches and kicks were very heavy. It really hurt when it hit me,” he explained about his cage meeting Pacio.

Pacio appeared to be on his way to becoming the youngest Filipino athlete to capture a world title in mixed martial arts as he had every answer to Naito’s attacks in the first two round.

Naito was finally able to get the fight to where he wanted with a successful single-leg takedown in second frame, but Pacio remained active on the ground by landing elbows and keeping his shoulders off the ground while looking to create space with his legs.

The intricately-crafted hardware was within Pacio’s reach, but it only took one mistake to crush his championship aspirations as Naito fastened a rear-naked choke to force the tap.

Naito admitted that Pacio pushed him to his limit, describing the bout as a life-ending experience.

"Joshua is a tough opponent. I really thought I was going to die. I was very tired," he disclosed.

Naito and Pacio will share the ONE Championship stage once more on 22 September, and the 34-year-old Japanese champion expects another stringent clash with the Filipino dynamo.

“He has grown tremendously. His skill as a fighter was already impressive when we first fought. He has evolved into a dangerous martial artist. For sure, he wants some revenge. I am expecting it,” he stated.

Since his defeat to Naito, Pacio has won four of his last five contests and has finished three top-level adversaries in a row to punch his ticket to a second shot at gold.

Like Pacio, Naito showed how far his skills have improved in his recent ONE Championship outing, where he edged out Brazilian rival Alex “Little Rock” Silva in a rematch via split decision to reclaim the strawweight crown.

Naito seeks to accomplish an encore performance against Pacio, who has been handed a golden opportunity to become a world champion and settle the score with the man who first tainted his then-spotless mixed martial art record.

“I can’t be complacent against him. He is tough as nails. Giving up is not his style. I am determined to keep my belt. I am confident of my skills. My martial arts, my grappling, my conditioning – all of that makes me confident,” he said.

Despite the impression that Naito will still have his hands full in his second date with Pacio, the proud titleholder from Chiba, Japan believes that his cage experience will spell the difference and history will repeat itself in the rematch.

“I will do what I need to do this coming September, which is to win. I have the championship experience. I can do it again. It’s going to be the same story. I will still be the champion,” he confidently declared.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship. 

Iran Diaz enlists ex-champ Juan Francisco Estrada as training partner

Iran Diaz

Mexican contender Iran Diaz’s training camp for the first world title bout of his professional boxing career is already in high gear.

The 28-year-old native of Sonora, Mexico made no secret of needing all the help that he can get in order to be victorious and overthrow Srisaket Sor Rungvisai for the WBC Super Flyweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES, which emanates from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on 6 October.

However, surprises do not end in his startling enlistment of four-division world champion and future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez as his adviser because he has found an unlikely ally in the form of former flyweight kingpin and current junior bantamweight contender Juan Francisco Estrada.

Diaz has tapped Estrada as one of his training partners as he prepares for his scheduled 12-round ring encounter with Sor Rungvisai.

“Like what I said before, we will need all the help that we can get to win in Bangkok this coming October. We are happy that Juan Francisco Estrada reached out to us and spared a little of his time to work with Iran,” Diaz’s trainer Ernesto Salgado stated.

Holding a record of 36-3 with 25 knockouts to his name, Estrada has shared the ring with the biggest names of boxing’s lower weight classes, including Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, Brian Viloria, Milan Melindo, Hernan “Tyson” Marquez and Carlos Cuadras.

Moreover, Estrada is no stranger to Sor Rungvisai as both men collided for the green-laced strap this past February, resulting to a majority decision win in favor of the celebrated Thai pugilist.

“He (Estrada) has given us some tips on how he thinks Sor Rungvisai competes, moves and strategizes inside the ring. It’s a big help. Sharing his insights on the Thai champion worked out in our favor,” Salgado further detailed.

Estrada makes his return to the squared-circle on 8 September in Inglewood, California, locking horns with two-time world title challenger and compatriot Felipe Orucuta in a WBC Super Flyweight World Championship eliminator.

The winner of the aforementioned bout is expected to face the victor of the championship clash between Sor Rungvisai and Diaz at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES in the future.

