28 February 2019
Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the initial bouts to take place at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR set for 12 April at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Once again, the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent will grace the ONE Championship stage and showcase their world-class skills.
In the main event, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Vietnam and Australia will defend his title against former World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia. In the co-main event of the evening, a highly-anticipated rematch takes place when former World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines challenges reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta of Japan.
Reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen is back in action against former World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa.
The 29-year-old Nguyen has become one of the most prolific Asian martial arts talents over the past few years, winning seven of his last nine contests. In 2015, he embarked on an unprecedented six bout winning streak, along the way capturing both the ONE Featherweight and ONE Lightweight World Titles in the process to become a simultaneous two division World Champion.
After falling to injury however, Nguyen was prompted to vacate the lightweight strap last November. Now, with Nguyen fully recovered, the Vietnamese-Australian stalwart is slated to make his much-awaited return to action against the dangerous veteran Jadambaa.
Jadambaa burst onto the ONE Championship stage in May of 2014, defeating the Philippines’ Honorio “The Rock” Banario. He has since been a winner of six of his last eight contests. In 2014, he captured the ONE Featherweight World Title with a victory over Koji Oishi. Over the years, Jadambaa has defeated some of ONE Championship’s biggest names, with notable victories coming over Kotetsu Boku, Eric and Edward Kelly, and Kazuki Tokudome.
Nguyen and Jadambaa meet for the first time in the main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, in a five-round World Title tiff that promises loads of action and fireworks.
In the co-main event of the evening, the Philippines’ Joshua “The Passion” Pacio looks to exact revenge over his conqueror Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta of Japan. Saruta scored a monumental upset when he defeated Pacio via extremely close split decision at ONE: ETERNAL GLORY earlier this year to capture the ONE Strawweight World Title.
After Pacio’s initial opponent, Hayato Suzuki, was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury, it was Saruta who was tapped to take his place in the main event opposite the Filipino.
Using his world-class striking and grappling skills, Saruta put together a comprehensive performance, upsetting Pacio to capture the belt. However, the extremely close result was enough to warrant an immediate rematch between the two. Now, the two have the chance to settle the score once and for all to determine who is the true king at strawweight.
Follow the writer on Twitter: @burnsports
