Brandon Vera to Defend One Heavyweight Title Against Hideki Sekine in December

Mike SloanOct 20, 2016

One Championship, the largest fight promotion in all of Asia, announced Thursday that its heavyweight champion will return to his nationality’s roots to defend his title. Brandon Vera will defend his crown against Hideki Sekine in the main event of One: Age of Domination on Dec. 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Vera, a longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, captured the inaugural One heavyweight title last December when he blew away Paul Cheng with a punch and head kick in just 26 seconds. The American-born Filipino hasn’t fought since and aims to be successful when he takes on Sekine.

A veteran of Deep, the unbeaten Sekine will look to take Vera’s belt home with him back to Japan. “Shrek” has looked sensational thus far into his still-blossoming mixed martial arts career as he has either knocked out or submitted every man he’s faced, save for one.

One Championship also revealed that Mark Striegl will take on Rafael Nunes; Geje Eustaquio will oppose Toni Tauru; Honorio Banario will lock horns with Rajinder Singh Meena; Edward Kelly will fight Sunoto; April Osenio will duel with Jenny Huang; Danny Kingad will face Eugene Toquero; Liu Peng Shuai will battle Sim Bunsrun; Xie Bin will collide with Mario Satya Wirawan.