MANILA – Ilonggo mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Rene “The Challenger” Catalan placed high in the first installment of ONE Championship’s official athlete rankings.
Catalan ranked third in the strawweight division, while his compatriot, champion Joshua Pacio of Team Lakay, topped the category.
“I just want to thank ONE Championship for the recognition,” Catalan said on a social media post. “This ranking is a good motivation for me and my team. We are not yet good enough, but we are trying to be.”
He added: “We at Catalan Fighting System Philippines will push more to reach someday what other athletes like senator Manny Pacquiao achieved. Our goal is to help more poor athletes that have goals, discipline, determination, dedication, and passion.”
Danny Kingad also fared well in the rankings. He is the No. 2 contender for the ONE flyweight championship of Adriano Moraes, while Fil-Aussie Reece McLaren is fifth in the weight class.
Former ONE world champion Kevin Belingon, on the other hand, is still the No. 1 contender for the bantamweight belt of Bibiano Fernandes, while Denice Zamboanga is leading the rankings for Angela Lee’s women’s atomweight world championship.
“The rankings will bring more clarity and transparency for our athletes as they chase their dreams for a world championship title. Fans can also follow their favorite athletes and their journeys more closely as they climb or fall in the rankings,” One CEO and chairman Chatri Sityodtong said./PN