Sor Rungvisai and Diaz will host an open workout on 28 August at the Nakornloung Promotion (NKL) Gym in Bangkok, Thailand.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Complete list of Miss Universe 2018 candidates

Iris Mittenaere, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, Pia Wurtzbach

Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa will crown her successor in Bangkok, Thailand on December 17, 2018. It will be the 67th edition of the annual international beauty pageant.

Steve Harvey is returning as the host of the coronation night. Here is the list of the Miss Universe 2018 candidates:

1. Miss Albania Trejsi Sejdini
2. Miss Angola Ana Liliana Aviao
3. Miss Argentina Agustina Belen Pivowarchuk
4. Miss Armenia Eliza Muradyan
5. Miss Aruba Kimberly Julsing
6. Miss Australia Francesca Hung
7. Miss Bahamas Danielle Grant
8. Miss Barbados Meghan Theobalds
9. Miss Belgium Zoé Brunet
10. Miss Belize Jenelli Fraser
11. Miss Bolivia Joyce Prado
12. Miss Brazil Mayra Dias
13. Miss British Virgin Islands A’yana Keshelle Phillips
14. Miss Bulgaria Gabriela Topalova
15. Miss Cambodia Nat Rern
16. Miss Canada Marta Stepien
17. Miss Cayman Islands Caitlin Tyson
18. Miss Chile Andrea Diaz
19. Miss China Qin Meisu
20. Miss Colombia Valeria Morales
21. Miss Costa Rica Natalia Carvajal
22. Miss Croatia Mia Pojatina
23. Miss Curacao Akisha Albert
24. Miss Czech Republic Lea Steflickova
25. Miss Denmark Helena Heuser
26. Miss Dominican Republic Aldy Bernard
27. Miss Ecuador Virginia Limongi
28. Miss Egypt Nariman Khaled
29. Miss El Salvador Marisela de Montecristo
30. Miss Finland Alina Voronkova
31. Miss France Eva Colas
32. Miss Georgia Lara Yan
33. Miss Germany Celine Willers
34. Miss Ghana Diata Hoggar
35. Miss Great Britain Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers
36. Miss Greece Ioanna Bella
37. Miss Guam Athena Su McNinch
38. Miss Guatemala Mariana Garcia
39. Miss Haiti Samantha Colas
40. Miss Honduras Vanessa Villars
41. Miss Hungary Enikő Kecskés
42. Miss Iceland Katrin Lea Elenudottir
43. Miss India Nehal Chudasama
44. Miss Indonesia Sonia Fergina Citra
45. Miss Ireland Grainne Gallanagh
46. Miss Israel Nikol Reznikov
47. Miss Italy Erica De Matteis
48. Miss Jamaica Emily Maddison
49. Miss Japan Yuumi Kato
50. Miss Kazakhstan Sabina Azimbayeva
51. Miss Kenya Wabaiya Kariuki
52. Miss Korea Ji Hyun Baek
53. Miss Kosovo Zana Berisha
54. Miss Kyrgyzstan Begimay Karybekova
55. Miss Laos On-anong Homsobath
56. Miss Lebanon Maya Reaidy
57. Miss Malaysia Jane Teoh
58. Miss Malta Francesca Mifsud
59. Miss Mauritius Vasha Ragoobarsing
60. Miss Mexico Andrea Toscano
61. Miss Mongolia Dolgion Delgerjav
62. Miss Myanmar Hnin Thway Yu Aung
63. Miss Namibia Selma Kamanya
64. Miss Nepal Manita Devkota
65. Miss Netherlands Rahima Ayla Dirkse
66. Miss New Zealand Estelle Curd
67. Miss Nicaragua Adriana Paniagua
68. Miss Nigeria Aramide Lopez
69. Miss Norway Susanne Guttorm
70. Miss Panama Rosa Montezuma
71. Miss Paraguay Belen Alderete
72. Miss Peru Romina Lozano
73. Miss Philippines Catriona Gray
74. Miss Poland Magdalena Swat
75. Miss Portugal Filipa Barroso
76. Miss Puerto Rico Kiara Ortega
77. Miss Russia Yulia Polyachikhina
78. Miss Saint Lucia Angella Dalsou
79. Miss Singapore Zahra Khanum
80. Miss Slovakia Barbora Hanova
81. Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green
82. Miss Spain Angela Ponce
83. Miss Sri Lanka Ornella Gunesekere
84. Miss Sweden Emma Strandberg
85. Miss Switzerland Jastina Doreen Riederer
86. Miss Thailand Sophida Kanchanarin
87. Miss Turkey Tara De Vries
88. Miss Ukraine Karina Zhosan
89. Miss Uruguay Sofia Abigail Marrero Moreira
90. Miss USA Sara Rose Summers
91. Miss U.S. Virgin Islands Aniska Tonge
92. Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutierrez
93. Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie
94. Miss Zambia Melba Shakabozha

