SO Staff

Panasonic dan HATCH Persembahkan Enam Kisah Penuh Inspirasi Sempena 6 Dekad Malaysia Merdeka

Sempena menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia yang ke-60, Panasonic Malaysia telah bekerjasama dengan HATCH, saluran YouTube yang dikendalikan oleh Studio8 Media Prima, untuk mempersembahkan HACTION! Shot on Lumix GH5. HACTION! merupakan peraduan filem pendek yang menonjolkan enam orang karyawan filem Malaysia bagi menceritakan kisah kejayaan dan kebanggaan negara sepanjang tempoh enam dekad.

Dengan memanfaatkan keupayaan Studio8 dalam menghasilkan kandungan asli tempatan yang membawakan aspek penceritaan baharu, HACTION! berhasrat untuk memberi inspirasi kepada para pembuat filem untuk merakamkan pandangan mereka terhadap kejayaan dan kebanggaan Malaysia.

Kerjasama yang menampilkan kamera Panasonic LUMIX GH5 terbaharu telah diumumkan pada awal tahun ini semasa pelancaran produk di Malaysia.

Encik Hiroyuki Muto, Timbalan Pengarah Urusan Panasonic Malaysia berkata, “Dengan kehadiran selama lebih 40 tahun di Malaysia, Panasonic bertekad untuk membangunkan kamera digital yang inovatif bagi menyediakan budaya foto yang baharu dalam era digital. Perkongsian kami dengan Media Prima merupakan sebuah platform yang penting untuk meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia ke-60 dengan membantu membangunkan karyawan filem dan pembuat kandungan menerusi peluang untuk mempersembahkan kandungan asli Malaysia yang bermutu menggunakan LUMIX GH5”.

Menerusi perkongsian ini, Panasonic yakin dapat mengukuhkan kehadiran jenama dalam pasaran kamera tanpa cermin lensa tunggal digital (digital single lens mirrorless, DSLM) serta menarik minat lebih ramai pengguna generasi milenium.

Ahmad Izham Omar, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Primeworks Studios, yang juga salah seorang juri tayangan HACTION! berkata, “Kandungan kreatif sentiasa menjadi komponen utama dalam membina perkaitan jenama dalam kalangan penonton termasuklah generasi milenial pada hari ini. Masih terdapat banyak cerita menarik yang boleh disampaikan dalam pertandingan ini menggunakan pengalaman sebuah negara yang merdeka sejak enam dekad yang lalu serta kepelbagaian budaya yang ada dalam kalangan rakyat”.

6 Dekad, 6 Cerita, 6 Pembuat Filem

Dengan pencapaian selama lebih 60 tahun, Malaysia muncul sebagai contoh terbaik sebuah negara yang berbilang kaum dan budaya serta memiliki pelbagai jenis makanan, bahasa dan kebudayaan. Sempena meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia yang ke-60, HACTION! mengumpulkan enam orang pembuat filem untuk merakamkan saat-saat terbaik Malaysia menerusi lensa kamera mereka.

En. Muto berkata, “Kamera digital telah mengubah dunia fotografi dan membolehkan lebih ramai orang menggunakannya serta mewujudkan lebih ramai bakat baru. Industri kamera sentiasa mencari pembaharuan dan kamera tanpa cermin kini menjadi trend di Malaysia, dengan penerbitan video semakin popular dan standard sinematografi juga turut menjadi semakin tinggi.”

“Bagi kami, perkongsian ini merupakan platform yang terbaik untuk melatih para pembuat filem tempatan dalam menghasilkan cerita yang menarik secara visual dan pada masa yang sama mempamerkan keupayaan LUMIX GH5”, tambah En. Muto.

Encik Hiroyuki Muto, Timbalan Pengarah Urusan Panasonic Malaysia

Para pembuat filem HACTION! dipilih daripada komuniti penerbit filem bebas yang mewakili gaya dan genre yang berbeza. Kebanyakan karya mereka telah menerima pengiktirafan peneraju industri tempatan dan luar negara.

Setiap pembuat filem dikehendaki menerbitkan sebuah video pendek tidak melebihi 5 minit yang menonjolkan keindahan Malaysia serta perpaduan, keamanan dan kesejahteraan sepanjang enam dekad. Keenam-enam mereka dibekalkan dengan sebuah kamera Panasonic LUMIX GH5 untuk membuat rakaman audio dan visual, dana sebanyak RM4,000 untuk penerbitan dan tempoh selama 30 hari ini menyempurnakan filem dan menyerahkan cerita pendek mereka.

Panel hakim terdiri daripada para peneraju industri yang terkemuka termasuklah Ahmad Izham Omar, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Primeworks Studios, En. Hiroyuki Muto, Timbalan Pengarah Urusan Panasonic Malaysia, dan Low Ngai Yuen, pengarah filem dan aktres sebagai hakim jemputan. Setiap filem pendek diadili berdasarkan 70% undian hakim termasuk penceritaan, suntingan dan pasca penerbitan, dan sinematografi. Manakala baki 30% undian adalah daripada orang ramai yang dibuka dari 1-21 Ogos 2017.

Pemenang filem pendek akan menerima set lengkap Panasonic LUMIX GH5, aksesori dan wang tunai sebanyak RM8,000. Siri HACTION! boleh ditonton melalui Hatch (https://www.youtube.com/wehatchyou), saluran YouTube yang dikendalikan oleh Studio8, Media Prima yang dicipta untuk menghiburkan dan memberi inspirasi kepada penonton generasi milenium bandar.

 

Martin Nguyen pays tribute to late father after winning world title in Kuala Lumpur

Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen completed his climb to the top of ONE Championship’s competitive 70.3-kilogram weight class by clinching a prestigious martial arts gold against a fierce Russian rival.

The 28-year-old Australian standout knocked out the previously unbeaten Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in their rematch and laid claim to the featherweight crown in the main event of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS last Friday, 18 August at the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Recognizing an opening, Nguyen countered Gafurov’s low kick with an overhand right that knocked out the Dagestani grappler at the center of the ONE Championship cage.

The newly-minted ONE Featherweight World Champion achieved one of his dreams by becoming a world champion in astounding fashion.However, the sweet victory was about more than just the belt for Nguyen, instead it was all for his family.Nguyen may have been a menace during his adolescence, but he never had to look far to find inspiration and set himself on the right path. For him, it was right at home and came in the form of the man he called “dad.”

