One FC returns to Manila with ‘Rise to Power’ card

MANILA, Philippines – Rising mixed martial arts promotions outfit One Fighting Championship will be returning to the country with the ONE FC: Rise to Power card at the Midas Hotel in Manila on May 31.

One FC featherweight champion and Filipino MMA star Honorio “The Rock” Banario of Team Lakay will make his first title defense against Japanese submission specialist Koji Oishi in the main event.

Brazilian superstar Bibiano "The Flash" Fernandez, meanwhile, is set to face his toughest opponent in Japanese sensation Koetsu Okazaki in the co-main event.

One FC CEO Victor Cui reiterated his preference for Manila to host his fight cards.

“We really love coming back to Manila, the fight capital of Asia because it ignites my energy and passion on why we do this and we always have a pack house here. It is very heartwarming for all of us,” Cui said during today’s press conference.

In association with local MMA organization Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), the second event of the Singapore-based ONE FC chose the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay city as the venue of fight night.

“We always save the best for the Philippines and we promise you one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world with productions comparable to shows in Las Vegas,” Cui added.

ONE FC also partnered with Casino Filipino for the specific event, coming up with a unique way of selling tickets.

“We are very supportive of what MMA can be and already is, we want to highlight something we do 'Daang matuwid sa silid ng paaralan' our CSR program, in 2010 and 2011 we have donated P1 billion to help build school buildings" said Christopher Tio, Head of Operations for Casino Filipino.

“Tickets are now available through the participation of a special charity bingo program, you go to a Casino Filipino branch and buy a ticket to join and the proceeds of that bingo will all go the program and hopefully we will reveal during the fight a new school building"  special ONE FC charity Bingo and the proceeds will help our program,” Tio added.

Further details on the rest of the card will be announced in the upcoming weeks before the event.