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Finally, Go nails first title as pro
With a commanding lead, Lloyd Go turned the final round of the ICTSI Palos Verdes Championship into a victory lap Friday, essaying a four-stroke victory over Michael Bibat and Guido van der Valk despite a 74 at the Rancho Palos Verdes and Sports Club......»»
Gilas Pilipinas’ sweet, vengeful SEA Games win
GILAS Pilipinas’ vengeful win against an import-laden Cambodian basketball team marked its return to the top spot of the Southeast Asian Games or SEAG men’s basketball championships. It was a sweet victory for the Philippines men’s basketball team, as it was glaring how the Cambodians, the 32nd SEAG’s host country, took advantage of the rules by fielding more naturalized players than other competing countries. Though this may be allowed, it does not bode well for the tournament and the sport. Why so? Other countries, including the Philippines, continue to identify and develop players from the grassroots levels. And if tournaments, such as the recent SEAG Men’s Basketball competition, allow host countries to field more naturalized players than others, how does this promote fair play among competing nations? Luckily, after losing to Cambodia in the early group stage, Gilas booked a rematch against the home team for the gold medal. And this time, the Philippine squad came prepared with a sound plan despite unfavorable court conditions and the lopsided lineup of mainly naturalized Cambodian players. Gilas’ offensive and defensive strategy helped them stave off comeback attempts and left the Cambodians to settle for a silver medal. The three-point shooting of naturalized forward Justin Brownlee, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Newsome, and CJ Perez helped Gilas spread the floor, allowing our big men to dominate and score in the shaded area. Gilas shot slightly better with its 47.8 percent field goal percentage versus Cambodia’s 41.9 percent. Gilas also outrebounded the Cambodians by four boards at 40 rebounds versus 36 rebounds. The intense shooting, ability to draw fouls, minimizing turnovers, the solid defensive performance resulting in six steals and three blocked shots helped propel Gilas Pilipinas to win its 19th Southeast Asian Games Gold Medal. ‘This is a reminder to our country and the Southeast Asian Region that upholding the values of fair play, sportsmanship, and the love for country triumphs all’ In his congratulatory message to Coach Chot Reyes, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Chairman Emeritus Manuel V. Pangilinan said he was happy to be proven wrong with the gold medal victory of Gilas. MVP earlier tweeted his concern over Gilas’ defeat to Cambodia in the group stage. SBP President Alfredo S. Panlilio also commended Gilas, saying, “Gilas showed that the pride of fighting for our country is stronger than any motivation. The team played through substandard conditions in the court under the sweltering heat and overcame bumps and bruises to make us all proud.” He added, “This is a reminder to our country and the Southeast Asian Region that upholding the values of fair play, sportsmanship, and the love for country triumphs all.” Gilas Head Coach Chot Reyes acknowledged that the earlier defeat to Cambodia brought the team together. “They’re united, and they stuck together. I’m just so proud of what we’ve done. We came here for the gold medal, and we’ve done it.” SBP also expressed gratitude to the Philippine Basketball Association and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for allowing players from both leagues to represent the country in the 32nd SEAG. “On behalf of the SBP, I would like to thank UAAP, the PBA, its team owners, and the Board of Governors again for allowing its players to be part of the Gilas Team that won the Gold Medal in a hard-fought match against the host country,” Panlilio said in his letter to the two basketball associations. He added that SBP is aware of the PBA’s contribution to basketball’s growth, development, and success in the country. “The competitiveness in the league allowed Gilas to rise above the challenge it faced in Cambodia,” Panlillio added. The PBA players participating in the SEA Games were Justin Brownlee, CJ Perez, Christian Standhardinger, Chris Ross, Calvin Oftana, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, and Chris Newsome. Among the UAAP collegiate players were Adamson’s Jerome Lastimosa, Ateneo’s Mason Amos, and La Salle’s Michael Philips. As the country prepares to host the most prestigious World Cup FIBA basketball championship in August this year, Panlilio calls on all basketball stakeholders to unite in supporting Gilas Pilipinas as we compete in the international arena. Gilas Pilipinas’ strong performance, fueled by its heart and will to succeed, should inspire every Filipino to give their best in all the challenges they meet in life. The post Gilas Pilipinas’ sweet, vengeful SEA Games win appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas training intensifies