“My dad worked hard just for us to get by. We were not the richest family, and we were not as poor as other people out here, but we got by. He was my sole inspiration to work hard, just the way he was able to provide for his family,” he said.

While Nguyen’s father was not particularly fond of his son stepping into the cage, he watched with a keen eye and supported him nonetheless.In July 2012, Nguyen made his professional debut and proved to be quite the talent as soon as the bell rang.Nguyen was flawless, winning every bout en route to capturing the BRACE featherweight championship belt in November 2013. Like a good son, he brought the belt to his father shortly after winning it.

“My dad looked at it. He was all happy and taking pictures with it. It was awesome,” he recalled. “And then he said, ‘Alright, you got the belt now. Enough. Just call it quits.’ No parent likes to see their child getting injured in a match or anything like that, so he said, ‘Enough now. No more.’”

Sadly, it was the last thing Nguyen’s father said to him with regard to his professional martial arts career as his dad tragically passed away just a few weeks later.

His father had undergone a bone marrow transplant so he could get more white blood cells into his body. The procedure was initially a success, but the healing process taking longer than usual.

As doctors were preparing to do more testing, Nguyen’s father contracted the flu, and that eventually turned into pneumonia and took his life.

“I never experienced any hardship or heartbreak until then, and I will never forget that day. He was in Melbourne at that time, so I flew into Melbourne to see him. Everything was happening so fast, and then he was gone. I did not even get to speak to him, and there are a lot of things I wish I could have said to him. It was heartbreaking,” Nguyen shared.

Nearly four years later, Nguyen still carries the loss of his father like an anchor around his neck.Even though Nguyen is constantly reminded of his dad, he knows that his world-title winning performance was a fitting way to pay tribute to him.With tears streaming from his eyes, Nguyen kneeled at the center of the ONE Championship cage, basking in the adulation poured upon him.While the sought-after belt is draped over his shoulder, Nguyen expressed a wondrous rhetoric in his post-bout interview.

“This is for my dad. He was my inspiration for the whole camp when I mentally broke. (He and) the boys kept me together,” he stated.

Two days after accomplishing the monumental victory and claiming the No. 1 status in ONE Championship’s stacked featherweight division, Nguyen visited his grave with the belt.

“I am doing this all for him. One big title to put the icing on the cake,” he said. “It’s the only thing I wanted to do once I got home. I hope he is so proud right now.”

 

Do Bigger Things with Samsung Galaxy Note8

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. introduces the Galaxy Note8, the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. With the Galaxy Note8, consumers get a bigger Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand, S Pen to communicate in more personal ways, and Samsung’s best-ever smartphone camera to capture stunning photos. The Galaxy Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today.

“We appreciate the relentless passion of the Note community. They’ve been a constant inspiration to us and we designed the new Note for them,” said DJ Koh, president of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “From the Infinity Display to the enhanced S Pen and a powerful Dual Camera, the Galaxy Note8 lets people do things they never thought were possible.”

Galaxy Note 8 Black

Samsung first introduced the Note series in 2011. Since then, a community of enthusiasts emerged through their affinity for Note’s signature expansive screen and S Pen. According to Samsung market research1, 85 percent of Note users say they’re proud to show off their Note and recommend it to friends, and 75 percent say it’s the best phone they’ve ever had.

Enjoy and Do More on the Infinity Display

The Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Note device, yet its narrow body makes it comfortable to hold in one hand. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scroll less. The Galaxy Note8 gives you more room to watch, read and draw—making it the ultimate multitasking smartphone.

Note users have long been able to do more with Multi Window. With the Galaxy Note8, the new App Pair feature lets you create a custom pair of apps on the Edge Panel and simultaneously launch two apps with ease. Watch a video while messaging your friends or dial into a conference call with the number and agenda in front of you2.

A New Way to Communicate with the S Pen

Since its introduction, the S Pen has been one of the Note’s defining features. With the Galaxy Note8, the enhanced S Pen unlocks entirely new ways to write, draw, and interact with the phone and communicate with friends. It has a finer tip, improved pressure sensitivity3, and features that enable users to express themselves in ways that no other stylus or smartphone ever has.

When communicating with text just isn’t enough, Live Message allows you to reveal your unique personality and tell expressive stories. With the Galaxy Note8, you can now share animated texts or drawings across platforms that support animated GIFs 4. It’s a whole new way to communicate with the S Pen—adding lively and emotional connections that bring your messages to life.

The Always On Display allows Galaxy users to stay on top of their notifications without unlocking their phone. And with the Galaxy Note8, it’s even more powerful. Screen off memo allows you to take up to one-hundred pages of notes as soon as you remove the S Pen, pin notes to the Always On Display and make edits directly from the Always On Display.

For overseas travels or when you come across a website in a foreign language, the improved S Pen Translate feature lets you hover over text to quickly translate not only individual words, but entire sentences in up to 71 languages, and instantly convert units and foreign currencies.

Better Pictures with Galaxy Note8’s Best-in-Class Camera

For most consumers, one of the things they look for when purchasing a new device is the camera. Samsung set the standard for smartphone cameras and with the Galaxy Note8, we’re delivering our most powerful smartphone camera yet.

The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphone with two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Whether you’re exploring a new city or running around your backyard, OIS lets you capture sharper images.

For more advanced photo-taking, the Galaxy Note8’s Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect in preview mode and after you take the photo.

In Dual Capture mode, both rear cameras take two pictures simultaneously and allow you to save both images; one close-up shot from the telephoto lens and one wide-angle shot that shows the entire background.

The wide-angle lens has a Dual Pixel sensor with rapid Auto Focus, so you can capture sharper, clearer shots even in low-light environments. The Galaxy Note8 is also equipped with an industry-leading 8MP Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera for sharp selfies and video chats.  