ONE Championship star Angela Lee praises Japanese people, culture

Angela Lee

ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee, 22, of Singapore, was in Japan recently and has nothing but praises for the country. She attended the first ever ONE Championship press conference in the country, which took place at Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo.

“Thank you all for having me out here,” Lee said when she took to the podium to share her thoughts during the press conference. “I am thrilled to be part of this press conference. ONE Championship is doing big things out here in Asia and I am proud to be a part of it all.”

“Japan is a beautiful country with great people and great culture,” the reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion added. “As the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, I am proud to serve as a role model to all the aspiring martial artists in Japan and in Asia, especially the young girls who have dreams of becoming martial artists. Japan is such an incredible country and I can’t wait to experience what it has to offer.”

On November 9, 2018, Lee will compete in a different weight division for the first time. She will compete for the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship at “ONE: Heart of the Lion” at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

On September 8, 2018, reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan, 30, of China will defend her title from Samara “Marituba” Santos, 25, of Brazil at “ONE: Beyond the Horizon” at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The winner will face Lee at “ONE: Hear of the Lion.”

Including Lee, three world champions attended the recent ONE Championship press conference in Tokyo. The other three were reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito, 34, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, 38, of Brazil and ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, 40, of the Philippines.

Naito’s fellow Japanese MMA stars who attended the press conference were former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Shudan” Aoki, 35, and former ONE World Title challengers Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi, 35, and Ken Hasegawa, 31. Other special guests in the event were Renzo Gracie, 51, of Brazil, his brother 5th degree BJJ Black Belt Ralph Gracie, 47, submission Grappling world champion Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon, 26, of the United States, kickboxing superstar Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, 32, of Italy and Muay Thai legend Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, 31, of Thailand.

Meanwhile, here is a clip featuring Lee:

ONE Championship announces 2019 events, debuts in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam

(1st row) Bibiano Fernandes, Renzo Gracie, Angela Lee, Chatri Sityodtong, Brandon Vera, Giorgio Petrosyan, Yoshitaka Naito 

(2nd row) Mei Yamaguchi, Garry Tonon, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, Shinya Aoki, Ralph Gracie, Ken Hasegawa 

(photo by Eliana Hiramatsu Lopes)

23 August 2018 – Tokyo, Japan: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), just held a Press Conference announcing the promotion’s first live event in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for 31 March 2019. Media from all across the globe gathered to participate in the Press Conference, which was led by Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong.

Also in attendance were ONE Championship athletes, including ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera, the legendary Renzo Gracie, his brother 5th degree BJJ Black Belt Ralph Gracie, acclaimed Submission Grappling world champion Garry Tonon, Kickboxing superstar Giorgio Petrosyan, Muay Thai legend Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, former ONE World Title challenger Mei Yamaguchi, former ONE World Title challenger Ken Hasegawa, ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito, and former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki.

The esteemed martial arts superstars took to the podium to deliver their thoughts in support of ONE Championship’s first live event in Japan, and what is in store for martial arts in Asia in the immediate future.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “Japan has a rich martial arts culture and history, and ONE Championship has been planning for a very long time to bring our authentic martial arts experience right here to the fans, deep in the heart of Asia. Our mission at ONE Championship is sacred, we want to unleash martial arts superheroes unto the world -- world-class athletes who ignite passion and hope, and who help weave martial arts into the very fabric of human life. By sharing their stories with the world, ONE Championship aims to change the lives of many through the beauty of sport and discipline.”