Gilas Pilipinas shifts its training to high gear in preparation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. Gilas team manager Butch Antonio told Daily Tribune that they will have an intense nine-day training in Manila before leaving for Phnom Penh on 6 May, just in time for the opening of the men’s basketball event on 9 May at the Elephant Hall 2 inside the Morodok Techo Stadium. “We will practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Then, we’ll take a break on Saturday. We will resume on Sunday until before departure on 6 May,” Antonio said. Leading the way for Gilas Pilipinas will be players from TNT Tropang Giga and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel – the protagonists in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup best-of-seven finals series that wrapped up last week. Tropang Giga stars Calvin Oftana and Poy Erram as well as Kings stars Japeth Aguilar, Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Jeremiah Gray, Scottie Thompson, and naturalized player Justin Brownlee will be at the helm when the Filipinos reclaim the glory they lost to Indonesia in the previous edition of the Games in Hanoi. For good measure, Gilas coach Chot Reyes invited Filipino-American hotshot Mikey Williams to be part of the pool following the absence of injured Roger Pogoy. Playing for the national team has been a dream of the 31-year-old gunner from Los Angeles. The closest thing he ever got to represent the country was when he played for Mighty Sports in the William Jones Cup and the Dubai International Tournament. Pogoy was supposed to join the aspirants but was sidelined by a fractured pinky he suffered in the middle of their championship series. He was reduced into a mere cheerleader starting Game 4 and was ruled out for the biennial meet. Also sitting out will be June Mar Fajardo, who suffered a torn medial collateral ligament during his stint with San Miguel Beer in the East Asia Super League last March. Although the six-time PBA Most Valuable Player is already doing strengthening procedures, he has yet to do some on-court workouts and scrimmages. A member of the national team program for a decade now, Fajardo confirmed to Daily Tribune that he will not be able to see action in the biennial meet. “I haven’t had hard court activities yet because I’m still doing some strengthening exercises,” said Fajardo, who appeared fit when he showed up as one of the local ambassadors of FIBA World Cup during the partnership launching of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, San Miguel Beer and Cignal/TV5. “I haven’t even touched a basketball as I’m more focused on my rehab.” While Pogoy and Fajardo won’t be able to see action, returning Ginebra veteran forward Japeth Aguilar is determined to rejoin the team, according to Kings coach Tim Cone, who serves as one of the assistant coaches of Reyes at Gilas along with the younger Reyes and Jong Uichico. “He certainly wants to join and play,” wrote Cone in a Viber message. “But only if he’s 100 percent fit and that is to be determined by the SBP medical team.” Aguilar is also coming off a knee injury and he only returned to action midway the championship series. Other PBA players included in the Gilas pool are CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross of San Miguel Beer, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of NLEX, Chris Newsome, Aaron Black and Raymond Almazan of Meralco, collegiate stars Michael and Ben Phillips and Kevin Quiambao of La Salle, incoming Ateneo forward Mason Amos and Adamson’s Jerom Lastimosa. The post Gilas training intensifies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
TNT bags title
Mikey Williams saved his best for last and carried TNT to a historic first-ever championship in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors' Cup as the Tropang Giga finished the best-of-seven championship Friday night with a 97-93 win over Barangay Ginebra. Williams put on a shooting clinic, hitting nine treys and finishing the game with 38 points as the Tropang Giga completed their date with the destiny of finally winning the season-ending tournament in front of 13,558 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. While TNT captured its first Governors' Cup, head coach Jojo Lastimosa and Calvin Oftana also cherished the moment of winning the first championships of their respective careers. Winning a title right in his first conference as a mentor, Lastimosa joined the elite cast of coaches to win just in their maiden conference. His feat enabled him to join Narciso Bernardo (1984 First All-Filipino Conference, Crispa), Chot