Galaxy of Features and Services

The Galaxy Note8 is built on the Galaxy legacy—a collection of unique features and capabilities that, together, have redefined the mobile experience:

  • Water and Dust Resistance: Four years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with water resistance. And today, you can take your Note almost anywhere you want with water and dust resistance (IP685) on the device and the S Pen. You can write even when the display is wet.
  • Fast Wireless Charging: Two years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with wireless charging. The Galaxy Note8 supports the most advanced wireless charging capabilities yet, so you can get a quick, convenient charge6 without having to mess around with ports or wires.
  • Security: The Galaxy Note8 offers a choice of biometric authentication options—including iris and fingerprint scanning. Samsung Knox7 provides defense-grade security at the hardware and software layers and with Secure Folder, keeps your personal and professional data separate.
  • Powerful Performance: With 6GB RAM, a 10nm processor, and expandable memory (up to 256GB), you have the power you need to browse, stream, play games, and multitask.
  • Innovative Mobile Experiences: Samsung DeX enables a desktop experience, powered by your phone. You can keep your files on your device, conduct work on the go, and use Samsung DeX when you need an even bigger screen. The Galaxy Note8 includes Bixby8, a smarter way to use your phone; it learns from you, improves over time, and helps you get more done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKYjdTiMkXM

Mobile Performance, Productivity and Security for Businesses

The Galaxy Note8 takes business innovation to the next level with advanced features that improve performance, productivity and security for a wide range of industries, simplifying how work gets done:

  • Enhanced S Pen for Business: The S Pen lets professionals do what other smartphones can’t, like discreetly taking notes in Screen off memo or quickly annotating documents and photos.
  • Non-Contact Authentication: The Galaxy Note8 offers iris scanning for professionals in the health care, construction, or public safety sectors who may find themselves in a position where they need to unlock their phones without having to swipe or scan a fingerprint.
  • Enhanced DeX Capabilities: The Galaxy Note8 powers Samsung DeX for those who need to extend their simple mobile experience seamlessly to the desktop —whether they’re in the field, at the office or at home. 

Our Continued Commitment to Safety

Samsung continues to uphold its commitment to lead the industry in battery safety. The Galaxy Note8’s battery has undergone Samsung’s 8-Point Battery Safety Check—the most rigorous in the industry.

“We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation. As a result, the Galaxy Note8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility test protocols. We look forward to maintaining our strategic relationship with Samsung and helping ensure device safety for all consumers.” said Sajeev Jesudas, President, UL International.

Galaxy Note 8 Gold

The Galaxy Note8 will be available starting in mid-September and will be offered in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue9.

In anticipation of the arrival of the Galaxy Note8 on Malaysian shores, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is structuring a special pre-order package for consumers. To those looking forward to getting their hands on Samsung’s newest and most revolutionary Note, get ready as the Galaxy Note8 will be available for pre-order from 5th to 10th September 2017. Stay tuned as more details of the pre-order package will be announced at www.samsung.com/my/note8preorder.

For more information about the Galaxy Note8 visit http://news.samsung.com/my.

Galaxy Note 8 Orchid Grey

 

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Product Specification

  Galaxy Note8
Display 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960×1440 (521ppi)

*Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners

*Default resolution is Full HD+ and can be changed to Quad HD+ (WQHD+) in Settings

Camera Rear: Dual Camera with Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)

– Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.7, OIS

– Telephoto: 12MP AF, F2.4, OIS

– 2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoom

Front: 8MP AF, F1.7

Body 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, 195g, IP68

(S Pen: 5.8 x 4.2 x 108.3mm, 2.8g, IP68)

*Carrying an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Based on test conditions of submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes

AP Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor

Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor

*May differ by market and mobile operator

Memory 6GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB/128GB/256GB

*May differ by market and mobile operator

*User memory is less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software used to operate the device features. Actual user memory will vary depending on the operator and may change after software upgrades.

SIM Card Single: one Nano SIM and one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB)

Hybrid: one Nano SIM and one Nano SIM or one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB)

*May differ by market and mobile operator

Battery 3,300mAh

Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA

Fast Charging compatible with QC 2.0

OS Android 7.1.1
Network LTE Cat. 16

*May differ by market and mobile operator

Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM,

Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*) *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited.

Payment NFC, MST
Sensors Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Authentication Lock Type: Pattern, Pin, Password

Biometric Lock Types: Iris Scanner, Fingerprint Scanner, Facial Recognition

Audio MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF, APE
Video MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

 

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

PERADUAN GORES & SENYUM PIZZA HUT BERI LEBIH BANYAK SEBAB KEPADA PELANGGAN UNTUK TERSENYUM

Sepuluh pemenang bertuah akan membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai bernilai RM35,000 setiap orang, hanya dengan menikmati hidangan beraneka di Pizza Hut, rantaian restoran pizza No.1 di negara sambil melancarkan Peraduan Gores & Senyum (Scratch & Smile Contest) bersempena dengan sambutan ulang tahunnya yang ke-35.

Bukan itu sahaja, malahan setiap pelanggan yang berbelanja RM35 atau lebih di Pizza Hut akan menjadi pemenang secara automatik. Mereka boleh memenangi hadiah wang tunai, baucar ataupun produk dengan nilai keseluruhan hadiah mencecah RM10 juta melalui peraduan ini.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, Merrill Pereyra berkata “Ulang tahun ke-35 ini menandakan satu pencapaian bersejarah untuk Pizza Hut di Malaysia. Sejak itu, kami telah menangani pelbagai cabaran, dan dengan adanya hampir 400 cawangan di seluruh negara, Peraduan Gores & Senyum ini merupakan komitmen kami untuk membawa senyuman kepada para pelanggan di Malaysia dengan pizza yang disediakan dengan segar.”

Dengan berbelanja RM35 dalam satu resit* untuk mana-mana produk Pizza Hut, pelanggan layak menerima satu kad gores. Pelanggan dikehendaki untuk menggores kad tersebut untuk mengetahui hadiah yang mereka telah menangi. Semakin banyak pelanggan berbelanja di Pizza Hut, semakin banyak kad gores yang akan mereka terima.

“Apa yang penting dalam peraduan ini ialah, kami mahu setiap pelanggan untuk mencipta memori indah dan setiap orang adalah pemenang di Pizza Hut. Ini adalah peluang terbaik bukan sahaja untuk meraikan kejayaan Pizza Hut Malaysia tapi untuk berterima kasih kepada para pelanggan di Malaysia atas sokongan mereka selama 35 tahun juga,” kata Pereyra.

Peraduan Gores & Senyum bermula daripada 1 Ogos sehingga 31 Oktober 2017 dan terbuka kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia berumur 18 tahun ke atas.