“It is our absolute pleasure to announce today that we will be officially holding our first ever live event in Tokyo next March," Sityodtong continued. "The ONE Championship superstars here today are some of the greatest talents in the world, bar none. They came out here to show their support for ONE Championship, and are living proof of the greatness of martial arts and the impact it has on our lives. Together, we can inspire the world to walk in the true values of martial arts -- integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion. We look forward to seeing you all once again, right here in March 2019.”

Renzo Gracie, martial arts legend, stated: “I believe in what ONE Championship is doing out here in Asia, and I believe in Chatri’s vision for martial arts. It warms my heart to see just how much respect we have built here as martial artists. This is what true martial arts is all about. I have been to Tokyo many times and the city never fails to amaze and surprise me. To be able to come full circle and bring martial arts back to Japan, it’s an amazing sight to behold. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this momentous occasion. Japan has played a huge role in the history of martial arts on a global scale, and it’s just right that it returns to glory once again. ONE Championship and Japan are a perfect fit and I foresee a bright future ahead.”

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated: “Thank you all for having me out here. I am thrilled to be part of this Press Conference. ONE Championship is doing big things out here in Asia and I am proud to be a part of it all. Japan is a beautiful country with great people and great culture. As the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, I am proud to serve as a role model to all the aspiring martial artists in Japan and in Asia, especially the young girls who have dreams of becoming martial artists. Japan is such an incredible country and I can’t wait to experience what it has to offer.”

Shinya Aoki, former ONE Lightweight World Champion, stated: “Japanese martial arts is something that I hold dear to my heart. It is so much more than sport and competition. I live by the code of martial arts, and to be able to share that with everyone in the world, it’s an honor. This is the chance for Japanese martial arts to truly shine. Martial arts is my passion and I am grateful for the opportunity to help lead martial arts in Asia into the future. ONE Championship is a tremendous organization and now that we are going to have our first live event in Tokyo, it will only help highlight the beauty of martial arts in Japan.”

Sityodtong also took the time out to reveal the ONE Championship 2019 calendar of events, which will see the promotion return to its strong roots in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, and Thailand. Two events in Tokyo are scheduled for the year, taking place in March and October, while new markets Vietnam and South Korea are also introduced.

“I am thrilled to announce the first 24 of 30 events of our busy 2019 schedule at ONE Championship," Sityodtong said. "In addition to the first 24 live events planned for all sports fans in Asia, there will be at least 6 ONE Warrior Series events that will continue to showcase the absolute best in martial arts, delivered by our martial arts superheroes. Of course, all of our live events will be available on the ONE Super App. 2018 isn’t over yet and we still have a lot of great stuff planned but 2019 is already shaping up to be an amazing year for us.”

ONE Championship 2019 Calendar of Events

Jakarta, Indonesia

19 January

Manila, Philippines

25 January

Bangkok, Thailand

16 February

Singapore

22 February

Yangon, Myanmar

8 March

Tokyo, Japan

31 March

Manila, Philippines

5 April

Jakarta, Indonesia

4 May

Bangkok, Thailand

11 May

Singapore

17 May

Beijing, China

7

Macau, China

15 June

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

28 June

Guangzhou, China

20 July

Manila, Philippines

2 August

Bangkok, Thailand

17 August

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

6 September

Tokyo, Japan

11 October

Jakarta, Indonesia

26 October

Shanghai, China

9 November

Singapore

22 November

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

6 December

Manila, Philippines

13 December

Seoul, South Korea

20 December

ONE Championship is having a phenomenal 2018 thus far, and with eight more blockbuster live events left to close the year, there is a lot of world-class martial arts action to look forward to.

The next two events, ONE: BEYOND THE HORIZON set for 8 September in Shanghai, China, and ONE: CONQUEST OF HEROES set for 22 September in Jakarta, Indonesia already feature some of the most compelling martial arts contests of the year that fans can certainly look forward to.

In addition, world championship boxing makes its ONE Championship debut when The Ring and WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand defends his title against Iran “MagnifiKO” Diaz of Mexico in the main event of ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES set for 6 October at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.