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UFC vs ONE Championship? ONE chief says bring it on

A rare treat could be in store for fight fans: two global competitions pitting their mixed martial artists against each other in a battle for supremacy. This has only happened a handful of times in the sports history, despite massive interest from hardcore and casual fans alike.

But ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has long campaigned for the idea, and wants to put his martial arts heroes up against the UFC’s best fighters.

ONE Championship’s official Twitter account recently shared a quote from Sityodtong that had fans buzzing.

Sityodtong said: “I would definitely welcome a ONE vs UFC mega event.”

In a follow-up tweet, ONE Championship tagged UFC President Dana White, issuing the challenge. The tweet read: “Who wants it? Trophy @yodchatri @danawhite @ufc #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #ONEVsUFC.”

The UFC is the largest mixed martial arts promotion in North America, while ONE Championship is its equivalent in Asia, so a co-promotion ticks all boxes from a competition and business standpoint.

Sityodtong has said for years that a clash between the two largest martial arts organisations from each side of the world makes absolute sense. In fact, he believes ONE Championship athletes would not only give UFC fighters a run for their money, they would dominate and win.

“I would definitely like to see the best of the East vs the best of the West,” Sityodtong told media through a Facebook live Q&A in 2020.

“UFC vs ONE Championship I think would be phenomenal. I think the whole entire world would watch it. And I’d love to see world champions vs world champions. So definitely, for sure, I’m open to it.”

It has also become incredibly clear that ONE Championship’s elite roster of martial artists has been greatly underestimated. The organisation’s list of more than 500 fighters, including world champions from various martial arts disciplines, is packed with killers across all weight divisions.

That fact became even more clear last month, during ONE Championship’s American prime time stint on TNT.

The four-part event series saw former UFC lightweight king Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez fumble with a controversial disqualification loss to top-ranked ONE lightweight Iuri Lapicus. He returned to fight weeks later, and lost a unanimous decision to rangy South Korean Ok Rae Yoon.

Twelve-time former UFC Flyweight World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, suffered the first knockout loss of his career in a failed world title bid against reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes.

While former UFC stars like Arjan Bhullar and John Lineker have done well in ONE, the fact remains that most UFC fighters who have joined ONE since 2018 have struggled. A handful have lost by stoppage, and nearly all of them have lost at least once overall.

This includes setbacks for Yushin Okami and Yoshihiro Akiyama, as well as Sage Northcutt’s debilitating knockout loss to Cosmo Alexandre in 2019.

Christian Lee versus Charles Oliveira to determine the world’s best lightweight? A clash between top flyweights Adriano Moraes and Deivison Figureido? Chinese strawweight queen Xiong Jing Nan against newly-minted champion Rose Namajunas? The list goes on and on.

One thing is for certain, a UFC vs ONE showdown is an enticing prospect that should be explored.

Published : May 27, 2021

By : THE NATION

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Omanis crush Thais in warm-up match ahead of World Cup qualifiers

The Thai national football team was trounced 0-1 by Oman in a warm-up match on Tuesday.

This was a practice run in the United Arab Emirates before the 2021 World Cup qualifying matches kick off next month.

The Thai team is set to play another training match against Tajikistan on Saturday.

Published : May 26, 2021

By : The Nation

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National futsal team kick their way into World Cup finals

Thailand’s national futsal team has won a berth in the 2021 Futsal World Cup Final to be held in Lithuania from September 23 to October 3 after the team trounced Iraq in a playoff round in the United Arab Emirates.

The result of two matches has seen Thailand overcome Iraq by a cumulative score of 11-2.

National futsal team kick their way into World Cup finals

“I would like to thank everyone on the team and all related parties for bringing happiness to futsal fans this year,” said Football Association of Thailand chairman Somyos Pumpanmuang.

“To celebrate their victory, the association will give another THB1 million on top of the gift money of THB1 million previously promised to the team if they make it to the final,” he said.

National futsal team kick their way into World Cup finals

The futsal team had qualified for the finals five times in the past – in 2016, 2012, 2008, 2004 and 2000.

The final round will see 24 national teams locking horns. Besides Thailand, they feature Brazil, Argentina, Angola, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Guatemala, Iran, Japan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Panama, Portugal, Paraguay, Russia, Serbia, Solomon Islands, the United States, Spain, Venezuela, and either Vietnam or Lebanon.

National futsal team kick their way into World Cup finals

Published : May 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

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Saemapetch Fairtex Wants to Earn Title Shot With Win Over Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai

Former ONE World Title challenger Saemapetch Fairtex wants nothing more than to earn another shot at ONE Super Series gold. If he beats his next opponent, he may very well get it.

Saemapetch faces Thai compatriot and #3-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Kulabdam “Left Meteorite” Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai in the main event of ONE: FULL BLAST, a tape-delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium which airs this Friday, 28 May.