Untuk ketahui maklumat lanjut mengenai Peraduan Gores & Senyum serta Terma dan Syaratnya, layari laman web: www.pizzahut.com.my/en/contest. Dapatkan informasi terkini tentang Pizza Hut di laman web rasmi : www.pizzahut.com.my atau laman Facebook kami di: www.facebook.com/pizzahutmalaysia/.

*Di cawangan Pizza Hut untuk menikmati hidangan di restoran / dalam talian / bawa pulang / penghantaran (tidak termasuk kedai Pizza Hut Express) 

Datuk Ramli Sarip berbicara tentang misi KONSERT GALA PELARIAN

Konsert Gala Pelarian bakal diadakan pada 25 Ogos ini bertempat di Dewan Merdeka, PWTC bakal menampilkan Datuk Ramli Sarip, Ella serta Kumpulan Raihan.Ia konsert amal dalam mengumpul dana dalam meringankan derita Rohingya yang kini ramai menjadi pelarian akibat kekejaman dan kezaliman kerajaan Myanmar .

Walaupun ia adalah konsep makan malam , Datuk Ramli Sarip tidak melupakan peminat setia beliau dan menyediakan tiket tambahan yang berharga RM103 dibarisan atas tanpa makan malam , Buat peminat individu yang ingin turut serta makan malam disediakan juga tiket yang berharga antara RM200 , RM400 , RM600 dan RM800 untuk seorang .

Menurut Datuk Ramli Sarip, lagu-lagu yang bakal dipilih pada malam ini adalah lagu-lagu yang jarang atau tidak pernah dimainkan. Ia bukan hanya sekadar hiburan malah mempunyai mesej dan erti perjuangan.

“Setiap lagu ada jiwa , roh dan semangat , Jarang artis kita ada tema tertentu . Jika kita dengar seperti lagu ‘Ufuk Nurani’ yang ramai tak pernah dengar , lirik mengenai perjuangan purba , ayat purba . Jarang saya gunakan lirik tu . Ia bagaikan satu identiti , berat . Ia puisi nukilan oleh A Samad Said”

“Band mainkan peranan penting dalam konsert ini , susunan kebanyakkannya band tapi mereka kena monitor sikit dan saya sebagai Excutive Producer dan saya menekankan dalam persembahan . Saya pasti tidak ada masalah mengenai lagu , kerana 80% yang datang memang tahu muzik saya macamana”

 

“Persedian semua dah cukup , saya dah nampak character untuk show ini . Saya pun tak boleh expect sangat . Penonton yang power,mereka yang meletakkan anda dimana”

Konsert Gala Pelarian bakal diadakan pada 25 Ogos ini dengan Tiket-tiket boleh didapati secara online di www.ilassotickets.com dengan harga RM103 dibarisan atas tanpa makan malam , Buat peminat individu yang ingin turut serta makan malam disediakan juga tiket yang berharga antara RM200 , RM400 , RM600 dan RM800 untuk seorang .

EV TING SWARMS NOBUTATSU SUZUKI TO WIN BY TKO

In the co-main event of the evening, former world title challenger Ev “E.T.” Ting of Malaysia placed his name back in the winner’s column by overwhelming Japanese veteran and former ONE Welterweight World Champion Nobutatsu Suzuki to win by devastating technical knockout. From the opening bell, Ting paced himself well, keeping Suzuki at range with his accurate striking before executing the end sequence. After staggering Suzuki with a combination, Ting swarmed his opponent to score the referee stoppage.

Ev Ting vs Nobutatsu Suzuki

22-year-old Agilan “The Alligator” Thani of Malaysia authored one of the most dominant performances of the night, placing himself back on the winning track with a unanimous decision victory over Sherif “The Shark” Mohamed of Egypt. Showing off new skills and techniques that he learned from training with the world-famous Team Quest, Thani swamped Mohamed with his wrestling while stifling his opponent with submission attempts. The former world title challenger finished the three-round welterweight contest on a strong note, delivering crisp ground strikes to the delight of his roaring countrymen.

Agilan Thani vs Sherif Mohamed

Filipino knockout artist Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon completed yet another scintillating finish, his second in a row, by defeating Australian submission specialist Reece “Lightning” McLaren by knockout. Belingon finished the job in just 62 seconds, dropping his Australian opponent with a hard right straight before punctuating with follow-up strikes on the ground to compel referee Olivier Coste to step in and halt the contest. The revered Team Lakay veteran recorded his seventh knockout win as a professional with the impressive triumph over McLaren.

In a clash of high-caliber flyweights, Malaysia’s Gianni Subba captured a hard-earned victory in front of a jubilant hometown crowd by routing Japan’s Riku “The Outsider” Shibuya. Subba showcased his pinpoint accurate striking early on, peppering Shibuya with stinging right hands and spinning back-kicks in the first round. Although Shibuya easily converted his takedown attempts in the succeeding rounds to avoid striking exchanges, Subba kept himself active on the canvas, fishing for submissions while landing the more telling blows. In the end, Subba’s efforts were rewarded with a unanimous decision.

“Mighty” May Ooi of Singapore scored a major victory in her ONE Championship debut by submitting Malaysian female martial arts superstar Ann “Athena” Osman in the first round. After surviving a huge right hand from Osman, Ooi took matters to the canvas, where she maneuvered her cage counterpart with ease courtesy of her impeccable ground game. The 41-year-old Singaporean executed a flawless transition into a rear-naked choke that left Osman no choice but to tap out.

May Ooi vs Ann Osman

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke of Thailand brushed off a lackluster start to topple Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan of the Philippines via second-round technical knockout. Showcasing tremendous power with every strike and drawing cheers from the crowd after each landed blow, Dejdamrong’s thunderous knees proved too much for Catalan as the Filipino lost his footing, forcing the referee to wave it off and award the victory to the celebrated Thai kickboxer.

Christian “The Warrior” Lee of Singapore exhibited stellar form, proving himself a top featherweight contender in ONE Championship by scoring an impressive submission over Malaysia’s Keanu Subba. Both highly-touted prospects started out aggressively, but it was Lee who showed a more capable set of grappling skills. Lee spun a web of crafty grappling to overwhelm Subba as the 19-year-old Singaporean standout was able to get the submission finish in the third round, making Subba tap from a wrenching armbar.