Reyes (1993 All-Filipino, Coney Island), Eric Altamirano (1997 All-Filipino, Purefoods), Ryan Gregorio (2002 Governors' Cup, Purefoods) and Joel Banal (2003 All-Filipino, TNT) as debuting tacticians who struck paydirt right away. Oftana, on the other hand, won his first championship as a PBA player. Plucked from NLEX in the mid-season in a trade involving top overall rookie pick Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and veteran forward Troy Rosario, Oftana immediately became an impact player for the Tropang Giga. In Game 6, the Tropang Giga battled foul trouble in the early goings with Poy Erram and Calvin Oftana each nursing three fouls in the first half as Barangay Ginebra played with much sense of urgency and dictated the tempo, leading by as many as 11 points, 44-33, on Scottie Thompson's two free throws with 4:17 left before the half time break. But the first half was practically a one-man show for Mikey Williams, who torched the nets for 26 points and hit seven-of-12 shots from beyond the arc to keep the Tropang Giga in the thick of the fight. Williams' 26 points in the first half were the most by a local player in the first half since Game 2 of the best-of-seven championship series between TNT and Rain or Shine in the 2015 Commissioner's Cup when Jayson Castro pumped in 27 points. Castro, a seven-time PBA champion, is still playing for the Tropang Giga, but his role has diminished as the franchise's sixth man. A scoring champion two years ago, Williams, a Finals Most Valuable Player when TNT last won the title in the 2021 Philippine Cup, also had 26 points in the second half of TNT's 98-106 loss to Magnolia in Game 3 of their 2021 Philippine Cup best-of-seven championship series. Willaims had taken over in the first half as import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson acted more like a facilitator, giving the local players good looks to the basket. Hollis-Jefferson, the newly-minted Best Import, scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but could only make three of his 10 shots from the field in the first 24 minutes of play. The post TNT bags title appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brandon Vera moves from ONE circle to big screen after retirement
Vera, 45, suffered a loss against Iran's Amir Aliakbari via TKO in the opening round of their contest in the main card of ONE Championship's return to Manila......»»
ONE Heavyweight Champ Brandon Vera talks fatherhood, family life, and fighting
It’s not easy being a world champion, also one of the most dominant fighters in a global martial arts organization like ONE Championship, and balancing that with personal life. For reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, this has become extra challenging, having become a new father after welcoming his son Atreyu Timothy […] The post ONE Heavyweight Champ Brandon Vera talks fatherhood, family life, and fighting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Vera breaks down Bhullar& rsquo;s game plan ahead of heavyweight title defense
Reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is ready to face the toughest challenge in ONE Championship so far......»»
Vera reacts to Aliakbari KO: Worry about that person standing in front of you
Reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is deep in training, preparing for his upcoming world title defense, but had enough time to spare to catch ONE Championship’s latest blockbuster event last Friday night, ONE: FISTS OF FURY II......»»
Aliakbari, 3 others want shot at Vera
ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera will watch closely when ONE Championship rolls out the previously recorded ONE: FISTS OF FURY II set for this Friday, March 5. .....»»
Vera shares experience on The Apprentice
Reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is among a handful of martial arts superstars to guest on upcoming reality television show, “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.”.....»»
Mixed martial artist champ Vera is Holcim& rsquo;s brand ambassador
Building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. has partnered with mixed martial arts organization ONE Championship and its heavyweight world champion, Brandon “The Truth” Vera, for a campaign to highlight the company’s strong legacy of excellence in helping partners build important structures in the country......»»
Eduard Folayang, Brandon Vera among Filipinos to return to ONE Championship action soon
Folayang, in particular, will see action as soon as October 30 in ONE: Inside the Matrix in Singapore......»»
ONE Championship chief: Brandon Vera could defend heavyweight belt any time
Vera had recently welcomed a son with his wife in Guam, the Singapore-based promotion is giving the Fil-Am fighter some time to get used to fatherhood before calling him up......»»
