Two of the top Asian MMA featherweight prospects are set to lock horns this Friday night at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, which takes place at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.**
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Malaysia’s own Keanu Subba (4-2) is set to take on unbeaten Pakistani MMA prodigy Ahmed “The Wolverine” Mujtaba (6-0) in a three-round bout. Both fighters are extremely talented young up-and-coming stars, and will now cross paths early in their career.

While the stacked fight card is certainly one to look forward to, featuring a spectacular main event between hometown favorite Ev “E.T.” Ting and veteran wrestler Kamal Shalorus, there are those who think the real fight to watch out for could be the Subba-Mujtaba showdown.

And even though each bout promises fireworks from the get-go, let’s take a look at four reasons why Keanu Subba vs Ahmed Mujtaba could very well end up stealing the show.

#1 It’s The Hometown Hero Vs The Outsider

One of the most popular fighters in Malaysia at the moment, Keanu Subba has managed to connect with fans and build a solid following, after some tremendous performances inside the ONE Championship cage. Subba is one of the most promising young mixed martial artists tasked to elevate the sport of MMA in the country, and he has certainly not shied away from his calling.

At the same time, Ahmed Mujtaba is one of Pakistan’s top MMA prospects. Although he will be stepping into hostile territory, Mujtaba will do so with a complete arsenal, looking to upset the hometown hero and silence what should be a raucous crowd.

When two equally skilled fighters come together and try to prove to fans who reigns supreme, it usually produces an epic matchup. Subba will of course look to put forward his best effort in order to win one for the home team. In contrast, Mujtaba should be willing to do everything in his power to spoil the party.

#2 They’re Highly-Skilled Martial Artists

Aside from the inherent local vs outsider premise of this matchup, both Subba and Mujtaba are highly-skilled martial artists. MMA is a game of skill and technique after all. Take away all the emotion, the drama, and the other elements of a fight and what you’re left with is basically one guy trying to prove he is more skilled or more talented than his opponent.

The same applies to this bout. However, Subba and Mujtaba are not just two extremely talented young fighters, they are also two of the best fighters in all of Asia.

Subba spends most of his time honing his skills in Bali, Indonesia, training alongside stars like Andrew and Anthony Leone at Bali MMA. He also has his older brother Gianni, also a highly-regarded ONE Championship prospect, helping him perfect his skills and tweak his technique day in and day out.

On the flipside, Mujtaba fights out of TFF Islamabad in the capital city of his home country of Pakistan. He is one of the most talented fighters to come out of the country since ONE Championship’s own Bashir Ahmad laid the groundwork and paved the way for guys like Mujtaba to chase their dreams inside the cage.

Both Subba and Mujtaba train tirelessly to constantly enhance and perfect their technique, all with the common goal of one day becoming an MMA world champion. On paper, the two fighters are near equals and both are well-rounded, which provides an interesting clash of styles.

#3 They’re Extremely Aggressive Fighters

While Subba could very well be the more polished striker of the two, there is no doubt that Mujtaba is supremely confident in his grappling ability, having finished the majority of his opponents by submission.

Yet despite the disparity in styles, Subba and Mujtaba do share a common trait — they are both aggressive fighters who do not know how to back down. As is common with young fighters, both Subba and Mujtaba go into a bout with the mindset of ending things early. That’s certainly not a bad thing, especially for fans craving world-class MMA action.

MMA fans want to see technique, they want to see something magical, something they cannot explain in words. But sometimes, all they want to do is leap out of their seats in excitement.

Subba-Mujtaba promises to do just that with two aggressive young prospects going at it to determine who is the better fighter at this stage in their careers.

#4 They’re Certified Finishers

Subba and Mujtaba combine for a whopping 90% finishing rate, having stopped a combined nine out of ten total opponents.

The 22-year-old Subba owns four victories, which includes one win by submission and three by scintillating technical knockout. Mujtaba, on the other hand, has won five of his six professional bouts thus far by submission.

To expect their showdown to reach the final bell is both unrealistic and improbable. Given their propensity for exciting finishes, it’s a near guarantee that their bout will end in some sort of awe-inspiring knockout or submission. And if there’s one thing every mixed martial arts fan loves, it’s exciting finishes.

Subba and Mujtaba, two of the top Asian MMA prospects in 2017 will go head-to-head in a battle of attrition this Friday night. It’s a match fans will certainly not want to miss.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has cleared the final administrative hurdle that stands in the way of a calling for the National Sports Association’s first democratic election.