Christian Lee vs Keanu Subba

Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia of the United States made a triumphant promotional debut in ONE Championship by edging out Team Lakay stalwart Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly of the Philippines in their three-round featherweight encounter. Urrutia relied on his solid ground game to pacify his Filipino opponent’s firepower in the stand-up trade, wearing down Kelly and steering him to a decisive victory by way of unanimous decision.

Kicking off ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS was a strawweight encounter between wushu practitioner Rene Catalan of the Philippines and Chinese grappling prodigy Bu Huo You Ga. After dropping his opponent with a clean left straight in first round, Catalan secured top control and went to work. With a dominant top game, Catalan notched his third straight victory, defeating Bu Huo as all three judges saw the bout in favor of Catalan to win by unanimous decision.

Official results for ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS

  • ONE Featherweight World Championship bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Marat Gafurov by Knockout at 1:27 minutes of round 2
  • Lightweight bout: Ev Ting defeats Nobutatsu Suzuki by TKO (Strikes) at 3:29 minutes of round 1
  • Welterweight bout: Agilan Thani defeats Sherif Mohamed by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Reece McLaren by Knockout at 1:02 minutes of round 1
  • Flyweight bout: Gianni Subba defeats Riku Shibuya by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Women’s strawweight bout: May Ooi defeats Ann Osman by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:27 minutes of round 1
  • Strawweight bout: Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke defeats Robin Catalan by TKO (Strikes) at 0:46 minutes of round 2
  • Featherweight bout: Christian Lee defeats Keanu Subba by Submission (Armbar) at 1:11 minutes of round 3
  • Featherweight bout: Emilio Urrutia defeats Edward Kelly by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Strawweight bout: Rene Catalan defeats Bu Huo You Ga by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

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.

MARTIN NGUYEN CROWNED NEW ONE FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION WITH KNOCKOUT OF MARAT GAFUROV

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again electrified the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with another evening of authentic world-class martial arts action. ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS delivered a series of compelling bouts, performed by the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent. In the main event, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen shocked the world by stopping Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in their rematch to become the new ONE Featherweight World Champion.

In the main event of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Australia completed his journey through ONE Championship’s featherweight ranks by upsetting previously-unbeaten Russian champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov via knockout within two rounds to clinch the highly-coveted ONE Featherweight World Championship. Gafurov dominated the first round with his magnificent grappling arsenal, but Nguyen found his groove in the second frame as he tore apart his Russian foe with his striking. Recognizing an opening, Nguyen countered Gafurov’s jab with an overhand right that knocked out the now former champion at the center of the ONE Championship cage. Nguyen’s remarkable conquest of Gafurov earned him the “GoDaddy Knockout of the Night” award.

Martin Nguyen, newly crowned ONE Featherweight World Champion, stated: “I just want to dedicate this fight, not only to Malaysia for being so welcoming and having such a beautiful country. This is for my dad. He was my inspiration for the whole camp when I mentally broke. (He and) the boys kept me together. I’ve got a deadly overhand right, but it’s not my only weapon. Thank you to Marat [Gafurov] for giving me the opportunity.”

Official results for ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS

  • ONE Featherweight World Championship bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Marat Gafurov by Knockout at 1:27 minutes of round 2
  • Lightweight bout: Ev Ting defeats Nobutatsu Suzuki by TKO (Strikes) at 3:29 minutes of round 1
  • Welterweight bout: Agilan Thani defeats Sherif Mohamed by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Bantamweight bout: Kevin Belingon defeats Reece McLaren by Knockout at 1:02 minutes of round 1
  • Flyweight bout: Gianni Subba defeats Riku Shibuya by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Women’s strawweight bout: May Ooi defeats Ann Osman by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:27 minutes of round 1
  • Strawweight bout: Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke defeats Robin Catalan by TKO (Strikes) at 0:46 minutes of round 2
  • Featherweight bout: Christian Lee defeats Keanu Subba by Submission (Armbar) at 1:11 minutes of round 3
  • Featherweight bout: Emilio Urrutia defeats Edward Kelly by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
  • Strawweight bout: Rene Catalan defeats Bu Huo You Ga by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

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.

All the photos below was taken by Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Celebrate Merdeka and Malaysia Day with Motorola

As Malaysia celebrates its 60th National Day, Lenovo Mobile is doubling up the joy to bring customers attractive sales promotions from 25 August (Fri) to 30 September (Sat) 2017! Lydia Foo, General Manager of Lenovo Mobile Business Group and Motorola Mobility Malaysia, said that the company wants to bring joy to Malaysians with celebration rewards.

“We are sweetening the National Day celebration with our offerings of bundle promo together with our smartphones for customers. During this promotional period, Malaysians can check out Motorola and Lenovo Mobile’s wide offerings available nationwide and redeem free gifts worth up to RM947 with a purchase of a new Motorola or Lenovo Mobile smartphone,” she said.

Exciting offers include getting the Incipio Power Pack Moto ModTM worth RM499 with the purchase of either a Moto Z or Moto Z Play; and with the purchase of selected Moto and Lenovo Mobile smartphone models, customers will also receive 12 months extended warranty and accidental damage protection worth RM 448, and other bundled free gifts such as 16GB SD Card, umbrella, backpack, Moto touch flip cover, tempered glass and screen protector.

*Promotion only applicable during Lenovo Mobile Merdeka & Malaysia Campaign period.

*Terms and conditions apply. While stocks last.

Don’t Miss Out!

The Lenovo Merdeka and Malaysia Day Campaign will be held from 25 August (Fri) to 30 September (Sat) 2017 in selected Motorola and Lenovo Mobile retail outlets. For a list of participating outlets, visit www.lenovomobile.com.my.

Stay tuned to the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MotorolaMalaysia for updates and information.

‘DO[S]A’ Kolaborasi Mega Di Antara MALAYSIA Dengan INDONESIA

Peneraju kumpulan kandungan dan konsumer di Malaysia, Astro Malaysia bakal menampilkan sebuah mini siri Nusantara premium eksklusif bertajuk DO[S]A di platform digital, ‘on demand’ seiring dengan tayangan di televisyen menerusi salah satu saluran Melayu Astro; Astro Citra. Mini siri yang dijangka akan menemui penonton pada hujung tahun ini telah memulakan sesi penggambarannya pada bulan Julai baru-baru ini di Jakarta, Indonesia serta Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Salah satu kelainan mini siri ini adalah ia menawarkan penonton untuk menyaksikan kesemua 8 episod (berdurasi satu jam bagi setiap episod) di platfom ‘on demand’ secara waktu serentak (binge watching).