Former ONE champ Kevin Belingon becomes a father
Former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin "The Silencer" Belingon is now a father! The Team Lakay star and his wife Lee welcomed a baby girl into the world on August 18th, and "The Silencer" made shared the wonderful news on social media. The 32-year old Belingon last saw action back in October of 2019, coming up short in his attempt to reclaim the ONE Bantamweight World Championship against reigning titleholder Bibiano Fernandes at ONE: Century in Japan. Belingon dethroned Fernandes for the title back in 2018, before losing it via Disqualification in March of 2019. When Belingon returns to action, whenever that may be, you can bet that "The Silencer" will have extra motivation to return to the win column. Just last month, fellow Filipino world champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera also became a father, welcoming a baby boy. .....»»
Iranian wrestling champ eyes Brandon Vera s ONE heavyweight title
Greco-Roman wrestling world champion Amir Aliakbari of Iran has recently signed with ONE Championship. And this early, he wants a crack at Fil-Am Brandon “The Truth” Vera’s heavyweight belt......»»
Fatherhood pushes Brandon Vera to new status
There are a lot of challenges waiting for reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera inside the ONE Championship Circle......»»
Iranian heavyweight Amir Aliakbari calls out Filipino-American champ Brandon Vera
Reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera need not look far for willing challengers. The Filipino-American heavyweight king is expected to defend his title against Indian-Canadian challenger Arjan Bhullar in the future, but already, challengers are lining up and calling the champ out. One of them is newly-signed Iranian heavyweight Amir Aliakbari. The 32-year old former World Champion Greco-Roman wrestler inked his deal with Asia-based martial arts promotion ONE Championship back in early August, and he wasted little time in making his objective in the company known. View this post on Instagram @onechampionship give me your m* f* champion i cant wait anymore. im the best ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ???? #fights#onefc#amiraliakbari##knockout #kickboxing #wrestling #MixedMartialArts#amiraliakbari#onechampionship #one #imthebest #WeAreONE A post shared by Amirali Akbari (@amiraliakbari60) on Aug 5, 2020 at 11:41pm PDT The 10-1 heavyweight posted a photo of himself and Vera, accompanied by a pretty strong-sounding caption. "ONE Championship, give me your m* f* champion, I can't wait anymore. I'm the best," Aliakbari wrote. Aliakbari made a name for himself competing in Japan under the Rizin FF promotion, before a stint in Russia. He has notable wins over the likes of PRIDE FC veteran Heath Herring and Geronimo Dos Santos. His lone loss came against MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop......»»
New dad Brandon Vera says fatherhood a source of motivation
Reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is now a father. The Filipino-American mixed martial arts star and his wife Jessica welcomed their son Atreyu Timothy into the world back in July, and it’s given the 42-year old a renewed sense of motivation. Vera, who has been ONE’s heavyweight king since 2015, says that like winning inside the cage, words simply cannot describe the feeling of becoming a dad. “I can’t describe how Atreyu was born just like I can’t describe what it’s like to win in the ONE Circle. It’s two peas in the same pod, no words would ever do that justice,” Vera said. “There was one moment when Atreyu first came out, I was in such joy that I threw my arms up in the air and looked straight up at the ceiling and started crying and smiling, thinking, ‘Wow, this is what everyone talks about.’” Much like most fathers in the fight game, Vera says that the birth of his child has become a source of energy. “It is easier to wake up. I can agree with this statement. I feel more motivated. I get tired less. I don’t know how and why, but that happened,” Vera explained. The difference is, Vera says that he’s always had family in his mind, which isn’t necessarily the case for other new fathers. “Everybody keeps saying priorities change, I am not of that same mindset. Family has always been number one for me. I have been waiting for a long time to change diapers, feed the baby, and train with my child in the gym. All plans are still the same. We’re the World Champ, we act accordingly and we keep our title until we decide it is time for the next step.” “Honestly, I re-realize I’m a father every day I open my eyes and see him. Being a father is not only a very important path in life, it’s also a very serious one for me where my teachings and actions will and can help mold Atreyu into a person to help this world,” Vera continued. That newfound energy and motivation should come in handy once Vera makes his long-awaited return to action. The reigning heavyweight king is expected to defend his ONE Heavyweight World Championship against Indian-Canadian challenger Arjan Bhullar......»»
