The highly anticipated UFC 156 card happens this Saturday and it will be headlined by a featherweight super-fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar. If you didn’t already know, there’s also a stacked Asian MMA card happening on the morning of the same day, and it will also be headlined by their own featherweight championship bout.
ONE FC 7: Return of Warriors happens at 8 a.m. ET, the morning before UFC 156, and since the top fighters on that card are MMA fans as well as competitors, I’ve asked them to give out their Aldo vs. Edgar predictions. Here’s who they think will win the UFC Featherweight Title:
Eric Kelly (9-0), URCC Featherweight Champion: “Jose Aldo. His leg kicks are very fast and I do not think that Frankie Edgar can deal with his speed.”
Honorio Banario (7-1), URCC Lightweight Champion: “Jose Aldo. He has convincingly beaten every challenge put in front of him so far.”
Lowen Tynanes (2-0), wrestling champ and top lightweight prospect: “I’m pulling for Frankie Edgar. I think he has the speed and footwork to negate the power that Jose Aldo can generate in his punches and kicks.”
Rey Docyogen (10-0), URCC Pinweight Champion: “I hope Aldo wins. I like his style and he is very aggressive. Either way, I expect a knockout in this fight.”
Shinichi Kojima (12-5-5), Shooto Bantamweight Champion: “I like Frankie Edgar in this fight. He is very fast and moves a lot.”
Peter Davis (5-1), Malaysian ONE FC star: “This is one of the toughest championship fight to predict in awhile but I think Aldo’s leg kicks will eventually slow Edgar down for a decision victory.”
Pros who picked Jose Aldo: 4
Pros who picked Frankie Edgar: 2
Aside from giving picks for UFC 156, I’ve also asked these stars to give the casual MMA fan reasons to get up early to watch them compete and perform at ONE FC 7 on the same date. Here’s how they each made their case for people to watch them, and Asian MMA in general:
Eric Kelly (9-0), URCC Featherweight Champion: “Why? Because I’ll prove that I’m the best featherweight in the world by winning the ONE FC featherweight championship. We put on exciting fights and we always come ready to fight.”
Honorio Banario (7-1), URCC Lightweight Champion: “The fans in the USA should stay up to watch the crowining of a ONE FC featherweight champion for the first time. Also, ONE FC shows are the biggest shows in Asia and our fans are the most passionate in the world!”
Lowen Tynanes (2-0), wrestling champ and top lightweight prospect: “Asian MMA is growing at such a rapid pace and the growth in the few years of existence has been phenomenal. They shouldn’t even be sleeping! Just pull an all-nighter and be ready to go in the morning!”
Rey Docyogen (10-0), URCC Pinweight Champion: “We are growing rapidly and there are many undiscovered MMA talent in Asian countries. You should watch because because ONE FC would put on an even better show than the UFC the night before!”
Shinichi Kojima (12-5-5), Shooto Bantamweight Champion: “ONE FC shows are very good. They have some elements similar to Pride, such as soccer kicks! Asian MMA is going to rise up again and challenge UFC. It’s only a matter of time.”
Peter Davis (5-1), Malaysian ONE FC star: “Why? Because we’ll put on an absolute firecracker of a show and any MMA fan will be impressed by the level of competition. We are getting bigger and we are bringing MMA to countries which have never seen an MMA event of this magnitude before.”
Well there you have it. All six MMA stars from the region have made their cases. Will you be joining the BE Breakfast Club this Saturday?
FIGHT CARD – ONE FC 7: Return of Warriors
February 2, 2013 — Stadium Putra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Main Card – Online PPV:
– Eric Kelly vs. Honorio Banario [ONE FC Featherweight Championship]
– Rey Docyogen vs. Shinichi Kojima [Flyweight Title Eliminator]
– Vuyisile Colossa vs. Lowen Tynanes
– Peter Davis vs. Leo Krishna
– Adam Kayoom vs. Zuli Silawanto
– Ryan Diaz vs. Thanh Vu [Bantamweight GP Quarterfinals]
Malaysian FW National Championship Tournament:
– Melvin Yeoh vs. Raymond Tiew
– AJ Vaa vs. Jian Kai Chee
Prelims – Free on YouTube:
– Gianni Subba vs. Saiful Merican
– Jake Butler vs. Antonio Romulo
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