After changing its constitution – to allow for the election of its leadership – last November, all that remained was for FAS to draw up an electoral code.

That was completed and sent out to its 46 affiliates last Friday.

The electoral code defines the regulations and procedures in the organising of an election, including procedures of nominations, examinations of nominees and the conduct of the election itself.

“Following the approval of the new constitution, we embarked on the final phase of our preparations for the election of council members: the drafting of the electoral code,” said an FAS spokesman in response to queries from The New Paper.

“We consulted Fifa and AFC during the drafting process, and the final draft of the Electoral Code has since been sent to members.

“The election will be called after we have received the inputs from members and the subsequent finalisation of the Electoral Code.”

TNP understands that barring any violent objections from its affiliates, the electoral code will be implemented, without the need for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM).

TNP had a look at FAS’ electoral code, and key principles spelt out in the document called for an election free from influences outside of the football fraternity, including the government.

The electoral code states that the FAS provisional council will “continue to exercise their functions and rights until the completion of the electoral process” and that “government interference of any kind in the electoral process under the Code is not permitted”.

The document specified that “government rules on elections shall not apply” and that the code will “not require the approval of any kind by government agencies.”

The FAS’ provisional council was appointed on Nov 15 last year, with its term to end on March 17, 2017.

DEADLINE

The absolute deadline for the FAS’ new leadership to take office has been set as May.

The next step for the FAS is to name its three-man Electoral Committee – backed by current FAS general secretary Winston Lee as its secretary – on the day it calls for election.

As stipulated in the code, the chairperson of the committee will be the chairman of the FAS Disciplinary Committee – K Bala Chandran.

The deputy chairperson of the Electoral Committee will be the FAS’ Ethics Committee chairman – Jeffrey Beh.

The remaining member of the electoral committee will be the chairman of the FAS’ Audit Committee – Jackson Yap.

The three men must not be members of the executive body of the FAS, and will have to declare their candidature for elected posts if they are intending to run for office.

The 46 affiliates had until yesterday to write in with their views on the electoral code.

TNP understands that at least one of its affiliates has raised questions over the 16-page document.

While it is unclear what issues the affiliate has raised, Alfred Dodwell, who has declared his intention to run at the upcoming election and is believed to be part of a team including former Singapore international R Sasikumar, thought the code could be further refined.

The lawyer took issue with the information candidates are required to furnish in nomination forms – including insolvency clearance records – and who has access to such data.

“I commend the hard work put into the electoral code, but there are some concerns as to who holds the data and whether the general secretary who is a paid staff (of the FAS) should also be in the Electoral Committee,” he told TNP yesterday.

The requirement for personal declarations was already stated in the new FAS constitution.

While Dodwell believes that there are some issues with the electoral code, he is pleased the wheels are set in motion.

“I believe with some compromise from the drafters to accommodate alternative perspective and views, it is largely a workable code and should finally pave the way for the FAS election.”

shamiro@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 9, 2017.
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ONE Championship is back at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur this 10 February for ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, which promises to be an excellent kick-off to what should be an exciting year for MMA in Malaysia.

Over the years, the promotion has put on several live shows in the country’s capital, and has given birth to stars like Peter Davis and Ann Osman. This year, it’s all about Malaysian-Kiwi sensation Ev “E.T.” Ting and his quest for greatness as a rising lightweight star.

But Ting isn’t the only fighter bearing the torch for Asian MMA. Keep on the lookout for a handful of young stars set to take to Asian MMA’s biggest platform. Here is a look at what’s at stake for the fighters of ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS.

Tiffany “Soul Crusher” Teo

Singaporean homegrown talent Tiffany Teo made her ONE Championship debut last November in spectacular fashion, submitting Egypt’s Walaa Abbas after thoroughly dominating her for two rounds.

The 27-year-old was born in Brunei but raised in Singapore, and considers herself 100 per cent Singaporean. As such, she is in a great position to stand beside fellow Singaporean star Angela “Unstoppable” Lee, leading the charge for female mixed martial artists in Asia.

She came up with her nickname “Soul Crusher” because she wanted to trade her ‘girl next door’ persona for a meaner profile. After four bouts as a professional, Teo has remained undefeated, finishing all four of her opponents.

