ONE Championship’s Miesha Tate, Brandon Vera visit US troops in Guam

Mixed martial arts legends Miesha “Cupcake” Tate, 33, of the United States and Brandon “The Truth” Vera, 42, of the Philippines were recently in the U.S. territory of Guam to visit American troops stationed at Andersen Air Force Base. She is the former women’s bantamweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the current ONE Championship vice president while he is the reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion.

The visit was done in coordination with the United Service Organizations (USO) which saw Tate and Vera participate in various activities with service members who are assigned far from home. Both globally recognized ambassadors of the sport of MMA, the two regularly partake in corporate outreach initiatives.

“This trip has been spectacular,” Tate said. “We love to do this stuff for the military. It’s so cool to see their faces light up for a second after so much sacrifice that they do.”

“I got to go on a submarine, which literally blew my mind,” Tate continued. “I have so much more respect for what they do if that’s even possible. To go in that tiny submarine and spend all that time they have to spend there and the dedication they have to stay on point and defend our country it’s just crazy.”

Tate and Vera received the opportunity to tour both the Air Force Base and the Naval Base at Andersen, meet service members, sign autographs, take pictures, share meals and even have some time on the beautiful beaches of Guam. She said, “It’s my first time in Guam so for me it’s like a new experience.”

“I love it so much I want to come back,” Tate continued. “I love to be able to meet the troops and just show them our gratitude. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for everything that you do. It means a lot, the sacrifice you are willing to give if necessary to protect what we enjoy on an everyday basis.”

Vera has residency in the U.S. and divides his time between living in the Philippines and in Guam. He was blown away by the amount of focus the U.S. has placed in its defense systems to protect its allies.

“I had no idea and I’ve been here four years,” Vera said. “You hear these stories and you’re almost crying because it’s about passion and family and about connecting with each other and staying connected and helping each other.”

From 1997 to 1999, Vera served the U.S. States Air Force where he joined the wrestling team and trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Years later, he was introduced to the sport of MMA and has built a legendary career ever since.

Today, Vera is one of ONE Championship’s longest running world champions. Meanwhile, here is the Filipino-American MMA veteran in an open workout in the Philippines in 2018: