Brandon Vera to defend ONE heavyweight crown
TITLE DEFENSE. Mixed martial arts veteran Brandon Vera (right) holds a professional record of 15-7. Photo from ONE Championship
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-American sensation Brandon “The Truth” Vera will defend his heavyweight title against challenger Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli of Italy in the ONE: Conquest of Champions on November 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.
"Brandon has been itching to get back in action to defend his heavyweight title for some time now, and I am thrilled to announce that he will be returning," said Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.
"Brandon will have a very tough challenger in front of him in the form of Mauro Cerilli. The two provide an explosive matchup and a good contrast of styles."
In the co-main event, another Filipino bet and former lightweight titleholder Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will battle top contender Amir Khan of Singapore for the vacant lightweight title.
“The Philippines is a country that is extremely passionate about sports, especially martial arts. We have some of the greatest martial artists in Asia that call the Philippines home," said Sityodtong.
Vera, a mixed martial arts veteran with a 15-7, 1 NC professional record, joined ONE Championship in 2014 after competing for over a decade as one of the world’s best martial arts talents.
A devastating striker known for his thunderous leg kicks as well as his well-rounded skills, Vera captured the heavyweight crown with a stunning knockout victory over Paul Cheng in December 2015.
In his last bout, Vera dominated Japanese challenger Hideki “Shrek” Sekine to win via technical knockout in the 1st round, successfully defending his title.
Cerilli, who totes a professional record of 12-2, is a Cage Warriors heavyweight champion and a certified finisher known for his knockout power and submission skills.
Riding a five-bout win streak – with 4 ending in emphatic knockouts – Cerilli stopped Karl Moore of Ireland in just 15 seconds in his last outing.
Folayang – a former Philippine wushu champion who won 3 golds in the Southeast Asian Games – looks to replicate his 2016 run when he shocked Japanese legend Shinya Aoki with a third-round knockout to capture the lightweight title.
Former muay thai champion Khan, meanwhile, has been showcasing his immense talent and growing skills by winning 8 of his last 9 bouts. In his recent match, Khan stunned highly regarded Filipino lightweight veteran Honorio “The Rock” Banario, winning by first round submission.
For ticket information, visit www.onefc.com. – Rappler.com