The #1-ranked contender at bantamweight, Saemapetch says every victory brings him closer to a rematch with reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.

“I would say each and every fight is important for me. At this stage, every win matters, and I’m looking to bring home this victory against a tough opponent,” Saemapetch said.

“Of course, I’m looking for another opportunity at the world title. That’s my goal. I was born for this. I was born to be a champion.”

Saemapetch Fairtex Wants to Earn Title Shot With Win Over Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai

Against Kulabdam, Saemapetch faces a worthy opponent. Kulabdam is a two-time former Lumpinee Stadium World Champion, and one of the most dangerous Muay Thai fighters on the roster.

Kulabdam earned the nickname “Left Meteorite” for the incredible power in his straight left, and a series of impressive knockouts at Bangkok’s prestigious Channel 7 Stadium. He is one of the most dynamic young strikers with an explosive, fan-friendly style that produces exhilarating finishes.

Saemapetch knows how dangerous Kulabdam is, but remains confident he will emerge on top.

“He’s very strong and obviously very dangerous. He has powerful punches. But I think I’m faster than he is, so that’s an area I want to exploit. I’ll use my speed to my advantage,” Saemapetch said.

“I’m not taking him lightly, by any means. I’m confident I’m going to get the victory. One thing is for certain, I will give it my best, win or lose.”

ONE: FULL BLAST features a mix of exciting martial arts contests for fans who crave action. Also seeing time in the Circle are fighters such as “The Hunter” Xie Wei, Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly, and kickboxing star Santino Verbeek.

Saemapetch is excited to showcase his skills once again on the global stage of ONE Championship.

“I’m proud to represent Thailand on the global stage. That’s one of my biggest motivations to compete at this level, to bring honor and glory to my country,” Saemapetch said.

Published : May 25, 2021

By : The Nation

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Coach worried over impact of quarantine on Thai teams preparations for World Cup qualifiers

The Covid-19 crisis has seriously hampered the Thai national football teams preparations for the World Cup qualifiers, as a coach and 41 players have had to be quarantined for 14 days, the teams head coach, Akira Nishino, said on Saturday.

He made the remarks after the team arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the second round of the 2022 Fifa World Cup Asia zone qualification round from June 3 to 15.

“We have to prepare and select players for the qualification matches, but we have not trained well during 14 days of isolation before departure,” he said, adding that all the players had attended a training camp since May 3.

Coach worried over impact of quarantine on Thai teams preparations for World Cup qualifiersCoach worried over impact of quarantine on Thai teams preparations for World Cup qualifiers

The Thai team will play warm-up matches against Oman on May 25 and against Tajikistan on May 29 before the qualification matches with Indonesia on June 3, the UAE on June 7 and Malaysia on June 15.

Coach worried over impact of quarantine on Thai teams preparations for World Cup qualifiers

Published : May 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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ONE: EMPOWER Postponed

21 May 2021 – Singapore: ONE Championship™ (ONE), Asias largest global sports media property, today announced that ONE: EMPOWER, ONE Championships live event scheduled for 28 May at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, has been postponed due to the current COVID-19 situation.

As always, the health and safety of our athletes, staff, and fans is our top priority. A new date for the event and other details will be announced at a later date.

In its place, ONE Championship will air a tape-delayed event on 28 May, ONE: FULL BLAST, which is headlined by a ONE Super Series Muay Thai showdown between Saemapetch Fairtex and Kulabdam “Left Meteorite” Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai.

ONE: EMPOWER Postponed

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

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. With a focus on both martial arts and esports, ONE Championship is currently the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts across 150+ countries with some of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Star Sports, iQIYI, TV5, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Fox Sports, Thairath TV, Turner Sports, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, and more.

Published : May 21, 2021

By : The Nation

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On Top of the world as Aiyawatt is lauded for his role in Leicesters triumph

As Leicester City fans revelled in their FA Cup success, plaudits also poured in for the football clubs chairman, Aiyawatt “Top” Srivaddhanaprabha, son of late billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Vichai had bought the club in 2010 and saw it win the Premier League title in 2016 before his tragic death in a helicopter accident in 2018.

Being respectful and treating subordinates in a friendly way is the key to the success of Leicester City, many experts said.

On Sunday, Leicester City won their first FA Cup in their fourth trip to the final, defeating Chelsea 1-0 at Britain’s Wembley Stadium.

Some 21,000 screaming fans, the biggest crowd in over a year since the pandemic, relished the closely fought final.

Belgian Youri Tielemans scored the lone goal of the match for Leicester with a stunning long-range strike in the 63rd minute.

Aiyawatt was present at the stadium to watch the historic win. He was later presented the Cup by the players, who greeted him as one of their own when he entered the field to celebrate the victory.