DO[S]A merupakan karya asal Ketua Unit Drama Premium & Filem Astro, Saniboey Mohd Ismail dan Salman Aristo, yang turut bertindak sebagai penulis skrip untuk naskhah ini. Salman, satu nama yang cukup disegani di Indonesia merupakan penulis skrip untuk karya-karya pecah panggung seperti ‘Ayat-Ayat Cinta’, ‘Laskar Pelangi’, ‘Garuda di Dadaku’ dan ‘Sang Penari’. Pencapaian terkini Salman adalah di Festival Filem Indonesia 2016 yang mana beliau telah dinobatkan anugerah Penulis Lakon Layar Terbaik untuk filem ‘Athirah’. Turut sama terlibat sebagai penulis skrip untuk karya ini adalah saudara M Rino Sarjono.

Istimewanya lagi, mini siri ini turut mendapat sentuhan daripada pengarah terbaik Indonesia 2011 iaitu Ifa Isfansyah. Ifa Isfansyah yang merupakan seorang sutradara yang begitu begitu berbakat besar dan amat dihormati di republik ini, mula menempa nama menerusi pengarahan filem-filem hebat seperti Sang Penari’, ‘Garuda Di Dadaku’ dan Pendekar Tongkat Emas’.

Selain itu, mini siri ini akan menggunakan khidmat Pengarah Fotografi terkenal, Yandi Sugandi yang sebelum ini telah melahirkan stail visual yang cukup memukau untuk karya-karya seperti ‘Ada Apa Dengan Cinta 2’, ‘Laskar Pelangi’, ‘Sang Penari’, ‘Darah Garuda’ dan banyak lagi. Pada masa yang sama, DO[S]A turut menampilkan Cecep Arif Rahman sebagai Pengarah Koreografi adegan aksi untuk melatih dan mempersiapkan para pelakon dengan disiplin silat dan koreografi seni mempertahankan diri. Cecep sebelum ini dikenali menerusi filem Indonesia ‘The Raid: Berandal’. Menerusi pengalaman dan kekuatan yang dimiliki oleh setiap pemain utama di belakang tabir DO[S]A ini, mereka menjanjikan akan memberi kelainan pada mini siri bergenre aksi ini.

DO[S]A juga dibarisi pelakon-pelakon hebat gabungan tiga buah negara; Malaysia, Indonesia dan Singapura bagi menggerakkan setiap watak dalam jalan cerita. Nama-nama yang terlibat adalah seperti Dato’ M.Nasir, Remy Ishak dan Daniella Sya dari Malaysia, Ashraf Sinclair, Roy Marten, Maudy Koesnaedi, Hannah Al Rashid, Reuben Elishama dan Tegar Satrya dari Indonesia, serta Shenty Feliziana dan Hisyam Hamid dari Singapura.

Dianggarkan sebanyak 90 peratus dari sesi penggambaran bakal dijalankan di Jakarta, melibatkan kawasan di sekitar Jakarta Barat hingga Jakarta Timur dan selebihnya adalah di lokasi-lokasi utama di sekitar Kuala Lumpur seperti Kampung Baru, Putrajaya dan Klang. Mini siri DO[S]A dijangka sarat dengan babak-babak yang mendebarkan, aksi suspen dan ganas. Namun begitu, pada masa yang sama turut diapit dengan pergolakan emosi, ikatan kekeluargaan serta bibit percintaan.

DO[S]A mengisahkan tentang empat beradik dibesarkan oleh bapa tunggal mereka, Latif (Dato’ M.Nasir), dengan nilai-nilai kesederhanaan, pegangan agama yang kuat, dan disiplin persilatan. Fuad (Ashraf Sinclair), Farid (Remy Ishak), Fahad (Hisham Hamid), dan Fara (Shenty Feliziana) hidup bersama bapa mereka dipelusuk paling sunyi Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Di situ, mereka menjalani kehidupan hampir tersembunyi daripada masyarakat, berlatih ilmu persilatan hari demi hari. Seolah-olah bersiap-siaga untuk menghadapi sesuatu. Rungutan mereka, terutama daripada Fara yang semakin memberontak langsung tidak diendahkan oleh bapa mereka. Rutin harian yang memerlukan adik-beradik ini bertumbuk, bertendang dan berhayun parang sesama sendiri akhirnya turut mewujudkan ketegangan di antara mereka di luar gelanggang.

Perhubungan keluarga ini semakin bergolak apabila Fara berkenalan dengan seorang lelaki Indonesia, Arian (Reuben Elishama), yang tiba dari Jakarta semata-mata untuk berjumpa dengan Latif. Dalam usaha Arian melembutkan hati Fara untuk membawanya bertemu dengan Latif, mereka menjadi semakin rapat. Menyedari akan hal ini, abang sulung Fara, Fuad yang seolah-olah mengetahui tujuan Arian mencari Latif menghalang Fara untuk terus bertemu dengan Arian. Fuad kemudian bertindak mengusir Arian pulang ke Jakarta. Menjanjikan bahawa Latif tidak mahu lagi ada kaitan dengan ‘orang-orang seperti Arian’.

Berang dengan tindakan Fuad, Fara bertindak mengekori Arian ke Jakarta, tanpa mengetahui bahaya yang menanti dirinya di situ. Sebaik sahaja Fara keluar daripada pintu ketibaan di lapangan terbang Jakarta, dia terus diculik, dihumban ke dalam van, lalu dikurung di dalam sebuah gudang.

Tidak mengetahui nasib adik mereka, Fuad, Farid dan Fahad dihantar Latif ke Jakarta untuk membawa adik mereka pulang. Di sana, ketiga-tiga beradik itu sering mendapati diri mereka diserang tanpa sebab yang pasti, sekaligus memaksa mereka untuk mempertahankan diri di dalam pertempuran-pertempuran yang ganas. Arian yang baru mendengar mengenai berita penculikan Fara turut berganding bahu membantu abang-abang Fara. Semakin lama mereka di Jakarta, semakin banyak yang mereka mula fahami tentang asal usul keluarga mereka dan siapa bapa mereka yang sebenarnya. Sebelum mereka sedari, mereka terjerumus di tengah-tengah pergelutan kuasa di dalam dunia kongsi gelap Jakarta. Hanya mereka yang mampu mengakhirkan perang ini, walau sebesar mana pengorbanan yang diperlukan.

