This was my first time visiting China and I’m going to Glory 57 Shenzhen where fighters will battle it out in the ring among thousands and thousands of cheering fans.
To Shenzhen, China
Arriving at the Shenzhen Bao An International Airport in Shenzhen, China, I was greeted with the humid warm air that practically fogged up my glasses as I left the terminal.
The new ‘Terminal 3’ has been in operation since 2013, and it is one of three largest airport hubs serving the Pearl River Delta alongside Hong Kong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
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Unfortunately, there is no time to explore the new terminal so I got shuffled into a taxi heading to the accommodation. My accommodation for this trip is the Mission Hills Hotel and Resort in Shenzhen about 20-30 minutes drive from the airport.
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Glory 57 Shenzhen
I’m here to attend one of the biggest stand-up kickboxing fight event in the world, the Glory 57 Shenzhen, China.
The Shenzhen Bay Sports Center Stadium was completed in mid-2011. The design was chosen from the winner of the design competition held in early 2008. The sports center stadium hosted an array of sports event and this year that includes the Glory 57 competition as well.
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There was a total of 4 prelims, 2 super fights series, 4 featured fights and 1 headline fight.
All the matches were very exciting! Each fighter was giving their all and then some to make their mark in this event.
And then came the featured match between Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Marat Gregorian. The champ is back to defend his title against his long-time nemesis.
I was on the edge of my seat cheering for Sitthichai. The match was so close and Marat Gregorian was seriously trying to bring down the champ.
While they both showed tenacity and skills, the champ finally came out on top with the unanimous winning scores. The fight was so close I didn’t know what to think but I was thrilled and proud to have been one of the witnesses to Sitthichai’s victory and a confirmation that he is still the Glory Champion!
My sincere thanks to:
My tools for this trip:
1. Canon EOS M100 camera with kit lens
2. DJI Osmo Mobile 2
3. Moleskine art sketchbook A5
4. Watercolor travel set with a tank brush