On Top of the world as Aiyawatt is lauded for his role in Leicesters triumph

On Top of the world as Aiyawatt is lauded for his role in Leicesters triumph

This spectacular scene showed the chairman’s role in giving respect to the players and being friendly to help their ultimate goal of “being champions”, said Rio Ferdinand, a former England international and a television pundit for BT Sport.

Ferdinand said he had never seen such a scene before.

“You know what they [the owners] do? They back the club, they back their managers, but there’s a face to it — that’s the difference,” he said.

“There’s clubs that are owned by people who put money in etc, but they stand behind the curtain. These guys are there.”

On Top of the world as Aiyawatt is lauded for his role in Leicesters triumph

As Aiyawatt held the honour of being the first Thai to hold the FA Cup, many said that he had also garnered worlwide acclaim for the “Thai way of life”.

On Top of the world as Aiyawatt is lauded for his role in Leicesters triumph

“Our set is complete!,” Aiyawatt tweeted after his team’s victory, alluding to the range of silverware his club had won.

Published : May 17, 2021

By : The Nation

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Spectacular strike nets Leicester the FA Cup

Leicester City won their first FA Cup on Sunday, defeating Chelsea 1-0 at Britains Wembley Stadium, watched by some 21,000 screaming fans, the biggest crowd in over a year since the pandemic.

Aiyawatt “Top” Srivaddhanaprabha, son of late billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the chairman of Leicester City Football Club and OH Leuven, was present at the stadium to watch a historic win. He was later presented the Cup by the players when he entered the field to celebrate the victory.

Aiyawatt is the CEO and chairman of King Power, and figures among the five youngest billionaires in Asia on the Forbes 2020 World Billionaire List.

Belgian Youri Tielemans scored for Leicester with a sensational long-range strike in the 63rd minute.

Aiyawatt’s father, Vichai, who died in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in Leicester in 2018, had played a stellar role in the club winning their first Premiership title in 2016.

Leicester City, led by the team manager Brendan Rodgers, had defeated Stoke City, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United and Southampton to reach the final.

The football team has now made history by winning every English major football title, such as Premier League once and the EFL Cup three times.

Rodgers, who took charge of the Foxes in 2019, was emotional after his first sucess in England.

I’m very proud,” Rodgers said. “It’s a historic day for the club. Winning the FA Cup for the first time is clearly a special day. I’m so happy for the players and Khun Top [Aiyawatt’s nickname] and their family, it’s been a dream of theirs to win the FA Cup and we’ve delivered on that. It was an amazing goal by Youri and well deserved,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.

“Every trophy is special. I’m proud on a personal front to be the manager to win it for Leicester. On days like today you need to create history. We were able to do that. I’m extremely proud to get to the final and beat such an incredible club. I’ve got an overriding feeling of satisfaction that we did the job well. I’m more pleased for everyone else. The feeling it gives the supporters. The FA Cup is one the club really wanted to win.”

It was Leicester’s first success in four trips to the FA Cup final, the last time in 1969, in the tournament’s 149-year history.

Published : May 16, 2021

By : The Nation

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Women’s volleyball team to head to Italy despite Covid infections

The Thailand Volleyball Association (TVA) announced on Wednesday that 22 members of the national women’s volleyball team and four staffers had tested positive for Covid-19.

The four staff members were training the players at their camp in Nakhon Pathom before they tested positive, TVA said.

After testing the players, coaches and other members of staff, 22 players were found to be infected, the association added.

However, TVA said the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) has not barred the team from participating in the Nations League to be held in Rimini, Italy from May 25 to June 25.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : The Nation

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Thai flag edges towards Olympics as relay runners hit finishing straight

“Flag of Nation” relay runners on Tuesday entered the finishing straight of nine provinces before the Thai flag makes its way to the Tokyo Olympics.

Atotal of 4,568 flag runners – athletes, celebrities and members of the public – are running with the flag through 35 provinces as Thailand counts down to this summers’ Games in Japan.

Setting off from Bangkok on March 28, the flag relay is making its way around the country before being delivered to Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 27.

The flag will then be carried by the Thailand athletics team at the Tokyo Olympics, which runs from July 23 to August 8.

Thai flag edges towards Olympics as relay runners hit finishing straight

Tuesday saw runners carry the flag between Phetchabun and Khon Kaen on the 45th day of the relay. Heavy summer rain lashed participants on Monday but failed to break their spirits as they head into the last 16 days of the run.

Though organisers insist the Games will go ahead as scheduled, a senior ruling party politician in Japan says cancelling the Tokyo Olympics is still an option if the coronavirus pandemic worsens.

Thai flag edges towards Olympics as relay runners hit finishing straight

Published : May 11, 2021

By : The Nation