Asian MMA stars honored at 2018 Global Martial Arts Awards in Singapore

Mixed martial arts stars Eduard Folayang, Angela Lee, and Aung La N Sang were among the big winners at the 2018 Global Martial Arts Awards, held Thursday, 8 November at the JW Marriot in Singapore.

The Awards night featured a who’s who of martial arts talent from across the world and the awards were presented by 18 leading broadcasters from all over.

Folayang, the former ONE Lightweight World Champion was named as the Martial Arts Hero of the Year, beating out other big stars such as Lee, Aung La N Sang, Martin Nguyen, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, and Tenshin Nasukawa.

“I believe this award represents the start and beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hard work, perseverance,” said Folayang.

The Team Lakay star has had a magnificent 2018 so far, winning consecutive bouts to earn another shot at becoming the ONE Lightweight World Champion. He faces Singaporean star Amir Khan at ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS in Manila on November 23rd.

Reigning ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang was named Male Athlete of the Year after a stellar 2018 that saw him become a two-division world champion and defend the ONE Middleweight World Championship twice. He’s coming off a dominant TKO victory over Mohammad Karaki in Myanmar.

Singapore’s own Angela Lee was hailed as the Female Athlete of the Year after she made a triumphant return to action back in May, defending her ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship for a third consecutive time against Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi.

Famed Filipino martial arts stable Team Lakay also took home quite a few other honors, including Gym of the Year, Coach of the Year which went to head coach Mark Sangiao, and Submission of the Year, which went to reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio for his Passion Lock victory over Pongsiri Mitsatit.

Bout of the Year went to the five-round classic between Aung La N Sang and Ken Hasegawa for the ONE Middleweight World Championship at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR back in June.

The Breakout Athlete of the Year went to newly-crowned ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Stamp Fairtex after dethroning Kai Ting Chuang at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES in Bangkok, Thailand.

ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES was named Event of the Year, with a packed Impact Arena in Bangkok coming out to witness Thailand’s own Srisaket Sor Rungvisai successfully defend his WBC Super Flyweight World Championship against Mexican challenger Iran Diaz in the main event.

2018 Global Martial Arts Awards Official Winners

Martial Arts Hero of the Year: Eduard Folayang
Male Athlete of the Year: Aung La N Sang
Female Athlete of the Year: Angela Lee
Muay Thai Athlete of the Year: Nong-O Gaiyanghadao
Kickboxing Athlete of the Year: Tenshin Nasukawa
Bout of the Year: Aung La N Sang vs Ken Hasegawa
Knockout of the Year: Brian Ortega (KO of Frankie Edgar)
Submission of the Year: Joshua Pacio via “The Passion Lock”
Martial Arts Journalist of the Year: Manabu Takashima of MMA Planet
Ring Girl of the Year: Lee Ji Na
Event of the Year: ONE: Kingdom of Heroes
Walkout of the Year: Andy Nguyen
Gym of the Year: Team Lakay
Referee of the Year: Olivier Coste
Coach of the Year: Mark Sangiao
Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Stamp Fairtex