(Courtesy of ONE Championship)
“Dynamite” Eko Roni Saputra has had a stellar career in ONE Championship so far, and the Indonesian mixed martial artist is hoping to produce the next generation of rising stars in his home country.
Two years since joining ONE, the former national wrestling champion has amassed five consecutive first-round victories in the world’s largest martial arts organization, which makes him a constant threat to anyone in the flyweight division.
Watch some of his victorious moments here:
While looking to extend his record to become the first Indonesian to crack into ONE’s official ranking, the Samarinda-born fighter has laid out a plan to pave the way for more Indonesians to follow in his footsteps.
He revealed to have purchased three plots of land worth over Rp 1 billion (US$70,000) in his hometown that he will use to build a state-of-the-art mixed martial arts (MMA) center.
“Alhamdulillah [Thank God]. I am grateful to have achieved one of my goals,” the 30-year-old athlete said.
“I am planning to build an MMA Center in Samarinda [East Kalimantan]. I want it to be a place to create and nurture future Indonesian stars. My dream is to make a big, modern facility, so this is the first step.
“I do not want it to be just an ordinary gym. I have seen Evolve [in Singapore] and other gyms in America, and they are all so sophisticated. I want to create a similar gym with the best equipment and facilities in order to produce the best [athletes].
“That’s my goal, and I have taken the first step. Hopefully, it can be realized soon. I want the best quality facilities, the best mats, the best sauna, the best jacuzzi. I want it to meet the highest standard it can be. I want to create another Eko Roni Saputra.”
. (Courtesy of ONE Championship/.)
Since signing a contract with ONE, Eko, his wife and their young son are based in Singapore to train out of Evolve MMA alongside some of martial arts’ world champions from various disciplines, including ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong “The Panda” Jingnan, who will defend her belt against Ayaka “Zombie” Miura in the main event of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS on Jan. 14, 2022.
He is visiting his hometown for the first time in two years, as the ongoing global pandemic prevented him to come home earlier.
During that period, he competed and defeated several fighters from other countries, including Malaysia’s Murugan Silvarajoo, Cambodia’s Khon Sichan, the Philippines’ Ramon Gonzales and most recently, China’s Liu Peng Shuai when he recorded the fastest finish in the flyweight category with a 10-second knock-out.
And that stunning run in ONE has inspired his compatriots.
“I have received a lot of messages from Indonesian friends encouraging me to open a gym,” Eko revealed.
“The goal is to set up other gyms in other cities as well. I want to hire the best quality coaches, too.”
Eko fought poverty as his father faced bankruptcy when he was a child. He had to live in a small house along with more than a dozen other family members.
Growing up, he was willing to take on any job available to make a living, including selling newspapers on the street and becoming a parking attendant.
He learned boxing from his father and switched to wrestling when he was a teenager.
As martial arts have changed his life, he believes that it could also open up more opportunities for other aspiring young athletes to represent the country on the global stage.
“This feels like an achievement for me and my family; from not owning a home to buying some plots of land. To be able to move to Singapore, have a professional career and [buy land] in my hometown feels surreal. I am grateful to have been able to invest for me and my family’s future,” Eko said.
“I think it means we can dream and hard work would never betray you.”
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This article is a collaboration with ONE Championship