One Championship’s Angela Lee is bringing martial arts lower back domestic to Asia – and that they say it’s approximately time

“I think the fight of the night is probably going to visit Angela versus Jingnan,” he brought. “So lots is at stake. Two international champions dealing with off at a higher weight elegance. It’s gonna be so interesting.” Sunday’s show should take place in Japan – it seems like Asian MMA’s completion, with a host of superstars coming to Asia for an event built on the back of former heroes. The press conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Tokyo, was filled with combatants from all over the international – not just One Championship and Japanese national promotions, however also the UFC, the American company which has ruled the scene of MMA for the reason that its rise to mainstream prominence over the past decade. It changed into a demonstration of ways for the business enterprise has come inside the 3 brief years because Lee won her atomweight title, turning into at 19 the game’s youngest-ever world champion at the same time. In Lee and Xiong, the One employer is likewise showcasing its most excellent strengths and promoting points – combatants who resonate through the Asian diaspora.

Japan’s Shinya Aoki is headlining the event against One lightweight champion Eduard Folayang – a nod of respect to the country and neighborhood spectators. Lee and Jingnan will probably be of the greater hobby to international audiences. “Japan has continually been a historical vicinity in phrases of martial arts, whether it’s been MMA, kickboxing, or karate. I’m so glad,” Chatri said. “But additionally, on a non-public degree, I’m 1/2 Japanese. My mom changed into within the target audience at the clicking conference, so I must be a good boy!” Self-made multimillionaire and Harvard MBA Chatri waxed lyrical about One’s project to sell “values, heroes, stories” in preference to horrific blood as a way to draw viewers. He feels the West has tainted martial arts. “If you are taking a tale like Eduard Folayang, born on the lowest rung of society, illiterate mother and father, nine brothers and sisters, 5 who passed away, he became a world champion, fought thru poverty, adversity, tragedy. This can encourage everybody in the Philippines, whether you’re an avenue youngster, a CEO, a nurse, an engineer, a health practitioner, you may take lessons from Folayang,” Chatri said.

“That’s the thing approximately One Championship. We are unleashing real lifestyles superheroes who provide the sector with desire, dreams, strength, and proposal. It’s a whole exceptional task. Every different business enterprise in the global that we compete against, their process and challenge is promoting fights. We are building heroes for the complete world to have fun.” Key to Chatri’s struggle is the 22-12 months-old Lee, who pursuits to make records as a two-weight champion while she takes on strawweight titlist, Xiong. The two girls shook arms, and there were no scuffles on the face off of a press conference that also featured the debuting Eddie Alvarez – the previous UFC star represented the first-rate coup for One when he signed late last year in conjunction with Demetrious Johnson, who also debuts on Sunday. And who can forget the antics Conor McGregor unleashed on Alvarez inside the construct-up to their massive UFC lightweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in November 2016.

Chatri has formerly said McGregor will by no means have a place in One Championship – an ambitious statement, given the Irishman’s field office bankability. “You realize, Conor’s going through a difficult time for my part,” Chatri stated while asked about McGregor’s current shock retirement from MMA. The 30-12 months-vintage is also reportedly the situation of a sexual assault accusation. “And so I just want him properly. We’re all human; we make mistakes.” Reeling off a list of sponsors that would make any considerable enterprise blush, Chatri honestly has plans to make money other ways than thru pay-per-view buys sold on the return of insults. “So among the top global superstars have already made inbound requests to One Championship. You’ll be stunned at how many names need to come back right here. This is the very beginning. Mark my phrases,” he stated. UFC legend Vitor Belfort, One’s recent megastar signing, is on the town, and so is his fellow Brazilian Rafael Dos Anjos.