CV Stardom

When Filipina warrior Rome “The Rebel” Trinidad, 21, made her ONE Championship debut at “ONE: Warriors of the World” on December 9, 2017, she succumbed to her Thai-Japanese opponent Rika “Tiny Doll” Ishige. On May 12, 2018, the former will walk to the ONE Championship ring again, this time with a mixed martial arts legend by her side.

A household name in the established local MMA scene in the Philippines, Andrew Benibe, 38, will be part of the entourage of Trinidad. The Filipina fighter is scheduled to fight on the undercard of “ONE: Grit and Glory” in Jakarta, Indonesia against hometown hero Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol, 29.

Benibe is a former Philippine bantamweight champion. He currently works as an MMA trainer at Maic’s Gym in Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

“Right now, I have a tremendous support system in my training, especially with the help of my coach Andrew Benibe,” Trinidad said of her coach.  “He knows how to bring out the best in me.”

Since 2006, Benibe has been a staple of the Philippine MMA circuit. Having 17 professional bouts under his belt, he has shared the stage with the industry’s notable figures such as Mark Eddiva, Jessie Rafols, Will Chope, Reysaldo Transmonte and Mark Striegl.

Moreover, Benibe made a one-off appearance inside the ONE Championship cage when he took on Team Lakay’s Honorio Banario at the organization’s first event on Philippine soil in August 2012. Now sitting on the coach’s stool to oversee Trinidad’s training, Benibe claimed that his student is ready for anything as they have been working on all elements of the game in preparation of her cage encounter with Gaol.

“We have trained her for both stand-up and grappling in anticipation of anything,” he shared. “But whatever the condition, Rome Trinidad’s best bet is a stand-up game and finishing the match with striking.”