*Semua video diatas dirakam dengan Canon EOS #5DMIV

Australia-born Reece McLaren aims to personify Filipino warrior’s heart in cage return

“Who is Reece McLaren?” That was the question of the night during the ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS fight week in December 2015 when he surfaced as Jordan Lucas’ late replacement to face Filipino-American sensation Mark “Mugen” Striegl.

Striegl was supposed to have an easy night against a relatively-unknown Australian martial artist entering a high-profile bout on eight days notice, but McLaren begged to disagree and educated everyone about who he is and what he is capable of.

McLaren pulled off a major upset in his promotional debut by submitting Striegl with a rear-naked choke in the aforementioned event’s co-headliner.

Showcasing his never-say-die attitude, McLaren overcame a series of takedowns and a second-round knockdown against the highly-favored Striegl, but he methodically chipped away with stinging leg kicks.

As his counterpart appeared to lose steam in the final frame, McLaren countered a weary takedown attempt with solid elbows before he advanced to Striegl’s back to latch on the bout-ending choke at the 3:33 mark of the third round.

After his impressive conquest of Striegl, the thousands inside the state-of-the-art SM Mall of Asia Arena were instantly introduced to the name of Reece “Lighting” McLaren.

However, what actually shocked an additional number of Pinoy fans was the fact that he also had Filipino heritage like Striegl.

The 25-year-old native of Gold Coast, Queensland revealed that his father, whom he never met while growing up, was Filipino.

Even without the formal orientation to the culture of his father’s country, McLaren admitted that he always feels the sense of pride about his Filipino lineage.

“My father is actually Filipino. However, I have never met him and never grew up with any Filipino culture. But I have always told people that I am half-Filipino. You can say that I’m proud to be Pinoy,” he said.

Although ONE Championship gave him minimal time to prepare for Striegl, McLaren accepted the challenge because this was his chance to set foot on Philippine soil.

“I had always wanted to come to the Philippines and Manila being the capital city. It was a chance I had to take,” he recalled.

McLaren described his grueling encounter with Striegl as hitting two birds with one stone as it likewise raised his stock as a prizefighter.

“I felt like this was my opportunity to get myself on the world stage. I also knew it would be my chance to get noticed. Mark is a very followed fighter with a massive fan-base,” he said.

Being made public that he is half-Filipino, McLaren considers it as an achievement on his part as he has been the Pinoy youngster on his locale’s block.

“I think it’s great. Growing up, I’ve been called it all the time. I was pushed down in the dirt many times, so getting recognition for being who I am was nice. I’m a proud Filipino kid,” he stated.

McLaren made two trips to the Philippines in 2016, defeating Tajik prospect Muin Gafurov by way of unanimous decision in April before locking horns with Brazilian legend Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes for the coveted ONE Bantamweight World Championship eight months later.

On the back of four consecutive victories, McLaren entered the biggest match of his professional career as he squared off with Fernandes inside the ONE Championship cage.

McLaren believed that he did enough to become the new champion after five rounds of battle as he tested Fernandes like no one else in ONE Championship had done before, but it was not meant to be as he lost a narrow split decision to the reigning bantamweight kingpin.

“I did not do enough, I guess,” McLaren lamented with eight months removed from the fateful decision.

Known by the moniker “Lightning” due to his swift submission triumphs, McLaren has been patiently waiting for another chance ever since, yearning for another opportunity to showcase his elite abilities.

McLaren sees a big reward if he plays his cards right against Kevin Belingon as both men are set to collide on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday, 18 August.

While Belingon also yielded to Fernandes in January 2016, the Filipino knockout artist has recovered strongly by outpointing Muin Gafurov in October 2016 and then thwarting Toni “Dynamite” Tauru this past April.

Both Belingon and McLaren desperately want a rematch against Fernandes, and the latter stressed that the winner of this highly-anticipated bantamweight contest should be next in line for the gold-plated strap.

“He (Belingon) looks like he has good balance and good takedown defense on the cage. His stand-up striking is obviously phenomenal. We are the only two that have defeated the other bantamweights in the top five. We definitely deserve another title shot,” McLaren acknowledged.

McLaren may assume the underdog role yet again versus a celebrated Filipino martial arts superstar, but if he once more proves his mettle and overcomes Belingon, then “Lightning” could very well get the championship rematch that he has been longing for.

“Hopefully, the outcome of this bout will go to my favor, and we can do the rematch later. I would love a quick turnaround. I am ready. Let’s keep it going,” he emphasized.

The 5-foot-6 submission specialist stressed that his back has always been against the wall in most of his matches, but he managed to rise to the occasion.

“I’ve been the underdog most of my career. When we took the fight with Mark (Striegl), I was there to win. I didn’t take the fight just to fill in. I’m no pincushion,” McLaren shared.

McLaren seeks to follow in the path of the tradition of Philippine combat competitors who exemplified the true spirit of a warrior inside the cage.

“I have tremendous respect for all Filipino warriors. I tip my hat off to them. I am proud to say that I have the same warrior spirit in my blood because I am half-Filipino. In my upcoming bout, I am looking to personify that trait,” he ended.

Marat Gafurov seeks to extend dominant reign as ONE Championship’s featherweight king

After fireworks erupted at the glamorous Cotai Arena of The Venetian Macao in Macao, China nearly two weeks ago, ONE Championship shifts focus immediately to its next blockbuster event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday, 18 August.

Taking place at the iconic Stadium Negara, ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS features a highly-anticipated featherweight rematch between division kingpin Marat “Cobra” Gafurov and Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen as its headliner.

Both men initially crossed paths in September 2015 when Nguyen took a very short-notice bout against Gafurov for the interim ONE Featherweight World Championship belt.

Gafurov had a short night with Nguyen as he forced Nguyen to wave the white flag in just 41 seconds with his signature rear-naked choke.