Arjan Bhullar promises to be tough test for ONE heavyweight king Brandon Vera
When Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera finally makes his return to action, it will likely come against top heavyweight contender Arjan "Singh" Bhullar. The Indian-Canadian heavyweight, who had an impressive run in the UFC before jumping over to Asia-based ONE Championship, was impressive in his promotional debut, dominating former title contender Mauro Cerrilli en route to a unanimous decision win. The win over Cerrilli was enough to earn Bhullar a title shot, and now, he looks to do for India what Vera did for the Philippines. “I respect Vera for what he has accomplished in this sport. For how long he has been fighting the best, for how he has represented ONE as a champion, for what he has done for the Philippines and the Filipino people, and for what he has done for himself and his family," said Bhullar. "I want to do all of that and more for myself, for India, for Indians worldwide, and for ONE." “Vera is a great ambassador for the sport and has treated me with the utmost respect. The feelings are mutual, until we become competitors in the Circle," Bhullar continued. Vera, who has been ONE's heavyweight king since 2015, has yet to lose in the division, and has never gone past the first round against other heavyweights as well. As far as experience goes, Vera - who also made a name for himself in the UFC - has the distinct advantage. “His strengths are clear. He has a tremendous amount of experience and has seen all the different looks a fighter can see in the cage. He can fight out of both stances, going forward and backward. He is well-rounded everywhere, and has excellent Muay Thai. That has allowed him to finish every single heavyweight threat he has faced,” said Bhullar. In ONE, Vera holds wins over the likes of Igor Subora, Paul Cheng, Hideki Sekine, and Cerrilli. Bhullar, a former Canadian National Wrestling Team member, is by far the toughest test tha Vera will face in ONE's heavyweight ranks. “But none of those guys were named Arjan Singh Bhullar, nor bring what I do to the Circle," Bhullar confidently stated. Compared to Vera, who is widely regarded as one of the faces of ONE, Bhullar is a relative unknown. If he can dethrone Vera however, it's hard to not see the 34-year old become a household name, not just in India, but in the world as well. “I'm younger. I'm hungrier to get what I haven't yet. I have been pursuing the opportunity to be a world champion since I was in diapers. I am a lifelong athlete who still lives and breathes competition to the fullest. I don't have any other distractions or priorities in my life,” said Bhullar. Bhullar's main motivation is to be able to bring pride to India, and he's highly confident that he can get the job done against ONE's most dominant heavyweight star. “I have an entire nation and people worldwide who are supporting my quest. I have the skills that have proved problematic for Vera in his losses in the past. I have the strongest mindset to get this job done, which will carry me through the most extreme conditions. I am a winner. I am one billion strong.” .....»»
ONE champ Aung La N Sang tests positive for COVID-19
Two-division ONE World Champion Aung La N Sang revealed on his Instagram account Friday morning that he has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. View this post on Instagram Dear family and friends, I got tested for covid-19 on Monday and the result came back today and I am positive. So my family and I will be quarantining ourselves for the next 14 days. I had a slight fever, congestion, body ache and fatigue on the first two days. Besides that I am blessed that my whole family is doing well. We are really in this together and we will get over this. A post shared by Aung La Nsang (@aunglansang) on Jul 2, 2020 at 2:21pm PDT “I got tested for COVID-19 on Monday and the result came back today and I am positive,” wrote ONE Championship’s reigning middleweight and light heavyweight titleholder. “So my family and I will be quarantining ourselves for the next 14 days.” “I had a slight fever, congestion, body ache and fatigue on the first two days. Besides that, I am blessed that my whole family is doing well. We are really in this together and we will get over this,” Aung La N Sang continued. The 35-year old was born in Myanmar, but moved to the United States in 2004. He now lives in Ford Lauderdale, Florida, and trains out of the Sanford MMA stable, formerly known as Hard Knocks 365, under legendary kickboxer and trainer Henri Hooft. In terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Florida recently became the center of a spike in cases. Now, the state currently has 169,000 recorded cases, making them the fifth-highest in the US, just behind New York, California, Texas, and New Jersey. Aung La N Sang’s most recent appearance in the ONE circle was back in October of 2019, wherein he successfully defended the ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship by knocking out reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera in the second round. .....»»