Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of Baguio City, Philippines is the new interim flyweight champion of ONE Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Singapore. On January 26, 2018, the promotion held “ONE: Global Superheroes” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines.
In the main event, Eustaquio walked out of the arena to a roar of adulation and with the interim ONE Flyweight World Championship around his waist, defeating Kairat Akhmetov of Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan. The Kazakh MMA fighter is a former ONE Flyweight World Champion.
Although Akhmetov managed to showcase his wrestling, it was largely ineffective against Eustaquio, who was far superior in the striking department for the majority of the bout. The Filipino MMA fighter repeatedly connected on his Kazakh opponent with crisp, clean combinations throughout the championship contest.
In the end, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Eustaquio to win by unanimous decision. After winning the belt, the new champion told his fellow Filipinos in the crowd, “I don’t know what to say.”
“This belt is not mine to take,” Eustaquio continued. “It’s ours. Thank you to my family who was always there from the start, coach Mark Sangiao and the entire Team Lakay who never doubted me and always believed that one day I would stand here holding this belt.”
Adriano Moraes of Brazil is the reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion. On September 12, 2014, he submitted Eustaquio at “ONE: Rise of the Kingdoms” at the Koh Pich Theatre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
“I am proud to represent this flag all throughout the world,” Eustaquio said. “Here is your world champion from the Philippines. Adriano [Moraes] I know you’re there. I got a belt! Give me one more try and I hope to give you a better challenge this time.”
This is the second time Eustaquio fought Akhmetov. On September 16, 2017, the Kazakh MMA fighter defeated the fighter from Baguio City via split decision at “ONE: Total Victory” at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia.
CONAN Daily 