“Martin Nguyen was a substitute, but he was ready. I did not make any specific adjustments for that bout. I wanted to strike with him, but he decided to grapple, and you all saw the result,” Gafurov recalled.

The 32-year-old native of Dagestan, Russia seeks to accomplish an encore performance against Nguyen, who was able to ace his four next assignments with flying colors since yielding to Gafurov.

“He is a good competitor and has potential, but I do not think he is on my level. This bout is going to be exactly like the first one. It will end the same way. I am confident of my skills. My martial arts, my grappling, my conditioning – all of that makes me confident,” he said.

Widely regarded as one of ONE Championship’s most dominant titleholders, Gafurov became the organization’s official featherweight kingpin two months later after defeating Nguyen.

Gafurov captured the gold-plated strap by compelling then-champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia to tap with his go-to submission hold.

Ever since becoming the undisputed ONE Featherweight World Champion, Gafurov has recorded two successful title defenses, submitting multi-division DEEP titlist Kazunori Yokota in May 2016 before tapping out Jadambaa again in their second meeting six months later.

Gafurov’s last victory marked his sixth consecutive rear-naked choke finish and his ninth overall, which could very well be a world record in the sport.

“I do not try to look for the rear naked choke in particular. It is just the way it happens, and I always take advantage of my opportunities,” Gafurov shared.

Gafurov will most certainly take advantage of that opportunity when he defends the belt for the third time against Nguyen at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS as the latter has evolved since their first encounter.

“If I see an opening in the bout, I will go for it. There are a lot of options. But if that’s the quickest way to win, I will grab it without thinking twice,” he stated.

Gafurov respects his opponent’s skillset and is quick to offer that Nguyen’s striking arsenal is best attribute.

“He is really good in the stand-up trade. Moreover, he has show signs of improvement in his last matches. Martin is well-rounded and has bit of everything,” he assessed.

Nguyen is on an absolute tear and has shown steady improvement in each outing, notching high-profile victories over the Philippines’ Edward Kelly, China’s Li Kai Wen, Singapore’s Christian Lee, and former title challenger Yokota.

Although many cageside observers predicts that Gafurov will have his hands full with Nguyen this time around, the Russian champion begs to disagree as he believes their talents are worlds apart and history will repeat itself in the rematch.

“I will do what I need to do on Friday, which is to win. It’s going to be the same story. I will still be the champion,” he confidently stressed.

Rejuvenated Ev Ting leans on new mindset to get first win after title setback

After falling short in his first world title contest four months ago, Malaysian-Kiwi dynamo Ev “E.T.” Ting has developed a new attitude as he intensely prepares for his return to the ONE Championship cage.

Determined to reinsert his name into the winner’s column, Ting is slated to lock horns with former ONE Welterweight World Champion Nobutatsu Suzuki in a three-round lightweight encounter on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday, 18 August.

Ting took his best shot last April when he challenged Filipino martial arts superstar Eduard “Landslide” Folayang for the coveted ONE Lightweight World Championship title.

The two highly-decorated combatants engaged in a thrilling five-round duel that put fans at the 20,000-capacity SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines at the edge of their seats.

Tin kept moving forward with his relentless and explosive attacks for 25 minutes, but Folayang was masterfully counter striking him and controlling him in the clinch, which was enough to earn a unanimous decision victory.

Although Ting knew that he sported his best foot against Folayang, it was a bitter disappointment on his part.

“It was very surreal. I was trying to engage in the bout. I was trying to create some scrambles and initiate some action. Obviously, his game plan was to stay defensive and counter my aggression. So, what I would do differently in future is be more patient, and sit things out rather than force it. But yeah, it was definitely a tough bout,” he recalled.

Following his decision setback to Folayang, Ting opted to shy away from the spotlight and took a solid two-week break from training to heal his mind and body holistically.

During his vacation, Ting made up for lost time with his family as they travelled to Japan for seven days, where they shopped at malls, immersed themselves in Japanese culture, and savored the local cuisine.

With a lot of free time, the 28-year-old Malaysian-Kiwi warrior then flew back home to Auckland, New Zealand for a relaxed period of barbecues and wine with close friends and relatives.

It was during one of those barbecue sessions that Ting reflected on his journey and took some valuable lessons away from that heartbreaking loss.

“I see it as a blessing in disguise. It changed my whole mindset and attitude towards things. I am training smarter and looking after my health little more, so the blessing is to stay hungry, and keep pursuing what I am good at. I feel only good things are going to happen from here,” he bared.

Ting’s quest to place himself back on the winning track begins at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS, where he faces a returning seasoned competitor in Suzuki.

Suzuki, a Kyokushin Karate black belt and five-time heavyweight champion in the discipline, has won ten of his 15 bouts by way knockout.

With a professional record of 11-2-2, Suzuki is adept in both striking and grappling, also possessing well-rounded wrestling ability.

The 39-year-old native of Tokyo, Japan is best remembered as the man who claimed the inaugural ONE Welterweight World Championship in March 2014 after defeating Brock Larson via unanimous decision.

Even if Suzuki appears to be a tough assignment for him, Ting stressed that his eagerness to win keeps himself confident that he will have his hand raised against the Japanese veteran.

“He is only a human, and everyone is beatable. I always put that in my mind. That’s why I confident and focused. I know on 18th of August that I will prevail over Nobutatsu Suzuki,” he stated.

“He is a tough guy, and all of his wins are KOs, so he is no joke. I am quite happy to be facing a former champion and testing my skills. Obviously, he is a striker, so if I wanted to be smart, I would for work the takedown and go for the submission. But, I am a little bit stubborn, so I may stand and trade with him, and see where it goes,” Ting added.

To train for the bout, Ting is incorporating many of the lessons he learned in his recent world title loss to Folayang into his current training camp.

“Previously, I just wanted to cram in as much training and knowledge. But now, my eyes see it from another perspective. It is just about capitalizing on what you are really good at, and working towards a finish rather than exploring everywhere,” he explained.

Ting might have stumbled in his bid to become the first Malaysian to win a world title in the sport, but the defeat has ultimately made him a smarter and wiser cage competitor.

“If you are very smartly invested in your camp, and have the same consistent people drilling the same necessary things you need for your bout, then that is just being smart. You are looking after your body and making sure it is in its prime condition. I really just have a new attitude towards competing,” he ended.