Filipino MMA asserts dominance in ONE official rankings
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino mixed martial arts asserted its reputation as a powerhouse in the region, with multiple Filipino fighters placing high in ONE Championship's official athlete rankings.
Decided by a panel of sports media and former MMA athletes, the Singapore-based promotion released their first-ever athlete rankings last April 27.
Team Lakay's Joshua Pacio was the highest-ranked among Filipinos, being the reigning strawweight champion.
Compatriots Rene Catalan and Lito Adiwang also made the top five in the strawweight class at third and fifth place, respectively.
Meanwhile, rising star Danny Kingad established his place among the top flyweight MMA athletes in the promotion, ranking second only behind world champion Adriano Moraes and the legendary Demetrious Johnson.
In the bantamweight division, former title holder Kevin Belingon ranked first behind current champion Bibiano Fernandes.
Belingon and Fernandes are considered strong rivals in the division.
For the women's division, Fairtex Gym's Denice Zamboanga ranked first in the Atomweight MMA division, behind champion Angela Lee.
Zamboanga, who has yet to lose a bout with ONE Championship, is set for a title bout against Lee for the title.
Team Lakay's Gina Iniong also ranked among the top fighters in the division, ranking fifth.
Other weight classes, including the heavyweight divison where Filipino Brandon Vera is the reigning champion, have yet to be included in the rankings.
But with already more than a handful of athletes among the top brass in the promotion, it is clear that the Philippines is a breeding ground for the best of the best in martial arts.
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