The upside is incredible for the young woman, and she’ll take on Indonesia’s Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol in her next excursion. With her solid debut inside the ONE Championship cage, all eyes will be set on Teo to see if she can replicate her early success.

Ann “Athena” Osman

Malaysia’s warrior belle, Ann “Athena” Osman has carried the flag for her country for the greater part of the last three years, pioneering women’s MMA in Asia with a great run in her first four fights with ONE Championship.

She made her professional debut against Singapore’s Sherilyn Lim in a closely-contested three-round battle which ended in a split decision in her opponent’s favor. But regardless of the loss, Osman showcased exactly what has endeared her to fans in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur — the sheer will to win at any cost.

Osman is a gritty and tough female warrior with a grinding, deliberate style of fighting that tests her opponent’s willpower and determination. She will push her foes to the limit, and if they aren’t prepared both physically and mentally, Osman will wring them out and leave them to dry.

Despite a recent setback against April Osenio last September, Osman is determined to win all her bouts this year and work her way towards a potential world title, should ONE Championship decide to crown an inaugural strawweight champion.

Roy “The Dominator” Doliguez

Filipino MMA hopeful Roy “The Dominator” Doliguez is a talented strawweight, but you wouldn’t be able to discern that from his first two appearances inside the ONE Championship cage.

Doliguez has had two extremely tough bouts to kick off his promotional stint, the first against eventual ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, and the next one against enigmatic striking ace Riku Shibuya.

Though he experienced setbacks in both bouts, Doliguez showcased just how tough he was in each of them, going the distance with two fearsome finishers. At ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, Doliguez gets his third opportunity to realize his Asian MMA dreams against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt champion Alex Silva.

Being a former professional boxer, Doliguez undoubtedly owns the tactical advantage on the feet. What he has shown against both Dejdamrong and Shibuya however, is his ability to wrestle and make fights extremely difficult on the ground. If Doliguez can get past Silva’s grappling prowess, it will earn him his first victory inside the ONE Championship cage.

The 34-year-old Silva however, is certainly no walk in the park for any fighter, owning all four of his victories by submission, including his last three over Filipino fighters. Can Doliguez finally score one for Team Philippines against a man who has previously terrorized his compatriots?

Kamal Shalorus

Jim Miller, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rafael dos Anjos, Eduard Folayang, Ariel Sexton, and Shinya Aoki — no, this is not a list of top lightweights in MMA. This is a list of the last six guys Kamal Shalorus shared the cage with.

Shalorus is one of the world’s best lightweights, win or lose, which is why so many top guys want to test their skills against him. He’s well-rounded both in the striking and grappling aspect, and will provide the ultimate test for rising star Ev Ting.

Yet while Ting is fighting in front of his hometown crowd, looking to make a statement in possibly securing a title shot at lightweight, Shalorus has other things on his mind. For Shalorus, the fight represents a comeback.

While others would immediately associate long layoffs with cage rust, Shalorus likes to keep things optimistic by thinking it’s the opportunity for a new beginning. After three years of rest and rejuvenation, Shalorus will return to the cage to take on one of ONE Championship’s top lightweight contenders.

Suffice to say, a victory would go a long to earning him another shot at championship immortality. What’s more the title has changed hands, ending up in the grasp of Eduard Folayang — a man he’s previously beaten.

Ev “E.T.” Ting

Ev Ting is 12-3 and one of the top talents in ONE Championship’s budding lightweight division. He has competed against some of the biggest names in the promotion, and is a winner of six of his last seven fights, losing only to ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov.

Yet in his last bout, Ting stepped onto foreign territory. After spending the majority of his rise through the ranks at featherweight, the Malaysian star moved up a class into lightweight in search of more opportunities.

Last September, Ting went back and forth with Rob Lisita in one of the most exciting bouts of 2016. It was a grueling three-round affair with both fighters being pushed to the limit.

Ting shined with his pinpoint striking and tremendous cardio. Moreover, he overcame Lisita’s power and constant aggression, which is not to be taken lightly. Lisita is one of the toughest guys on the block and Ting absolutely took him apart.

Now, Ting finds himself one step closer to a title shot in his new division. But a man named Kamal Shalorus stands in his way. If Ting can defeat Shalorus, it will say a lot about where he’s at in his career. Whether or not he’s ready to take the next step, only the cage can determine.